"experience was remarkable and the result was rewarding!"

I was in Expedition 15D as a Volunteer Manager for 12 weeks. I was involved in developing young adults, hoping to inspire these youths while being inspired by their development and bringing sustainability development to rural areas in Borneo.

As a Volunteer Manager, we were all assigned for an intensive training for 2 weeks involving all Fieldbase staff and volunteer managers.

Phase 1 & 2 – I was involved in a W.A.S.H project at Kampung Sonsogon Magandai. Spent 7 weeks in total constructed gravity water fed system which provided fresh water to the community, built toilets and conducted water & hygiene lessons to the kindergarten. The physical work was tough, but the experience was remarkable and the result was rewarding! The kids were adorable and villagers were helpful

In Phase 1, we focused on the water dam construction and connection for the main pipeline. We have to trek for an hour to the water source at the hills to move materials and construct the water dam for the gravity water fed system.

In Phase 2, we connected individual pipelines to the individual households and built one toilet. It was such a great experience to see smiles on each faces, once they have direct access to clean water for each household.

Before Raleigh: No water for individual households, families to fetch water from the nearest water source (i.e. river, steep hills)/No sanitation units nearby the households, each family to perform the traditional method (i.e. open defecation)

After Raleigh: Direct water supply to more than 30 households/3 sanitation units available for sharing at Kampung Sonsogon Magandai

Phase 3 - For the remaining 3 weeks, I was in the amazing Imbak Canyon constructing the suspension bridge for the conservation area. It was a great experience in contributing towards reaching the World Heritage Site status. Showering in Imbak Falls is something that we look into every day after a longs day work.

With Raleigh, this was a one in a lifetime experience which you will never get to experience elsewhere. Helping the less fortunate people and understand the environment develops you to a better individual. Able to experience amazing views in my own country, spending quality time with awesome people around the world, sweating all over with a smiley face and do things that I have never done in my life. I am very proud that I made it through the end of the expedition and only people that were part of Raleigh will truly understand what you have been through. This is my experience, my story. ☺