Orangutan volunteering in Borneo and Malaysia
Are you looking for an adventurous trip with a purpose, or on a gap year or career break? If you want to make a difference in some of the world’s most important conservation areas - and in community projects - then volunteer trips are for you! Volunteers tend to have a sense of adventure, and come from a range of different backgrounds and from all over the world.
Edward Abbey said 'sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul'.
How Orangutan volunteering in Borneo and Malaysia makes a difference
Environment
The trip's strength lies in its unique collaboration of orangutan conservation organisations or individuals that exchange knowledge, advice and ideas towards orangutan conservation in this part of the world. Each project we organise has the shared vision of increasing the size and health of Bornean orangutan populations, bringing them back from the brink of extinction. By working together in this way were able to address the issues affecting the plight of the Orangutan and develop solutions for their long-term survival through shared knowledge.
Your help and manpower goes towards working with local people, Malaysian authorities and universities, and international experts and charities to find a sustainable solution to the problem of orangutan decline.
Accommodation is low impact because its built in materials sourced in the area and resource use is low so we don’t use much water or electricity. Local village people were hired to build the accommodation. Food is low impact as we bring volunteers to buy local produce in local shops. There is no imported produce. We aim to lessen impact on local cultures by ensuring that our foreign guests are equipped to deal with local culture and customs.
Community
The organisation supports conservation and ecotourism that supports local communities and their native land rights. By giving money to tribal people they will protect their native lands. There is a much bigger effect to support communities through ecotourism than if you were to purchase the land yourself. So volunteer money goes direct to various activities and accommodation provided by local tribal people such as eco lodges, local produce, orangutan treks etc.
We use a dynamic mix of local and foreign facilitators who have been highly trained in conservation and welfare of volunteers. In Malaysia working with animals doesn’t fetch a good salary. By paying our local facilitators a fairer salary and providing a career path to management we aim place conservation jobs as a sought after career path for graduates. All accommodation is owned by small family run businesses or by national parks.
Orangutan volunteering in Borneo and Malaysia
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