Conceptually, the local community in rural area of Sabah owns a typical form of mindset which indirectly inhibits them from sculpting success in life. Once this barrier is broken, more great opportunities can be explored. Therefore, this paves the way for BEST Society to organize a personal development seminar for the local community which entitled Mindset Development Seminar.This fruitful seminar was successfully held on the 13th of November 2010 at Pusat Kemahiran Komuniti Bestari (Smart Community Skills Centre), Kg. Hobut, Kudat. A total of 50 participants attended the seminar which involved Head of villages and Chairman of Jawatankuasa Kemajuan & Keselamatan Kampung, JKKK (Village Development & Safety Committee). This seminar was led and facilitaed by Mr. Lam Kee Hing, who regularly conducts personal and leadership development courses especially for indigenous leaders and communities in Sabah, as well as in Sarawak and West Malaysia.

This topic for this seminar was “CHANGE YOUR MINDSET, CHANGE YOUR LIFE”. Among the crucial points elaborated by Mr. Lam during his seminar was the fact that to be a successful individual, it is not the matter how much money the person has or the academic qualifications he owns, but, it is the capacity of knowledge that has grown within one’s mind. The main point is, people need to start changing their own mindset before the conditions of their lives can start to change for the better. He identified 10 negative mindsets prevalent among indigenous people which have seriously hindered their personal and community development. Among them are negative mindset, narrow thinking, short-term thinking, half-hearted attitude, easily satisfied mentality, victim mentality, crab mentality, (attitude of “if I can’t have it, neither can you”) and short cut mentality. He then suggested different practical ways to overcome these negative mindsets.

For this seminar, participants were required to invest RM10.00 per person for the seminar materials. This is intentionally done to break the subsidy (“everything for free”) mentality. Based upon their feedback at the end of the seminar, this program has definitely helped the community to realise their limitations and begin to see possibilities as they begin to change their mindset from negative to positive.

A total of RM1100.00 was spent by BEST Society to conduct this seminar.

BEST Society continues its active involvements in community projects by jointly organizing a seminar with the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Bank on 10th of August 2010 in Kudat. The one day seminar was successfully organized in Kg. Pinawantai Handicraft Center, Matunggong District, of which, three SME Bank officers conducted the session, headed by Mr. Rosie Kassim as SME’s Branch Manager along with Mr. Augustine Jumat and Ms. Aini Aucasa.The seminar was aimed to educate the local community on the SME Bank’s services including detailed lessond on steps to fill up application forms so that they are more prepared to start up businesses on their own. During the seminar Mr. Augustine explained about the Rural Economy Funding Scheme (Skm Pembiayaan Ekonomi Desa, SPED) which is relevant for the local Rungus community in the rural area to apply. The seminar was attended by 61 people from 21 different villages and out of these total numbers, only 6 were people from 21 different villages and out of these total numbers, only 6 were men. As usual, this was a sharp contrast of gender during the seminar, where the women paricipants far outnumbered the male participants. To narrow the gender gap, it is our aim that more male participants will enroll in entrepreneurship development skills programs offered by BEST Society in near future. Among the villages involved were Kg. Kimihang, Kg. Tinangol. Kg. Ppopot, Kg. Lajong, Kg. Tinutudan, Kg. Minyak, Kg. Bangau, Kg Mompolis and Kg. Hobut.

A post-mortem was conducted as a wrap up session and the overall responses received showed that the participants were satisfied and grateful for the opportunity presented to them. For example, Mr Yaidey Golok from Kg. Pinawantai is now aware and exposed to the financing strategies which would enable him to capitalize on his consummate coconut craftmanship for business. Through the opportunity provided, he would be one f the potential entrepreneurs among the local community. This beneficial seminar cost a total of RM1200.00 for its overall expemditures and was funded by GEF-SGP UNDP as part of the capacity building effort.

In addition to this seminar, the participants suggested that BEST Society invite Agro Bank to organize similar seminar, since loan for Agriculture Businesses is not offered by SME Bank. Due to positive feedbacks from the seminar, BEST Society will arrange a study trip to SME Bank Industrial Park in Lok Kawi, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah as a business exposure and opportunity for selected participants.

A Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) processing workshop was successfully organized by BEST Society on the 21st – 22nd October 2010 at the KimihingVCO Processing Center, Kudat. This center was built through the funding from Kementerian Pembangunan Luar Bandar Sabah. The two days workshop was funded by Global Environment Facility Small Grant Program (GEF SGP) through its capacity building activities.The head of Unit Kelompok Pengusaha VCO Kampung Kimihang, Kudat, Mr. Ronnie Onginjan from Kimihang Agro Enterprise was the trainer during the two days workshop. The main objective of this workshop is to teach participants on how to extract virgin coconutoil through fermentation & grated coconut pressing. A number of 31 participants (comprising 6 men and 25 women) from a total of 6 village namely Kg. Kimihang, Kg. Rondomon, Kg. Hobut, Kg. Pinawantai, Kg. Bangau, Kg. Bonduk, Kg. Tinagol participated in this fruitful workshop.

This two days workshop was officiated by Kudat ADO, En. Yasin Nasir on behalf of Kudat District Officer, En. Sebastian Lim. In his speech, he express his gratitude to BEST Society for assisting the local community in Kimihang, Kudat and he will definitely give extra support to such industrious initiative. Manager of BEST Society, Aaron Charles added in his speech that this non-profit organization under Borneo Eco Tours / Sukau Rainforest Lodge will continue to assist the locals of Kudat in terms of technical and management skills, for instant in packaging as well as designing promotional materials. It was agreed that the VCO brand will be named Borneo Natural Coconut Oil or in short, BONCO.

BEST Society has allocated funds in getting Sirim and Halal certification for the products. Mr Ronnie Onginjan also mentioned that this project gained full support from Kudat District Officer, Sebastian Lim who has sent a proposal to the State Development Unit in Kota Kinabalu to fund the VCO downstream product processing workshop such as lotion, soap, candle and massage oil.

At the end of the workshop, all the participants expressed their positive feedbacks and appreciation. Total expenditure spent for this eorkshop was RM2420.

In April, a cohort of seventeen tourism and hospitality students from the University of Edith Cowan (ECU) in Perth, led by the foundation professor of Tourism School of Marketing ECU, Professor Ross K Dowling, embarked on a journey through the land of Sabah, Malaysia to discover and learn first-hand for themselves ecotourism at work.Mr. Albert Teo who is also an adjunct lecturer in the School of Marketing, Tourism and Leisure at ECU as well as the BEST Society CEO accompanied them for much of their journey through Sabah so he could impart to the group his 34 years of experience and knowledge of working in ecotourism in Sabah.

The trip began with a two-day visit to Kudat, which is on the northern tip of Sabah, where the group had the opportunity to be involved with the “Living Water project”. A total sum of A$2000 was donated by the ECU group and used to purchase PVC water pipes which the students helped to install in the village of TerongkonganDarat in Kudat.

The “Living Water project” which is a joint project between the Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu and BEST Society ultimately aims to provide a sustainable source of groundwater to three separate villages in the Kudat District through the construction of two drilled bore wells equipped with pumps to draw water from the aquifer and three water tank towers to store and reticulate water to the surrounding area by gravity.

Aside from the “Living Water project”, the ECU Group also visited a virgin coconut oil processing centre in Kimihang Village which is part of a community project through social entrepreneurship by BEST Society. Here, the students were treated to a demonstration of the extraction process involved in producing virgin coconut oil and supported the project by purchasing the virgin coconut oil product.

Following this, the ECU group visited a traditional long house on Tindakon Dazang Beach which is an eco-tourism project developed by a local entrepreneur at Kampung Terongkongan, Kudat. That night, the ECU group paid a visit to Emmanuel Home which houses orphans and poor children from the surrounding area. Here the ECU group donated books to the children and got to learn and see how a community project literally changes lives.

After completing the community projects in Kudat, the ECU group travelled overland through Sabah. The group experienced the changing landscapes along the way, passing through the mountainous Kinabalu Park, the hot springs of Poring in Ranau and the winding banks of the Kinabatangan River to finally arrive at Sukau Rainforest Lodge (SRL) which is situated on the Lower Kinabatangan River close to Kampung Sukau.

At SRL, the ECU group participated in the “Tree Planting project” which is an ongoing project by BEST Society to replant and restore deforested areas. During their time at SRL, the ECU group experienced the joys of viewing wildlife such asthe proboscis monkeys and Orang Utans (Pongo Pygmaeus) in their natural habitats and sighted countless species of birds.

Prof. Ross sums up the whole tour with a vocalic comment, “The trip was a good learning exposure for the students, as they immersed themselves in local cultures and worked alongside the local communities in the heart of Sabah. Such experiences that cover cultural understanding, heritage, eco aspects, wildlife and even “Voluntourism”, all from an eco-tourism perspective; this tour is not just an eye opener for them but also a lifetime experience in appreciating the local preservation of untouched nature”.

A total of 19 participants from Matunggong District and BEST Society attended the two day course. This is the second sequential program held after the first VCO processing workshop in Oct. 2010. The VCO workshops are part of the Kimihang Community Development project funded under the USD50,000 GEF-SGP grant received by BEST Society in 2010.Mr. Ronnie Onginjan, the pioneer of Kimihang VCO manufacturing welcomed everyone with a short speech, expressing hope that this course will not only motivate the current VCO manufacturers but also further extend the values of VCO. Nilus started the course by giving a through explanation on the usage of VCO ingredients and the precautions on over-dosage of concoctions for each end product. The participants learned to make VCO soaps on day one while lip balm and face lotion techniques were taught on day two.

The VCO downstream products processing course concluded at 2:00pm on 8th July 2011. Participants were elated with the new skills that they acquired through this program. The products manufactured during training were put on sale at the Coconut Festival from 16th until 17th July 2011. In total RM5132.00 were spent for the workshop including purchase of ingredients, food and logistic arrangement.

Borneo Ecotourism Solution & Technologies (BEST) Society (www.bestsociety.org) is a non-profit organization funded by Borneo Eco Tours and Sukau Rainforest Lodge. Over the decade, BEST Society has been focusing on environmental conservation programs and capacity building of local communities in rural areas of Sabah, north Borneo. BEST Society’s main objectives include promoting a sustainable tourism concept which creates employment and nurtures social entrepreneurship skills for the local community.

Borneo Ecotourism, Solution and Technologies (BEST) Society has successfully organised a workshop to teach making enzyme for organic farming in Kg Rampai Besar Community Hall, Kudat, Malaysia on 29th June 2013.

The half day workshop was conducted by trainer, Mr. Oh Sung Doh and attended by 19 participants including ten participants from Organic Farming Project sponsored by Shell and three teachers from SMK Sikuati 2. This workshop focused on the method used to prepare the enzyme at easy and low cost. The purpose of making enzyme is to help in the composting process of organic matter.

Mr. Oh himself was a farmer in South Korea and this technique was first discovered by his father after many years of research. During his workshop, he urged everybody to stop using pesticide and fertilizers to grow the vegetable as the chemical substance will accumulate through food chain and end up in human body. Both pesticides and chemical fertilizers will deteriote human health and unborn baby if consumed in a long term. Participants offered positive feedback regarding the newfound skill.

Borneo Ecotourism, Solution and Technologies (BEST) Society has successfully organised a workshop to teach making enzyme for organic farming in Kg Rampai Besar Community Hall, Kudat, Malaysia on 29th June 2013.The half day workshop was conducted by trainer, Mr. Oh Sung Doh and attended by 19 participants including ten participants from Organic Farming Project sponsored by Shell and three teachers from SMK Sikuati 2. This workshop focused on the method used to prepare the enzyme at easy and low cost. The purpose of making enzyme is to help in the composting process of organic matter.

Mr. Oh himself was a farmer in South Korea and this technique was first discovered by his father after many years of research. During his workshop, he urged everybody to stop using pesticide and fertilizers to grow the vegetable as the chemical substance will accumulate through food chain and end up in human body. Both pesticides and chemical fertilizers will deteriote human health and unborn baby if consumed in a long term. Participants offered positive feedback regarding the newfound skill.

On 15th August, a total of 10 farmers from Kg Rampai, Besar, Sikuati along with two representatives from Borneo Ecotourism, Solutions and Technologies (BEST) Society went on a two days training program to Canaan Farmers Institute at Marak Parak, Kudat. The aim of this trip is to motivate, change their mindset and to develop leadership skills.At 7.00 am, the participants gathered at Sikuati town before driving to Canaan Farm and were greeted by Dr Barnabas Chai (headmaster of the institute) and his staff members in the opening ceremony.

In the introduction session, the participants were briefed by Mr Jimmy on house rules. After learning some basic Korean greetings, the participants were introduced to the history of the institute and its founder.

After lunch break, the participants were divided into three groups for field work. The first group was responsible to install the mosquito net at lecturer hall, second group to plant grass at the football field and the third group had the opportunity to learn operating a plowing machine.

At 7.00pm, the first session was handled by Dr Barnabas himself. He talked about the meaning of becoming pioneer and the important of pioneering spirit in our daily life. He explained how discipline can help to overcome hardship and guide each individual in term of spiritual, mental and physical. Dr Barnabas uses a lot of short video clips in his session. The first day ended with the room inspection headed by the headmaster.

The second day started as early as 5.15 am with morning exercise. According to the trainer, exercise helps to wake up the mind. After that, participants help to clean the rooms and the surrounding area in the institute before having breakfast at the canteen.

At 8.00 am, the participants headed to the lecture hall for the second and third session. Both sessions emphasized on the discipline needed in life to become successful and at the same time promote hard work and unity. The slideshow contains pictures of South Korea in the 50s after the World War 2 and civil war and South Korea today. In between the session, the participants had an interactive discussion with the lecturer based on the slideshow shown to them.

During the closing ceremony, all of the participants received certificates of participation from the headmaster. Dr Barnabas urged the participants to apply what they had learned here in their daily life and also welcome BEST Society to organize a longer trip as the current trip is too short.

At the end of the session, all the participants expressed that they learned something new in their life. They realize in order to move forward, they need to have the right mindset and positive thinking. They were very thankful to BEST Society for organizing this study trip.

This study trip was organized by BEST Society as part of the Organic Farming Project and funded under the Shell Sustainable Development Grants programme. The total expenses incurred for this trip were RM 2,935.50.

Borneo Ecotourism Solutions and Technologies (BEST) Society recently invited Mr Oh Jung Myun, an organic farming expert from the South Korea to give a talk to the farmers at Kg Rampai, Besar, Kudat, Malaysia on 11th December 2013.This talk is part of the program under the Organic Farming Project funded by the Shell Malaysia Sustainable Development Grant aimed at developing sustainable organic farming while promoting healthy diet and to generate higher income for the local Rungus communities in Kudat.

The workshop was opened by the Head of Village, Mr Mesigin Ongunjil before Mr Oh’s sharing begins. Mr Oh explained that the organic farming activities started in Korea after the Koreans were experiencing diseases originated from the intake of food, which was contaminated with excessive pesticides and herbicides. He added that during his early days, he faced numerous challenges while pioneering organic farming.

In the half-day workshop, the farmers were taught how to make the dead soil become healthy again by using enzyme. He also shared his knowledge on how to control the attack from insects and methods to protect the vegetable from wind and rain. He added that to become a successful organic farmer, hard work is the key ingredient.

The farmers found the talk was extremely useful. “This talk is very educational, as it taught us about the method for making the dead soil alive. I never heard of this method until today,” said John Ukong.

The talk ended at 12.30 pm after the questions & answers session. A total of RM 1,096.20 was spent for the talk, which included lunch for the participants and logistic expenditure.

Borneo Ecotourism Solutions and Technologies (BEST) Society, an NGO in Sabah, Malaysia, which has been actively implementing community projects in the last few years in Kudat sponsored 37 leaders (12 females and 25 males) from several villages in Pitas (Kg Mandamai, Kg Tutuwoon, Kg Lugu, Kg Dandum, Kg Kobon, Kg Ontolob and Kg Perupok) and Kota Marudu (Kg Samparita, Kg Pelipikan, Kg Malangkap Darat & Tengah, Kg Gana, Kg Marak Parak, Kg Mogis and Kg Pompodon) to attend leadership training at the Canaan Farmers Institute from 2nd to 5th April, 2014.The three days two nights programme focused on helping the locals to cultivate higher self-esteem so that they are ready to take bigger roles in their community. BEST Society believes that education and capacity building programme are the answer to poverty eradication and to stimulate the economy of the locals. During the three days training, the presentation and discussions were centred on the topic of “History of Canaan Pioneers”, “Spirit and Life of Pioneer” and “Towards Pioneering”. They were also taken on a tour to fish farm and also providing hands-on learning on vegetable farming and palm oil plantation including the technique of preparing fertilizer enzyme. On the last day of the programme, the leaders worked in group and discussed together what they have learned throughout the three days training and presented it in the class.

“We wish to thank BEST Society for sponsoring this training. We learned how to become a pioneer / leader by applying the concept of pioneering spirit in our daily life as an individual and community. We were exposed to high discipline throughout the three days at Canaan Farm Institute by shouting motto and following table manners”, said Ainie Anayun, representative of the local leaders.

This programme is just one of BEST Society’s series of community programmes that lined up to train the locals and empower them for life transformation. The total expenses incurred for this training was RM4,440.00.

Other similarly beneficial programmes that BEST Society has organized for the local communities include Camp Lemaing and Organic Farm, just to name a few. The objective of both projects is to provide employment opportunity and increase their income.

The village leaders registering themselves at Canaan Farm Institute	“Let’s change”
Group discussion with the lecturer	Hands-on training at the vegetable farm
Visit to a fish farm	Village leaders listening to the explanation on vegetable plantation.
The leaders are taught the technique to collect the fresh fruits bunch from the oil palm trees	Watering the vegetable using enzyme water

On 9th September 2014, a team made up of Mr. Albert Teo (BEST Society Chairman), Ms Ching Mei Lan (project coordinator from BEST Society) and three Borneo Eco Tours staff / volunteers embarked on a three hours journey from Kota Kinabalu to Sikuati, a village close to Kudat, northern part of Sabah for the closing ceremony of the BEST’s Organic Farming Phase I project.After months of attending workshops, seminars conducted by organic farming experts, field trips to Canaan farms, as well as hard work from all the participants, the ten participants chosen from Kampung Rampai Besar were presented with a certificate to acknowledge their dedication to the project. Mr Jerri Mulihin, the master of ceremony invited Mr. Albert Teo and Mr Mesigin @ Henry Mesigin Bin Ongunjil, the head of the village to deliver speeches. Two participants from the organic farm project were invited to share their experience. They expressed their gratitude to BEST Society and Shell for funding and introducing organic farming to their village.

Those who joined in the celebration were entertained with a traditional Rungus dance performed by the local youths from Kampung Rampai Besar. Although this marked the end of Phase I, it is only the beginning for the participants who will now apply their new found knowledge to train others in the village as well as continue to find better ways to improve the condition of their farms.

After a dialogue with the farmers, BEST Society has identified several consistent problems including unreliable water source and weather, insects, poor soil and poor demand for organic vegetables, that the farmers are facing with their crops and have discussed some possible solutions with them. BEST Society hopes to be able to continue supporting the participants to find new solutions and technologies for their problems as well as train more interested farmers in the upcoming Phase II. One possible option is to locate a piece of land in the village so that all the financial and human resources can be concentrated in the area to achieve greater impact.

The Organic Farming Phase I Project was funded by the Shell Malaysia Sustainable Development Grant (RM40,000) aimed at developing sustainable organic farming while promoting healthy diet and to generate higher income for the local Rungus communities in Kudat.

A group of seventeen Tourism and Hospitality students from Edith Cowan University (ECU) Australia, led by Professor Ross Dowling, the Foundation Professor of Tourism in the School of Business, Faculty of Business and Law of ECU, embarked on a ten-day journey through the land of Sabah, Malaysia to acquire knowledge and experienceson ecotourism from 17thto 27th April 2014.Managing Director of Borneo Eco Tours (BET) and Sukau Rainforest Lodge (SRL), Mr. Albert Teo who is also a Fellow and Adjunct Lecturer of ECU personally designed and packaged the ten-days study tour together with Professor Ross. The aim of this tour was for the students to experience ecotourism incorporating community project. Mr. Albert Teo accompanied the ECU group and shared his knowledge and experience in operating his ecotourism businesses.

ECU Group Photo

The trip began with an overnight stay in Kota Kinabalu City, where the group had the opportunity to explore the city on an afternoon tour. Excitement was further enhanced on the second day as the group set on the journey to Northern Sabah, Kudat for cultural exchange activities and community contribution to a student hostel in Sikuati, Kudat – Asrama Bantaran Joy Centre (ABJC). The group handed over English books to ABJC Students as an encouragement to learn English. In addition the group donated 20 bunk beds worth RM 6,000 to improve the living conditions of students at ABJC. The bunk beds’ supplier, Mr. Chung of Temalang Enterprise also contributed six mattresses to ABJC.

Mr Ronnie demonstrating the technique to press out the coconut oil

The ECU group visited the Kimihang Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) Processing Centre which is part of a community project through social entrepreneurship by BEST Society. Here, the students got to learn about the extraction process involved in producing virgin coconut oil through demonstration by Mr. Ronnie Onginjan, the Kimihang VCO Entrepreneur.

The group enjoyed the evening with a barbeque dinner, a Rungus cultural performance, and the overnight stay at a traditional longhouse on Tindakon Dazang Beach. This is a tourism project developed by a local entrepreneur Samuil at Terongkongan Village, Kudat with technical advice from BEST Society. In Kudat, the ECU group learnt about the local community, cultural differences and challenges involved in the process of changing mindset in order to alleviate poverty.

Finally, they reach the tip of Borneo, Tanjung Mengayau	Learning the traditional dance
The students of ABJC hostel with their new bed bunks donated by the ECU students	One of the cultural exchange activities with the student of ABJC

The next stop on the ECU group’s journey was Kundasang. A stopover at Nabalu Market was followed by an emotional visit to Kundasang War Memorial Park as the group learnt about the history of Australians’ POW Death Marches and Quailey’s Hill Memorial. That night, the group stayed in the Sabah Tea Garden.

The ECU group experienced a change of landscapes from white sandy beaches in Kudat to the majestic Mount Kinabalu in Ranau all the way overland to Eastern Sabah, Sandakan. Finally, they reached the banks of the Kinabatangan River which they crossed to finally arrive at the award winning ecolodge, Sukau Rainforest Lodge (SRL).

During the four-night stay in SRL, the group participated in the Kinabatangan Wildlife Corridor Rehabilitation Program KWICORP, Tree Planting Project which is an ongoing project by BEST Society, BET and SRL to regenerate riverine forest corridor along the lower Kinabatangan River. Aside from the “Tree Planting Project”, the group donated English books to Sukau Primary School students and painted the community hall together with the villagers in Sukau Village, spending a total sum of RM 2,708 on paints and tools.

In addition to giving talks, Mr. Albert Teo conducted a tour around SRL to provide the students with practical insights on building, managing and operating an Ecotourism Company and Ecolodge with community involvement. The ECU group had a great wildlife viewing experience on several river cruises; they sighted endangered species including the Orang-Utan, Proboscis Monkeys, Macaques, crocodiles, various species of birds and even Borneo Pygmy Elephants.

Children of Sukau village trying the video recording equipment for the first time	Having fun painting the Sukau community hall with local boy
Must try -wearing batik in the evening	Group discussion with Mr Teo

The ECU study tour ended with a three-nights stay in Sandakan. The group joined Datuk James Wong, President of the Sandakan Municipal Council as well as local and international dignitaries for a dinner preceding ANZAC Day hosted by the Sabah Tourism Board.

The ECU group presenting a cheque for adopting a Borneon Sun Bear

During the following days, the ECU Group attended the ANZAC Day’s Dawn Service at Sandakan War Memorial Park and visited the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary, Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) and Rainforest Discovery Centre. Mr. Wong Siew Te, the CEO and Founder of BSBCC, gave a talk about Bornean Sun Bears and the aim of BSBCC during their visit. The ECU group then presented a cheque for a one-year adoption of a Bornean Sun Bear at RM 1,200 to Mr. Wong.Professor Ross regarded the study tour as a good learning exposure on the ground for the students as they got a taste on local cultures and participated in community projects with BEST Society and the local communities especially in Sukau Village. The ten-days study tour was further enhanced by the personal involvement of Mr. Albert Teo.

The seventeen ECU students summarized the study tour as an eye-opener and anonce-in-a-lifetime experience. They were impressed by Sabah’s nature and inspired by examples of success such as Ronnie from the Kimihang VCO Processing Centre. Upon returning, one of the students decided to donate RM 1,200.00 for BEST community project. Many of them vowed to definitely visit Sabah again and decided to attend the 8th Asia Pacific Eco-Tourism Conference 2014, (www.apeco2014.com) organised by Mr. Albert Teo on behalf of MATTA.

Borneo Ecotourism Solution & Technologies (BEST) Society’s Chairman, Mr. Albert Teo handed over the final 3rd seeds fund, amounting RM 5,000.00 to ten participants of Organic Farming at the Asrama Bantaran Joy Centre (ABJC) student hostel, Sikuati, Kudat on 12th April 2014. Overall, each farmer received a total of RM 1,600.00 since June 2013, which is part of RM 40,000.00 grant from Shell Malaysia.In conjunction with presentation of grant, BEST Society organised an introductory talk on vermicompost, which was attended by 30 participants including students from ABJC and representative from Skycommunity. The talk was delivered by Mr Ho Yoke Soon, aiming to introduce the concept of ‘vermicompost’ that helps to improve the fertility of the soil. He will be spending six days with the farmers and show them hands-on, the preparation for vermicompost.

Mr Ho himself is a landscaper and through his experiences, he found that the worm really helps to improvement on soil fertilities. The participants are looking forward to six days of practical experience with Mr Ho. A total of RM 1,157.80 was spent for meal, logistic expenditure and allowance and speakers fee for Mr Ho.

Though out this project, the organic farm’s participants were exposed on making enzyme workshop, study trip to Canaan farms, education talk by Korean speakers and 2014 motivation seminar which were organized by BEST Society.

Borneo Ecotourism, Solutions and Technologies (BEST) Society recently organized a motivation seminar as part of its capacity building program for developing entrepreneurs for participants of the Shell’s Organic Farming, Kg. Rampai Besar including the previous participants of other BEST Society projects in Kimihang and students from SMK Sikuati I & II, Kudat. The half day seminar was held on 22nd January 2014 at SMK Sikuati II.The seminar, which is organized by its BEST Society liason Officer, Jerri Mulihim and assisted by Ching Mei Lan, is part of the Organic Farming Project funded by Shell Malaysia Sustainable Development Grant, aimed at encouraging and motivating participants of BEST projects and local community in setting and pursuing goals in life.

Chairman and Director of BEST Society, Albert Teo welcomed all the members and guest of Honor, school principal for the presence and support. He also shared on the goals of BEST Society and the future plans for Sikuati. Tuan Haji Ismail Tukimin, the principal of SMK Sikuati II in his address expressed his utmost appreciation to BEST Society for its support and initiative to help the Sikuati community to grow to their potential and capitalize their resources for better life. He also offered the use of the school facilities of the school for future projects in the area.

Group Photo	Opening speech by Tuan Haji Ismail Tukimin, the principal of SMK Sikuati II
Some of the participants of the seminar	Some of the participants of the seminar
Mr Jivet Laus – one of the invited speakers delivering his talk	BEST Chairman, Albert Teo presenting a momento to Tuan Haji Ismail Tukimin

The first topic conducted by a successful insurance Manager, Mr Jivet Laus was on understanding our own personality and the importance of setting goals in life. In the second session, Dr Donny Daud shared his personal experiences as a medical doctor of being successful in life although he was born in a rural area – Long Pasia and how his perseverance had helped him in achieving his goals in life.

The participants had learnt more about themselves from the half day seminar. “I get to understand more about myself and the sharing on personal experience is truly an encouragement to me. I am glad that I attended to this seminar” said Justinah Peter, the admin staff of SMK Sikuati.

The motivation seminar ended at 6pm, attended by with approximately 100 participants. The total expenses incurred for the seminar were RM 2,683.50.