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.