Our News

2024-01-18

At our office, the sight of a fruit seed collection bowl next to the sink is a common one. Why? Every member of our team plays a role in our shared commitment to forest restoration. These seeds are destined for our conservation nursery, the first step in our journey toward forest restoration. When one thinks of forest restoration, images of tree planting or the return of long-absent species often come to mind. For us, it’s about cultivating a forest with higher functional diversity, bolstering resilience, and enriching ecosystem services.

In the landscape of Gerak Saga, our primary challenge revolves around controlling the threat from wild acacia and other invasive species in the area. Despite the inherent challenges and the significant expenses associated with forest restoration, within the Gerak Saga project, a vast 965 hectares have been earmarked for restoration, with 12,000 native species and fruit trees already planted and the protection of 11 hectares of crucial water catchment areas.

Our approach involves collaborative efforts with local communities, ensuring that the planting process aligns with long-term preservation goals. Annual awareness talks in nearby villages solidify our shared commitment to cultivating a thriving forest ecosystem.

In Gerak Saga, we observe a survival rate of 78% in our forest restoration initiatives, in facing challenges such as species site compatibility, as well as weed competition. Our work extends beyond the initial planting phase. We are dedicated to witnessing trees not only survive but thrive, growing and maturing at their expected pace. Our committed team actively maintains planted areas, to foster optimal growth. Ensuring the survival and thriving of these trees is not merely a one-time effort—it’s an ongoing mission we’re passionately dedicated to.

We constantly strive to improve in our forest restoration efforts as we learn by doing. We hope soon enough to share news on a thriving restored forest and enriched habitat.

2023-05-08

Gerak Saga was granted stewardship over the Bengkoka and Tambalugu Forest Reserves in 2015. Both forest reserves are populated by wild Acacia mangium regrowth as a result of previous clearing, some commercial planting and repeated wildfires, with less than 5% of the Bengkoka FR remaining under natural forest. Although the area has been designated for ITP development, Gerak Saga committed itself to the restoration of natural vegetation within the catchment and riparian zones of the FR in a multi-decade effort, titled the Forest Restoration Project.

Despite being heavily degraded, the identified restoration areas are ecologically important, providing essential resources including watershed areas for nearby local communities and wildlife, gene pools, and wildlife habitats. Consequently, approximately 965 ha has been set aside as conservation areas for rehabilitation.

It’s important to note that forest restoration is a challenging, multistage, site specific process. If left to its own devices, nature would likely complete the process unaided, albeit very slowly. However in partnership with nature and through careful interventions, we can accelerate the underlying processes. So, Gerak Saga is developing and implementing methods and materials for this purpose and a 30-year Forest Rehabilitation Plan, for the period 2020 to 2050 has been compiled to guide our efforts. The rehabilitation work includes a series of reasonable measures aimed at forming more natural site conditions through enrichment and vegetation management.

The specific objectives of the Forest Restoration Project are as follows:

1. i.  To enhance and enrich ecological values in the sites
2. ii. To improve habitat functional quality, especially for slower growing tree species
3. iii. To improve the spatial extent and connectivity of natural areas
4. iv. To suppress competition from invasive species, especially wild Acacia spp.

Much progress has been made even prior to the curation of the rehabilitation plan, including:

- Since 2016, we have collected seeds and wildlings of native species and local fruit trees both inside and outside the project area, and with the kind assistance of the Sabah Forestry Department’s Forest Research Centre (FRC) and the Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre (TRCRC).

- We have established two natural species seedling production areas and have produced over 8,500 seedlings.

- Five individuals (a restoration team) from the surrounding Gerak Saga community were hired to carry out the enrichment planting efforts.

- Our team initially attended training on indigenous species practices at TRCRC (2015), and dendrology training at Danum Valley Field Centre (2017). Staff now attend frequent internal training to keep pace with evolving best operating practices.

-  The first indigenous species trial plot was planted with the aid of Raleigh International Volunteers in 2015. Since then, an area of approximately 8 ha has been planted with indigenous and local fruit trees.

- To ensure the survival of the planted trees, periodic maintenance is performed at the established enrichment planting sites.

Although the main objective of the project is to restore the degraded conservation areas, we see that the success of this project is not only from the success to restore the forest ecosystems. Employment opportunities, local communities livelihood improvement, and capacity building are just a few of the other positive accomplishments from this project and believe that benefiting the local communities is just as important as restoring the ecosystem and sustainably growing tomorrow’s wood supply.

2022-02-25

Gerak Saga and Asian Forestry Company (Sabah) (“AFCS”); companies managed by Forest Solutions Malaysia, are two of the seven proud members of the Borneo Forestry Cooperative (“BFC”) along with Sabah Softwood Berhad, Acacia Forest Industries Sdn Bhd, Sapulut Forest Development Sdn Bhd, Samling Reforestation Sdn Bhd, and Sabah Forest Industries Sdn Bhd.

The BFC was founded in 2009, jointly by Sabah Softwoods Berhad and AFCS. This collaboration began with a set of principles under which forestry companies in Borneo could work together and share research findings to improve the productivity and profitability of tree plantations. With the common goal of facilitating research toward a successful and sustainable future for the timber industry in the region, BFC and its members have well-established relationships and an open line of communication that greatly benefit all parties.

The collaboration under BFC allows research and development workloads to be spread across members’ plantations and reduces the cost of establishing research trials and germplasm capture. This is a major benefit where research can be extended beyond what an isolated company can achieve, as they will face limiting factors such as access to funding, location, resources and manpower. It also increases the effective research population size, where there is more genetic gain from more trials and more genetic variation expressed across more sites. The BFC collaboration also serves as one of the risk mitigation efforts for members, having germplasm spread across sites and with the availability of backup germplasm from threats such as fire and trial damage.

This type of collaborative research in the forest plantation allows for the exchange of ideas while fostering an environment for staff of the members to improve their skills and capacity through expert mentoring and skills transfer on tree improvement research, seedling management and growth, plant nutrition, nursery management, tree assessment, data analysis and interpretation, and pests and diseases monitoring. Through this, the robustness of studies are improved, maintaining integrity and transparency across the board.

As BFC operates under the principles of participation, collaboration and education, it encourages its members to do so too. When research is shared across an industry like forest management, outputs are maximised, networks are expanded and funding is attracted.

Embracing the new and progressive future is essential to success, and encouraging stakeholders of the industry to take initiative is something that Forest Solutions stands by, and it can propel sustainable forestry towards a successful and profitable future.

2022-02-25

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS) uses a voluntary, market-based system by which forestry companies such as Gerak Saga are audited against using a set of criteria and principles. According to the FSC, these principles encompass environmental, social and economic values which ensure that forests are managed sustainably. MTCS serves the purpose of fulfilling the growing demand for sustainably sourced timber products in Malaysia, while also persevering the country’s rich natural rainforests. The traceability of products is ensured by FSC, emphasising the Chain of Custody (CoC) which is essentially ensuring transparency from the point of harvest to the point of sale.

Gerak Saga, underwent a FSC and MTCS surveillance audit on the 25th January 2022, wherein five third party auditors from Control Union inspected the company to ensure that standards following initial certification are maintained. If the company is found to not comply with set principles, they may risk having their certification revoked. Gerak Saga proudly continues to comply with FSC and MTCS.

Forest Solutions also carries out extensive first-party and second-party internal audits which are geared towards meeting international and national standards for forestry management. Various departments such as Conservation, Community Development and individuals like Foresters and Contractors in the field are required to examine their processes on a regular basis.

Knowing exactly where timber products come from can help buyers make better and more sustainable choices with their timber suppliers. FSC certification provides a competitive advantage in global timber markets, whose principles closely align with that of FSMs.

Many thanks to Control Union, and to the auditors who visited our site in Kota Marudu last month in January for this year’s FSC and MTCS surveillance audit.

2022-01-17

In the first week of January 2022, heavy rainfall poured continuously for over five days causing severe flooding in many villages around the district of Kota Marudu. There were over one thousand evacuees that had to be relocated in temporary flood relief centres (Pusat penempatan sementara - PPS) in thirteen locations across the district according to the local flood response authority. Some of the evacuees consisted of the elderly, infants, children below 12 years old as well as people with disabilities.

In response to this, on the 4th of January 2022, Mercy Malaysia and Forest Solutions formed a team to deliver drinking water and hygiene kits to those affected in the region.

The temporary flood relief centres in Kg Longob, SMA Goshen, SK Ranau, Dewan Komuniti Kota Marudu and PPR Korongkom are a few of the relief centres that Mercy Malaysia assisted with drinking water resources. The FSM Community Development Program team was on ground providing assistance where necessary. In excess of 630 containers of mineral water were distributed.

Forest Solutions is always delighted to work with like-minded organisations such as Mercy Malaysia, with the shared goal of providing help those in the community in difficult times such as these. Many thanks to Mercy Malaysia for their great work, and best wishes to the communities affected by the heavy rain and floods.

2022-01-17

Forest Solutions believes that being a part of a community means prospering and facing challenges together.

The heavy flooding has affected many people and operations in Kota Marudu and Forest Solutions partnered up with KK Downtown Lions Club to provide flood relief to those affected at Kampung Longob. In this flood relief initiative, Forest Solutions and Lions Club share common goals: to use available resources effectively, to lend useful helping hands and be of service to the people of Sabah.

Forest Solutions visited the flood relief centre at Kampung Longob Community Centre at once, and carried out a joint assessment with the village headman on the immediate assistance required by those who were affected by the flood. In parallel, Forest Solutions met with the District Officer to gather their insight on any other flood relief initiatives to ensure that this project was aligned. Forest Solutions prepared the list of necessities required by the affected villagers and with the Emergency relief funds provided by the Lions Club, the items were purchased and jointly delivered with partners to the villagers of Kampung Longob on the 7th of January 2022.

Forest Solutions is grateful to be in a position to assist and bring partners together to make this effort a beneficial one for those affected by the floods. A big thank you to all the Forest Solutions staff and Lions’ members who have joined in this effort. Thank you all for your compassion.

To give is a blessing and it sustains the community, the people and businesses through tough times. Hoping for a prompt recovery for everyone affected by the recent flooding, and may the weather improve going into the new year.

2021-08-04

The Borneo Forest Cooperative or BFC was founded in 2009 by Sabah Softwoods Bhd and Asian Forestry Company (Sabah) Sdn Bhd in collaboration with Boden and Associates Ltd.

The founding partners moved to establish a cooperative group and a set of principles under which companies could work together, as they recognised that a successful and sustainable future for Borneo’s timber industry resides ultimately in the productivity and quality of its plantations.
The goal of BFC is for the members to participate in and share data and results from trials, work together as a unit to derive information from replicated experiments, to tackle critical challenges facing the plantation forest industry through structured and cooperative research, to provide redundancy and depth to all research work and established trials by duplication across company sites, to seek guidance from the world’s foremost experts in forest research for all work undertaken by the Cooperative,and to train a new generation of technical foresters ready to make Sabah’s plantation future a success .

Education and sharing of knowledge is also a fundamental principle of BFC. Some events held by the BFC include pest and disease, biosecurity management, statistical analysis, hybridization, plant propagation, tree nutrition, silviculture and nursery workshops which members from Forest Solutions routinely support and attend.

Forest Solutions & AFCS plays an important role in this group by participating in any events held by the BFC, implementing trials based on the annual BFC research program, providing data and other relevant research report to the BFC coordinators, sharing findings from research trials during the BFC annual meeting, collaborating with other BFC members to standardise research protocols and to share information where necessary.
Today, the BFC has evolved into a Malaysian registered company, BFC Research and Development Sdn Bhd, with 5 members representing 150,000ha of plantations across Borneo, over 35 trials replicated across all member companies, and will continue to collaborate as a unit to improve sustainable forestry throughout these plantations.

2021-07-27

Forest monitoring is an exhaustive process, which not only requires a talented workforce, but also specialized resources and technology. The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or ‘drones’ in aerial surveillance drastically improves the effectiveness and efficiency of landscape mapping & planning – both major aspects of forestry.

Forest Solutions currently utilizes a total of 5 DJI drones in the field on a regular basis. The drones are used for a variety of things, the most common being mapping, boundary evaluation, tree species identification, Operation Harvesting Plan (OHP), growing stock monitoring, forest fire, and land encroachment monitoring. These drones in particular are very useful as they provide an extensive aerial view of the designated area. Depending on the purpose, this will save a lot of time in identifying a target or area of interest in the field. Obtained images can also be “stitched” together and geo-referenced so that they can be plotted on a map. These geo-referenced images are widely utilised in the company for field reports, operational planning, and enhancing the company’s land-use data.

Images that require geo-referencing are collected and will be checked, filtered and processed in the Operational Office in Kota Marudu. Image processing is done on a high-end computer, using third-party software called WebODM. Based on the images, the software can produce a geo-referenced orthophoto, digital elevation model, 3D model and multispectral image of the target area.

In general, the individuals who use the drones most often are well-trained operators which come from the Conservation, Survey, and Plantation departments. Learning to fly drones of these types requires proper training and it is recommended that before flying a drone a person must be trained by an experienced drone pilot or certified drone pilot.

Accuracy and efficiency of mapping in forestry are greatly improved by these aerial devices, which in turn allow the industry and technology within forestry to develop at an unprecedented rate. Undoubtedly, future advancements in this region hold great potential, but even today they play a vital role in the management and maintenance of valuable forest which is so greatly valued by not only the team here at Forest Solutions but the entire community in Sabah.

2021-07-16

Access to clean water for Kg Suang Duyung villagers has been limited for many years. The arrival of timber barons in Borneo in the 1990s greatly impacted communities surrounding and within Pitas’ forests, and the crystal-clear rivers once used by many turned murky due and eventually dried up. The uncontrolled logging which took place decades ago permanently destroyed the water sources for many villages, one of those being Kg. Suang Duyung. Other water sources available to this village were often found to be contaminated or inadequate.
Finding a solution to this water issue was not easy. The land was too flat for constructing a gravity water system (GWS), and contamination in existing ponds ruled out a central water distribution source. Additionally, tube water wells were found to be unfeasible and commissioned geologists said groundwater resources in the area were ill-suited to the purpose. Finally, a report from the Meteorology Department prompted the corporate partnership to create a rain harvesting system in all of the homes instead. The project came to fruition through the collaboration of Persatuan Bantuan Perubatan Malaysia (Mercy Malaysia), United Motor Works (UMW) and Gerak Saga Sdn Bhd.
The system installed in each home included two 400-gallon storage tanks, allowing the water to last for up to three weeks with the estimated average use of 20 liters per day per household. Additionally, the corporate partnership also set up a communal water system with ten 5,000-gallon tanks benefitting over 500 hundred residents in the village and the villages surrounding it.
The project was completed in December 2019 and a ceremony was held marking the end of the village’s challenges in searching for a clean water supply. Gerak Saga is proud to be part of such a wonderful project and hopes that it benefits the community in Kg. Suang Duyung for years to come.

2021-07-13

This Tuesday (13 July) a SEDIA Sustainable Forest Management training session took place at Seraya camp in Gerak Saga with the goal of educating the team on site about Sustainable Forest Management (SFM). The Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority or ‘SEDIA’ is defined by three key principles to guide development in Sabah: to capture higher value economic activities, promote balanced economic growth with distributions and ensure sustainable growth via environmental conservation.

This training session focused on the forest certifications (FSC, MTCS, Sabah-TLAS) as well as the identification, management and monitoring of High Conservation Value (HCV) forest, environmental protection and rehabilitation. Those who attended were a team of 15 local forest workers that are working full-time in the plantation and are responsible for tree planting and silviculture treatment. 

The training session was conducted in two parts: In the morning there was a briefing followed by an informational presentation and in the afternoon there was a practical session where the foresters were able to conduct a silviculture treatment themselves. This was done at a nearby enrichment planting area at the riparian reserve in the camp. The practical was performed on the 116 species of indigenous trees, which were planted there in 2020 as a part of the rehabilitation effort by the company. These types of educational sessions are invaluable and ensure the foresters are well informed on the importance of sustainability and rehabilitation in forestry.

Gerak Saga is always looking to improve its standards and increase conservational awareness and it is a priority to ensure the company’s sustainable practices are always developing for the better of the environment and the community. 

2021-07-02

Deforestation in Borneo occurred at an unprecedented rate in the 1980s and 1990s where large areas of natural rainforest were felled, burned, and destroyed. These activities greatly affected the ecosystem, leaving wildlife displaced and flora diversity in the area very poor. This mass removal of the natural rainforest not only alters the structure of the forest and landscape but also causes major long-term side effects on the soil. Trees act as natural anchors for soil and when they are removed, it can cause erosion and loss of soil nutrients, essentially making certain areas ‘un-plantable’.  Additionally, this form of uncontrolled logging can potentially remove habitats for wildlife that require trees for cover, nesting, and food.

Today foresty something completely different. Most companies in the timber industry only practice sustainable forestry, which is the science of managing, conserving, protecting, and repairing these areas and others as much as possible.  This includes previously over-logged regions which date all the way back to the 1960s! Forestry is not just about trees, it is about soil health, climate, ecosystems, water management, wild-life preservation and community.
History cannot be changed but with a strong experienced team, Forest Solutions hopes to do what is necessary in the present to ensure a better future for the forests of Sabah.

2021-06-21

Gerak Saga is happy to announce that in May 2021 the company gained its Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) Forest Management / Chain of Custody and Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS) certification. These certifications demonstrate that timber products produced by Gerak Saga are from responsibly managed forests and that the company is devoted to ensuring environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable forestry management.

This is the first audit in Malaysia using new MTCS & FSC® standards and is the first-ever combined FSC®/MTCS audit in Malaysia. This is an excellent achievement for Gerak Saga, and speaks to our transparency and integrity within the industry.

Gerak Saga is exceptionally grateful for this opportunity to exhibit the company’s commitment to FSC® & MTCS principles which are so closely aligned to the company’s own core values.  This level of transparency will be maintained and consumers can rest assured that timber produced by the company is not only of the highest quality but is also harvested sustainably.

None of this would be possible without the commitment and hard work from the Gerak Saga and Forest Solutions team, who approached the certification process with great zeal. Congratulations!

Gerak Saga looks forward to what the future holds under FSC®/MTCS certification and the opportunities it will provide for sustainable growth as a leading forestry company in Malaysia.

2021-06-18

Have you ever thought about pursuing a career in forestry?

A career in forestry is a unique one in that it will provide you with opportunities to engage in both theoretical and hands-on work. This line of work is not for everybody - but if you are someone who is interested in land management, conservation and rehabilitation it might just be for you. The forestry industry holds major social, ecological, and economic importance in many regions and communities, and it allows you to take part in projects which truly make a difference.

Environmental engineering, forestry, environmental science, and forest resource management are popular majors for those seeking careers in forestry.
If forestry is something you think you are interested in, keep up to date with our career postings here on the website or email your resume to recruitment@forestsolutions.asia for future reference.

2021-04-21

In April more than one thousand trees were planted by the Gerak Saga team and the Forestry Department of Pitas & Kota Marudu as part of the 100 Million Tree-Planting Campaign 2020-2025. In great spirit, team members from the field camp and the Kota Marudu office came together and planted over one thousand E.pellita seedlings along a cleared slope near the Gerak Saga Seraya camp. This campaign is part of the Greening Malaysia Programme, which is one of the national agendas that address climate change and quality of life with the goal to plant 100 million trees across the country by 2025.

This was a great experience for the team, and despite the warm weather, everyone worked hard to get every seedling in the ground. Forest Solutions & Gerak Saga will continue to plant trees in support of this campaign with the goal of being part of the movement to ensure a greener future for Sabah and Malaysia

You can read more about this campaign at https://www.100jutapokok.gov.my/

2021-03-21

Forest Solutions Malaysia & Gerak Saga had their first recruitment drive in Kampung Kadang, Kampung Kodong & Kampung Liu in March this year. The close proximity of these villages to Gerak Saga’s plantations makes them ideal for recruiting hardworking individuals to train and provide job opportunities for those who need it in the community.

The goal of this recruitment drive was to share information and engage with orang kampung while answering questions and addressing any and all concerns. All these interactions were done with great care and adhered to MOH & governmental guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid-19. This included strict temperature checks and social distancing. Nevertheless, there was a great turn out and open and honest dialogue took place between the two parties regarding employment under the company.

The team hopes to continue to interact with these villages through these recruitment drives as means to uplift and support the surrounding communities at Gerak Saga. Gratitude is expressed to those who attended and the company is looking forward to more of these in the future!

2020-07-15

Forest Solutions Malaysia (FSM) collaborated with the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) in July 2020 to orchestrate a sunbear release into the Asian Forest Company Sabah (AFCS) area.

BSBCC has a number of bears ready to be introduced into the wild after rehabilitation. Selected for release at this location was a healthy 6 year old, 44kg bear named Montom. As an endangered species, sunbears require an isolated area far from human activities as found in AFCS to ensure their safety. The selected location is ideal as it is quiet and secluded.

The founder of BSBCC, Dr. Wong and FSM worked together to ensure roads to access points were prepared and the release location was secured. Previously, not all roads were appropriate for safe and efficient transport of Montom, so road evaluation and preparation was crucial to a stress-free release.

On the 9th of July 2020, Montom was transferred from the rehabilitation centre in Sandakan to AFCS, and was released into his new home the next day. Fitted with a tracking collar, Motom will be monitored continuously and this enables the team to evaluate the bears progress and adaptability into the wild overtime.

FSM hopes to have more opportunities to support and facilitate the rehabilitation, and recovery of endangered species into their natural habitats as seen with Motom. You can read more about this release on the BSBCC website at https://www.bsbcc.org.my/montom.html.

2018-08-01

The village of Sonsogon Magandai is located in the District of Kota Marudu, approximately 60 kilometres away from the closest town of Bandau, Kota Marudu. Prior to repairs, it would take approximately 4 hours for local transportation to reach the town, excluding distances travelled on foot by the villagers from the drop off location to their individual homes.  Over the past 60 years, this ‘road’ which is an ex-logging road used by logging trucks and machinery in previous years, has been the main point of entry and exit to the Sonsogon Magandai village.

The condition of the road has been a dilemma for many generations in the village. This difficult route is one of the primary factors behind the lack of social and economic development of the village, as accessibility to other towns and services poses a challenge even with an off-road vehicle. The villagers were deprived of equal access to health services, and as a result hospital visits, doctor’s appointments and medical emergencies were evidently a stressful experience.  The road also would likely be a traumatic obstacle particularly for pregnant mothers, children and senior citizens especially in times of crisis.

On August 2018, Asian Forestry Company Sabah Sdn Bhd (AFCS) had come to aid upon request from the villagers and rebuilt the 2.1 kilometres of road going into the village. This is an addition to the improvement of over 70 kilometres of road from Kampung Samparita to Kampung Tikalod that was built around the area which was worth over a million ringgit. The road was compacted, gravelled and properly drained. This project is a part of the company’s Community Development Programme’s (CDP) plan and the construction of this road benefits over 500 villagers from the area. The road was officially opened on the 21st of September 2018. 

In his officiating speech, the Managing Director, Glen MacNair stressed the importance of proper communication and cooperation between the community and the company in achieving mutual benefits. “Respect, trust and understanding of the community’s value are the aims of many other Forest Management Companies yet only a few prove that commitment, and our company are among that selected few…”

Mrs Boyokot, the Church’s head in the village said they are very grateful and blessed for the help from AFCS and hopefully with the new road, their Pastor will be able to visit more often in the year.

Mr Jamil, the Village’s JKKK praised the company on its operational values and policies in recognising the needs of the native community residing within AFCS boundary. He said the road was built over sixty years ago by a logging company and this is the first construction that has ever been done since.
The construction of the new road offers a vast range of opportunity for the villagers to develop themselves. For one, transportation of agricultural produce will be much easier and in addition to that, villagers are able to access educational institutions and schools in other areas.

Mr. Thondik Venantius, the Project Director of AFCS urged the villagers to take on this opportunity to ‘own’ the road, treat it as theirs and reap the benefits from it. He added that as the road is now owned by the villagers, they have to be responsible for maintaining the road.

The CDP Department is a division in AFCS that focuses solely on the wellbeing of the communities located within its boundary. They have carried out more than 100 projects covering over 30 villages, benefitting more than 2000 residents. This department stands firmly on five main cores that will increase the standard of living in these communities: accessibility, education, health, economy and land (Native Customary) rights. Through this, AFCS believes in building a long-lasting relationship based on trust and understanding with communities within the company’s licensed area.

2015-03-20

Kampung Sonsogon Magandai is a remote community in the District of Kota Marudu, and it is approximately 5 hours drive from the town of Kota Marudu using 4x4 vehicles over rough terrain.  The village has approximately 100 houses and the main ethnicity of the village is Sonsogon Sandayo and the local Malay dialect is Sonsogon.  The main source of income comes from small rubber plantations owned by some of the villagers. Other than this, the village survives mainly by farming sweet potatoes, long beans, tapioca and fruits. No electricity, minimal access to clean safe water, limited infrastructure and near to none basic facilities are amongst the many difficulties faced by the village due to its location.

The size and location of the village made it a good candidate for solar installation and with the assistance of AFCS, Sabah Women Entrepreneurs and Professionals Association (SWEPA) embarked on the management of a charitable project to provide solar electric power to 100 houses in Kg Sonsogon Magandai. AFCS’s background allowed it to provide the necessary support to SWEPA as well as assist with access and logistics.

Solar electric power replaces costly and non-renewable forms of light, such as kerosene and candles, which is extremely beneficial in more remote communities.  The solar panels will allow students to study at night, as well as permit many other economic activities to continue after dark. Community meetings and women’s handicrafts are some of the few things that will no longer be restricted to just the daytime.  Moreover, television and radios powered by solar electricity will provide the community with greater access to information and knowledge allowing them to advocate for greater development in the community.

In the spirit of SWEPA’s “Women Helping Women”, women were encouraged to step forward and volunteer to become fully trained to set up, wire and repair solar panel systems for the village. In the end, a young grandmother, Tarihing Masanim, 47, was selected to spend 6 months in India to be trained as a solar technical engineer. Upon her return in 2015, she was fully equipped with new skills to maintain the solar panel technology throughout the village.

SWEPA’s partner in the project is The Barefoot College of India, the brainchild of Mr. Bunker Roy, a well-known Indian philanthropist who works closely with the Government of India to sponsor the training of the Grandmothers to acquire the necessary engineering and technical know-how on the construction, maintenance and servicing of the solar power sets. Each year, Barefoot College trains 100 illiterate to semi-literate women from around the world to become competent solar technicians and these women return to their villages with new skills and are able to make a significant impact on community development and poverty eradication. 

SWEPA successfully applied for and received a grant for the project from the UNDP Small Grants Programme offered and funded by Global Environment Facility (GEF).  This grant was used to cover the acquisition of the solar equipment for the 100 houses at the village of Kg Sonsogon Magandai and transportation of the solar equipment from India.

Tarihing supervised the installation of solar panels in 100 village homes following her return. The installations have finally brought electric power to a community that needs it. Now 550 villagers residing in the area have access to solar electricity, and an engineer on site with technical skills to repair and maintain these solar panels for years to come. This is not only a life-changing experience for Tarihing, but also for all the villagers who benefit from her bravery in learning a new craft in a foreign country with the goal to better the living standards within her own community. Truly an inspiration!

You can find out more about the SWEPA Barefoot Solar Project at https://barefoot.swepa.org.my/

2013-07-01

In June and July 2013, a biodiversity survey was successfully conducted at a designated conservation area in Coupe 1, Nibang ITP with the help of 13 volunteers from Raleigh International. This survey was orchestrated by AFCS & Conservation Supervisor, Ms. Wilvia Olivia William, and was set to cover an area of 52.2ha.

The goal of this biodiversity survey was to monitor and determine what animal species inhabit the area. Upon labeling certain areas High Conservation Value (HCV) Forest, thorough inspection of the location must be conducted so that a comprehensive picture of the flora and fauna can be formulated. This will act as the foundation for future conservation management plans, mapping, boundaries and research- all geared towards the protection of wildlife. This survey was investigating mammals, birds, bats, amphibians, reptiles and also a variety of insects. Binoculars, and specialised equipment such mist nets, cage traps and camera traps were utilized for this purpose.

All observations were noted and put on record for future reference and with this information, the company is able to better evaluate what measures should be taken to ensure these animals go undisturbed. It is hoped that in the future more opportunities for projects such as this one may arise, as they help kickstart the groundwork needed for comprehensive conservation research which can in turn ensure the protection of wildlife, particularly endangered species in the forests of Borneo.

You can find out more about Raleigh International at https://raleighinternational.org/

2009-08-15

In 2009, Asian Forestry Company Sabah (AFCS) partnered with Raleigh International on a Gravity Water System (GWS) project in Kampung Pinapak in collaboration with PACOS Trust Sabah.

Pinapak village is considered one of the poorest communities in Sabah. They survive on shifting agriculture, cash crops or working in the town. Unfortunately, their livelihoods have been drastically compromised due to land grabbing, logging and the boom of oil palm plantations that has resulted in the loss of their traditional hunting and farming lands. The village has existed for over 150 years with a population of approximately 370 and through assessments and various community meetings, clean drinking water was identified as a priority for the community.

The previous water system was to be upgraded by replacing the piping and installing additional water tanks to increase the storage capacity to meet the peak water demand in the village. The Raleigh volunteers worked on site over a period of weeks to complete this project, which included constructing a concrete damn, site preparation for the water tank and much more.

Sourced from a nearby creek approximately 1km away from the community, this water system would greatly benefit the hundreds of people residing within Kg. Pinapak. It will supply households with water for drinking and cooking as well as sanitation, and hopefully serve the water needs of the villagers for years to come.

AFCS looks to uplift all the communities which reside in and around the company’s plantation area, and projects like this one are an integral part of the process towards community empowerment.