Raleigh Expedition in Borneo

It's difficult for me to put into words how much I value my Raleigh Borneo experience. I didn’t only learn about myself, and what I was truly capable of achieving, but also about sustainable development which has inspired the career I have chosen to pursue - I now study an International studies degree. Raleigh Internationals 10 week expedition consists of three different phases - community, adventure and environmental. For my community phase, I worked in a small, rural town called Terian - along with 10 other volunteers, and two project managers - working on a kindergarten project. In Borneo, children need to have a basic level of maths and English in order to enrol in primary school at the age of four; therefore providing pre-school education is essential. When we arrived at Terian, we could instantly see how much our presence was appreciated. We were greeted with cultural song and dance, and we were invited to a community dinner on the first evening of our arrival - this shows how hospitable the people of Sabah, Borneo are. The work was challenging, and we worked hard, but that is what the Raleigh experience is all about - putting yourself out of your comfort zone, and proving to yourself what you are fully capable of achieving. When you see the children your helping, day in, day out, nothing motivates you more to do all that you can for them. Knowing that I was a part of a team who provided a kindergarten to the small, rural town of Terian, which will provide pre-school education for future generations, is something I will cherish forever. And this was only one of three phases of my Raleigh Borneo expedition.