My Gap Year Helping Neglected Tribal Children In The Jungle Of Borneo: Living Water Village (Part 1) - by chrisadventures
I worked for children that had been sexually abused for years and even heard a story about one of them being forced to murder someone out of fear of being cursed. Three years ago, when I was 18 years old, I decided to have a gap year because I had no idea what I wanted to do for study or work. I ended up volunteering in a children village in the jungle of Borneo. I remember the moment walking out of the airport, out into the unkown. It was weird to leave the Netherlands for five months to start this amazing but scary adventure in the pristine jungle of West-Kalimantan, Borneo!
Photo: Kalimantan Tribe Clothing (there are 48 different tribes with different languages and different clothing)
Living Water Village
By then, my parents had been sponsoring Living Water Village for years already and suggested that I could go there to live abroad, travel and might find what interests me in life. I sent an e-mail to the organisation and from the first moment I had a positive response. After years of letters and photos between Indonesia and the Netherlands I finally got to meet our sponsor family!
Borneo
Borneo is one of the poorest areas in Indonesia. Living Water Village is located in West-Kalimantan, the jungle region in the west of Borneo. It's the third largest island in the world and it's located in the centre of the Malay archipelago and Indonesia.
Borneo is divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei and is very rich in biodiversity. There are about 15,000 species of flowering plants, 3,000 species of trees, 221 species of terrestrial mammals and 420 species of resident birds. The remaining Borneo rainforest is the only natural habitat for the endangered Bornean Orangutan (Jungle Human) which we've seen several times in the forests surrounding Living Water Village. Back in the days, people used to hunt them down, but nowadays they're on top of the list of world's most endangered species.
But not only Orangutans are endangered... many species are. Palm Oil production endangers many biolife in the jungle. I was shocked when I heard about the rapid changes in the area within the last decades. The jungle used to be different with large ancient tropical trees and many many more species. It's a shame how today's world puts a lot pressure on the rainforests of Borneo, and yes actually on rainforests all around the world.
The Project, a Miracle in the Jungle!
Almost 20 years ago, an Australian couple bought 300 hectares of land in the jungle of Borneo. They started a Christian volunteer project in this area yet surrounded by pristine jungle. They started with barely anything but ended up running a children's village with over 600 people being provided of education, shelter and basic needs. The village has a primary school, high school, training centre, clinic, bakery, administration building and enough room to stay for 600 people.
Photo: primary school children are having their lessons from volunteering teachers in the village
Apart from their physical needs and education, they are also spiritually trained from a Christian perspective. This has been an interesting thing as Indonesia is the largest Islamic-controlled country in the world. The government has so far allowed the work in the village as they believe it creates opportunities, welfare and wealth in the area. Some of the "children" I know are now studying in large cities like Jakarta, Bandung and Yogyakarta and have the same opportunities as you and I!
Photo: high school children are waiting to go to high school in Nanga Pinoh, a place 30 minutes nearer to "civilization"
Photo: the aula where we daily had breakfast, lunch and dinner with some of the children
The Purpose of Living Water Village
With over 230 million people in Indonesia, it's difficult to provide all children of education. There aren't enough schools and especially children in remoted areas are not able to get proper education. Schools are far away in larger towns and there is a problem of accomodation in those towns. Some children have to travel hours by foot and boat into the thick jungle to visit their 'kampung' (small local village).
Young children are responsible for looking after younger brothers and sisters and need to find work to pay for food and school fees. Many of the children that end up in Living Water Village are malnourished, abused and they suffer from diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria and typhoid.
I was so shocked when I heard the many stories about the difficult childhood of children from the 'kampungs'. Superstition is a common thing in there and this makes certain elders powerful as they make people do anything by threating with curses. Some children have been sexually abused for years and I even heard a story about a boy that had been forced to murder someone because otherwise he'd be cursed. A lot of the children have changed a lot during their stay in the village as they often arrived in a terrible condition.
From that moment, I knew I wanted to be part of this volunteer project because I knew these people needed help and more children there should have a better life.
Good !
looks amazing - my daughter is off to Borneo & Cambodia next year with Camps International to do volunteer work - in conservation and schools -the highlight is the orangutan orphange she will get to see and feed the 'babies'. Borneo looks a beautiful country . Will look forward to reading more of your experience there.