Continuation of 'A fortiori'

After much coxing from Lau, I finally got done with the short write-up on this volunteering program. I have to say, as little as it may seem to Lau, he is a great motivator in this whole process. I was able to find all reasons to push it back, but he was always there to just cox me a lil by lil, saying that it is a dry run, it is gonna be easy. I was expecting too much from myself, but his persuasion made me realized that baby steps is all you need sometime. Lesson we learned in our life.

Back to A Fortiori - here's the write-up


Perhaps innate charge to return to nature fuels my passion for conservation.

Among my closer friends in Singapore, some would be tired of hearing of my inspiration to volunteer, but just couldn’t find any programs to partake in. Then I decided to go for soul search, something that I would be able to just wake up and do it, and do not have any worldly excuse to stop me from accomplishing it. A fortiori, to make a fruitful life out of what I have now.

Teaching Nepalian children at the foothill of Himalaya, volunteering at Acheh tsunami site or mosquitoes-fretted rural towns to work with village kids on their English or conservatory with Orang Asli. Neither piques my fancy. The list went on.

Then I realized if I were to give my time to betterment of the world, why not something for my own country? Charity begins from home! After a long search, the resonating theme was always monkeys or primates, the animals that share the same with the “Homo” as us, yet we can be so different. I just enjoy watching documentary on them: how scientists are always seeking for deeper understanding of these once-our-ancestors, how the pseudo-humans act so much like us, but not exactly us. It fascinates me to see how pristine and pure their behaviour and love are.

There was how my journey with the monkeys started. Google led me to Travellers Worldwide – Orang Utan project at Sepilok. My Sabah network didn’t quite do me any good as Sepilok is very strict about how their volunteers getting in; even WWF Sabah has no pull power through it. I can only get in through Travellers WW, charging £2,900 for this popular program. A year of exploration in Singapore only deepens my passion and makes me search more about this volunteering in Sepilok. It seems incapable to raise SGD9,000. Only when I came to London, the passion slowly re-ignited, after putting some thoughts in it coupled with my resolution of the year: running a marathon! But I was determined to make it happens. As insecure as I was financially, I put down £190.00 of deposit to secure a place in September 2008, the closest date I can get, a month upon reaching England. I know if I don’t take that plunge, I would only be always talking about it, like in Singapore.

Of course, at any fund-raising activities, all you have are tumbling blocks. But I have an angel, Sie Lau, all thanks to Eugene Toh for the introduction. One night of drinking led to great pool of ideas. My initial New York Marathon plan was proved to be too exorbitant as a good platform for fund-raising. So that plan was dropped. Cardiff Half Marathon and Flora London marathon seem more modest in comparison and possibly a more sensible choice as a fund-raising platform. Alongside, Lau and Grace (another wonderful person I met) came out with a splendid idea of open mic with fund-raising initiative at Melaka, which is a newly established Malaysian/Indonesian restaurant at Canary Wharf. Rumour has it that the cook couldn’t be much better than the one with a Michelin star.

Jungle Jam at Melaka was then conceived! People, there is no better time to get to know some of the most talented artists in their own rights coming together to perform under one roof, while ushering with some tantalizing Malaysian food and drinks. Don’t deprive your innate quench for hedoism of life. Plus it is a good excuse to do some charity for Orang Utan Conservation!

Venue: Melaka
27 Ropemaker's Field, off Narrow Street, London E14 8BX
Nearest DLR station; WestFerry
Date: June 10, 2007
Time: 2 – 6 pm


About Sepilok Orang Utan Volunteering Program:
The fund raised would enable me to participate in the project. The fund covers for the adoption of 2 baby orang utans, maintenance of the husbandry of the sanctuary. That accounts for 85% of the amount paid, while the remaining amount would be for my modest lodging and food during the two months I am there volunteering. From my part, I am basically taking two months out of my PhD program to serve the program: taking care of orang utans and their daily cleaning in the sanctuary, habitat surveying for possible rehabilitation of the primates to the wild again and any chores needed from the research group in Sepilok.