Pre-Christmas Celebration with the Villagers of Long Kabing and Long Kawi!

Kabing Camp here we go! 

*Short description : I am currently interning for Interhill Group. Interhill Group has a logging camp at Upper Baram called Kabing Camp. The camp is 6 hours away from Miri. Our first internship mission was to visit the villagers of Long Kabing and Long Kawi (located nearby the Kabing Camp) to have a pre-Christmas celebration with them. It is a CSR program that aims to maintain a good mutual relationship with the villagers! Here we go!

1^st December 2015 – First day of internship, getting all excited! Woohoo! I woke up around 6am to get ready and carried a huge bag pack with me to the office (Interhill Group). The bag pack was filled with basic necessities such as shampoo, food, clothes, torchlight, tissues and more tissues. Once I’ve arrived at the office, I met up with another intern and the Corporate Communication Manager of Interhill Group (Miss Angelyna Ental). We loaded our bags onto a 4WD around 8:30am and set out on our journey to Kabing Camp. Vroom!

                                (Hello! This is me shamelessly taking a picture in the 4WD!)

The ride was 6 hours long and we had to stop in a small town called Long Lama after 3 hours of ride to have our brunch before heading to Kabing Camp which will take another 3 hours. Once we've arrived around 4:00 pm, we put our bags in our room and headed out to visit the camp site. 

          (This is the workshop area in the Kabing camp where maintenance of vehicles are done)

                                                    (We found puppies along the way!)

 (We were walking towards the eating area which is about 8 minutes walking distance from the camp)

  (Finally, the eating area! That's our manager with the overweight cat..)

We took the opportunity to speak to the local community (mostly Penan) when we've arrived at the eating area. The talking session was to gain more information and to understand better their needs that can be included in the future CSR program for the Penan Community by Interhill Group. That was the end of Day 1. 

2nd December 2015 - Today is the main purpose of our journey which is to celebrate pre-Christmas with the villagers of Long Kabing and Long Kawi. The villages are located nearby the Kabing Camp. 

Interhill Group celebrates Easter Day and Christmas with the community of Long Kabing and Long Kawi in order to build positive relationship with the community and to show respect towards their religion (Christians). 

We loaded the 4WD early in the morning with gifts that we have prepared for the villagers and set out to meet them! 

(Giving out gifts to the children as a symbol of celebration and appreciation)

(The children of Long Kabing and Long Kawi)

(The adults love candiesss too!)

We spent the whole day giving out gifts to different houses and also to speak to the villagers. We were told that they really anticipate and appreciate the celebration of these occasions every year. Before Interhill Group came into the picture, the villagers expressed that there wasn't much that can be done to celebrate these meaningful occasion. The fact that Interhill Group organize activities for them annually to celebrate these occasions has given them the opportunity to get together and build a mutual relationship not only with the organization but also with the villagers from other village. 

It is one of the important CSR programs which allow Interhill Group to approach the local community nearby their Kabing Camp site and to provide towards their needs. After the visit to every houses at Long Kabing and Long Kawi, we went back to the eating area to rest. Before we end the day, we decided to learn how to make a local dish together with a local chef! 

(That's us with the chef on the top right trying to heat up the wok)

3rd December 2015 - We headed back to Miri early in the morning. During the 6 hours ride back home, I was trying to recall what I've experienced and learnt throughout the whole journey. The Upper Baram community have limited access to education, electricity, transportation and food supplies. CSR programs are greatly needed to improve their life and well-being. 

I was blessed to be able to participate in this journey and to learn how such simple gesture of celebrating an occasion together can build up a long term relationship with the villagers. It is because of these relationship building programs that Interhill Group are able to approach the villagers and given the opportunity to understand their needs. It gives Interhill Group the information needed to conduct effective CSR programs for the community.

I am looking forwards for the next CSR program which will be educational and will soon return to this beautiful place again! 

(Beautiful scenery in the morning of departure!)

(Saying goodbye to my new group of friends! Will be back soon!)

Name: Ting Mei Jiun

Student ID: 17486286/7E3B2504

Campus: Curtin University Sarawak

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