Lions reach out to rural poor

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SERVICE With Action — the motto of Lions Clubs International — was put to the test during a recent mission to help the less fortunate rural communities.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: Volunteers on top of Bukit Kana waterfall with Bukit Kana in the background.

The targetted group were the Anap-Muput Community (AMC) of Tatau District in Bintulu Division, regarded as among the most disadvantaged indigenous groups in Sarawak.

The mission over three days and two nights was spearheaded by the New Century Lions Club of Miri Resort City (NCLC), under its president Ronny Ling Chin Ching.

A contingent of about 70 volunteers, the largest ever assembled for such a humanitarian undertaking by NCLC, was dispatched to help the Ibans in the Anap-Muput Community under NCLC’s Rural Medical Community Service project.

“It’s our first major project — we checked online to find out more about the Bukit Kana Station and its surrounding communities,” said Ling who is also the organising chairman.

Journey to the Centre

Apart from the main contingent, at least 13 Lions, 12 Leos, six friends of the Lions joined the mission, starting from Imperial Hotel, Miri, at 6am in a convoy of several cars and an express bus on Dec 10. Three hours later, another 23 or more healthcare professionals at Bintulu Hospital came on board.

After a courtesy call on the District Officer of Tatau, and brunch in town, the convoy reached Sangan village by noon and the participants boarded motorboats for a five-minute ride to the jetty of a timber camp run by Zedtee, the contractor licensed to operate in the Anap-Muput Forest Management Unit (AMFMU).

Zedtee’s pick-ups took our group on a 30-minute ride over a gravelled road (used by timber trucks) and ascended hilly terrain to reach the Sarawak Rainforest and SFM (Sustainable Forest Management) Discovery Centre. This is the fastest route, taking about an hour, compared to up to nine hours by the old route.

Exploring Bukit Kana

At the centre was an observation deck atop a rocky cliff overlooking scenic forests and waterfalls over 100 feet down.

Viewed from the deck that can hold up to 25 people, the verdant forest canopy and the beckoning Bukit Kana peak in the distance offered an awe-inspiring panorama — and also a peek at the Bukit Kana waterfalls below.

After a briefing and the ceremony to launch the project by Lions (District 308-A2) district governor Augustine Ngu Liong Ing, most of the group went out exploring and taking a closer look at the waterfalls. The icy cold, clear water cascaded down Bukit Kana, plunging vertically onto rocks and a pool 105 feet below.

Service With Action

The Iban patients showed up at 7.30am the next day and by 9am, were streaming in with the help of Zedtee pick-ups.

After registrations, they went for hair treatments; checkups for blood pressure, glucose levels and body-mass index; eye and dental treatment, and pap smear tests for the womenfolk.

While adults and older children took turns for their treatments, the youngsters were kept occupied with creative activities like colouring pictures, games and singing in the other room.

Transporting the villagers to and from the centre posed a problem. Another setback was a lack of interest on the part of villagers to visit the centre, so Lions Keith Chin and Shirley Wong travelled with the Zedtee team to a few villages during lunch break to bring in more of the residents..

“There would have been few patients in the afternoon had we not gone to the villages to encourage the residents to come. At least another 60 more patients received treatment after that,” Wong noted.

The last patient, a young boy, finished his dental treatment at 5.30pm.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, only about 700 people benefitted from the project — 300 short of the 1,000 target — but Ling was happy it ended smoothly, and the group enjoyed their stay in scenic Bukit Kana which doubled as an educational trip.

Centre facilities

The centre has an interesting history and it is understood that it now serves as a training ground for people working in the forestry industry.

The dormitories can accommodate up to 50 people, and only the classroom at one end is air-conditioned.

Except for the attic, the rooms had insect nettings. The water pressure was also very low, especially when more people were using the washrooms. Someone suggested using individual water tanks to solve the problem rather than sharing a common tank.

Another problem was the daily rationing of electricity from the generators which usually starts in the evening but for the Lions’ project, it was extended to about 2am.

The exhibits at the centre were quite informative and interesting, especially the collection of 36 timber species and related products, a model longhouse and the unique architecture of the facade made of many pieces of timber.

According to a map on display, there are summit trails from the centre to trek up the highest peaks in Bukit Kana and Bukit Naong.

More materials could be added to enhance the centre’s educational value, and there is potential to promote it as a unique Discovery Centre for eco-tourism as well.