7th to 8th June 2010
Setiu, Terengganu, Malaysia
It's been almost a year since Project Orion was born. Project Orion started out as a mock proposal from the 3rd Scouts of the World Award (SWA) Discovery workshop, and who expected it to become the most successful project achieving press features in both Terengganu and Singapore newspapers, reputable recognition from World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)- Malaysia and also a long-term partnership with both the villagers of Kampung Mangkok and WWF - Malaysia.
Other than the main focus of sea turtle conservation work, Project Orion also serves the community as we strongly believe that people's lifes are often intertwined with their environment. By supporting the community through outreach, education and assistance, the environment will also gain.
This year is the 100th year of Scouting in Singapore and Project Orion will be playing its contribution by returning back to its homeground once again. Watch out! Project Orion II is ready to rock the shores of Setiu again!
As part of the preparation, I headed back up to Terengganu with the new team leader of Project Orion II, Jiawei. Jiawei was in fact from the very first batch of SWA Discovery Workshop participants. The plan - to spend a day and half to organise and get everything in place before the full team touches down on the 26th June for two weeks.
It was also a time for me to revisit the folks that we met last year. First stop - Pink House. No doubt about the name, and finally the fence is up! In fact, it has now become the local women group's (PEWANIS) centre.
And the PEWANIS has greatly impressed me with its amazing progress in just a year! Now the women manages the mangrove replanting programme and tie it in with their cottage industry of their famous banana chips! They have also worked with organisations/groups such as Nestle, and they actually do their own presentation to guests and tourists! Who would ever think that a small group with much controversy when we first met them a year back, is now an officially registered society that helps to improve their livelihood! Kudos to them and I've to say that I'm very proud of them and glad to be a part of their programme.
And when the night falls, of course the Pink House is still alive with the kids attending night lessons once again conducted by the WWF interns.
Well, now not only the Pink House is overwhelmed by kids. There's a new hot spot in town! Previously the pre-school near Mak Uda's house, it has been transformed into a Turtle Conservation Centre!
No surprise that it was ran by someone devoted to the conservation efforts. If anyone from the first team remembers meeting the professor (Prof. Chan Eng Heng) who was releasing the painted terrapins along the Setiu River - yes, she's running the place now and it's officially opening on the same day Project Orion II is arriving. The surprise here is that Prof. Chan is actually a fellow colleague of Prof. Diong! Small world indeed. Seems like Project Orion always finds the best in the field to support its programme!
Exploring further, I realised another change. The hatchery is now in fact sitting right where the first team pitched their tent! They have moved the hatchery to Pernarik Inn and guess what, WWF is using the portable steel hatchery that we bought and it has a door even.
Walking into the hatchery, I was greeted by another surprise - the number of nestings, as compared to the same period last year, was almost double!! Very much thanks to the licensed egg collectors playing their part by declaring their find to WWF. A good sign I guess?
Apart from exploring the village, we went also visited the mangrove area, which the programme is now managed by the PEWANIS. As usual, the nursery is stocked with the saplings.
And if Parry, Isa and Ashok remembers, that's where they had a mini mud/water fight while waiting for the transport lorry to return. The photo on the right is where Isa picked up the cow dung which Ashok rolled down the slope. Talking picking up the shit left behind. Haha!
A new addition to the area is a well - freaking deep well... Finally clean water to wash up after the mangrove replanting session!!
Moving further down to the site of the mangroves, an unfortunate and depressing sight was awaiting.
Much of the mangroves that was planted on the first day together with the Scouts from Mangkok Primary didn't survive the harsh conditions. Only a few rows closer to shore remained as evident from the photo above.
However on a good note, remember the crazy morning of crazy planting the next day? The saplings survived and is growing great! In a few years time, the area will probably full of greenery!
Well, there were indeed quite a lot of changes in the small village but some things just don't change and they will remember you - Mak Tar, Abang B, Yad, Mah Guang (the very naughty one!) and many other villagers and kids! We were exploring the village while waiting for River to return from KL, apparently many of them recognised me and started ringing River up! It's such a great feeling, like coming back home to another big family.
Not a change but something new caught my eye thou. There was a new brick building beside Abang B's house.
I was wondering whose or what building that is... and taking a closer look.
And after some hinting from Abang B, I found out that the proud owner of this new building is in fact Mak Uda!! Some time after Project Orion left, Mak Uda got a grant from the government and they built this for her! She no longer needs to live in the run down place! As Mak Uda was in Johor visiting her son, I wasn't able to meet her but definitely happy for her. I'm sure someone will tell her that someone from Singapore dropped by her house.
Lastly, how can a trip to Setiu be complete without the company of hatchlings!
And lucky enough, some hatchlings decided to welcome us and let us set them upon their arduous journey into the open sea and hopefully someday to return to this very shore again, like what Project Orion will do every year for many more years to come!
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