20-23 Oct 08 at Kampong Tamau: 22 volunteers from Renaissance Hotels & Miri Marriott build for Habitat KK

A quick visit to the beach at Rampayan Laut on the way back to the Ostrich Lodge (where the volunteers stayed)!
Pix shows the happy team from Renaissance Kuala Lumpur, with their team leader Nor Aizan (1st from left).

Ms Nor Aizan (from Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel) upscaling and bonding with village children making and coloring magnetic animated moulds. Aizan 'broke the ice' with the children making them feel very at ease and comfortable with the visitors/volunteers. Thanks Aizan, for your creativity!

On Day 3, the walls are up! Fantastic progress for a group of dedicated volunteers who have not built a house before! Syabas man!!

Team Toilet.com artistically constructing one of the most important
section of the new Habitat home for Mabulmaddin's family.

Reporter & Feature Writer Elton Gomes (seated, 1st left) from the Borneo Post at the build site interviewing the Team Leader Ms Nik Adura (with cap and white T-shirt)


Van broke down on morning of Day 2!! Great chance to warm up for the volunteers who walked for about 2km before help came! They took the chance to enjoy the country-side and beautiful view of Mount Kinabalu! Thanks for showing high and positive spirit, gang!!


Fiddler on the Roof: Hey Zamri, be careful there!

The Pintu.com team on Day 2 creatively 'designing' and constructing
the doors and windows for Mabulmaddin's house.

Enjoying team spirit at dinner time at the Ostrich Lodge at Rampayan Laut. Many of the volunteers met each other for the 1st time and bonded very well and became good friends!

Oh Mama! Naik kereta-ku...the pickup vehicle transporting the volunteers daily from the Ostrich Lodge at Rampayan Laut to the buildsite at Kampong Tamau, Kota Belud, Sabah.

The journey takes about 20 minutes.

Volunteers attract interests and build bonding with children too

21st October 2008 on Day 2 of Work at Kampong Tamau, Kota Belud, Sabah: The 22 volunteers from Renaissance Resorts & Hotels Malaysia and Miri Marriott Resort & Spa, worked in 4 separate teams under separate leaders, building team spirit and bonding not only among themselves, but also connecting well with the village children.

The Renaissance Hotel and Miri Marriott team in action in Kota Belud, Sabah.

20th October 2008: 22 volunteers from Renaissance Hotel Malaysia and Miri Marriott Resort & Spa are staying for 4 nights at Rampayan Laut, near Kota Belud, building a Habitat home for a sugar cane farmer and his family. It has been raining at the site prior to their arrival, but on their 1st day of work on 20th Oct 08 (Monday), the weather is beautiful...warm to cool and breezy! It's so blessed! The good weather and the high energy and enthusiasm of the volunteers augured well for the team work to make great progress with the build. This is the 4th consecutive year that this Hotel group is sending volunteers to help Habitat for Humanity Kota Kinabalu build homes in Sabah. It is under their international program "Spirit to Serve" to help local community work. Thank you so much Fellas!! Pictures show the volunteers team spirit in putting up the house for Mabulmaddin in Kampong Tamau, Kota Belud, Sabah. This is only the 1st day of work and we are glad that the house is going up very smoothly.

Stretching exercise before work commences

20th October 2008: Gilbert Webber(left most) from Marriott Miri leads the participants to loosen up and stretch their muscles on commencement of work at the Habitat for Humanity build site at Kampong Tamau, Kota Belud, Sabah.

Welcome Dinner at Tam Nak Thai

19th October 2008: Welcome Dinner for 22 Volunteers from the Renaissance Hotels in Malaysia and the Marriott Miri Resort & Spa held at Tam Nak Thai at Api Api, Kota Kinabalu. Traditionally, a welcome dinner is held for visiting group of volunteers at a local restaurant, an occasion to get to know the participants and for them to get to know us. Habitat for Humanity works in partnership and therefore personal friendship and bonding is important to build long lasting relationship.

22 volunteers from Renaissance Hotel & Miri Marriott arrive in KK

19th October 2008: 22 volunteers from Renaissance Hotel Malaysia and the Miri Marriott Resort & Spa arrive in Kota Kinabalu to help build a home in Kampong Tamau, Kota Belud. The volunteers were given a comprehensive briefing by Allen Tong (President of Habitat Kota Kinabalu) at the Radius International Hotel at Warisan Square. Seen in pix here is Ms Nik Adura (seated, second from left),who is the Team Leader of the Group, and also Philip Chee (General Manager of Renaissance Kota Bharu Hotel, seated 5th from left).

Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel sends 7 volunteers to Habitat for Humanity Kota Kinabalu

15th October 2008: The Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel will be sending 7 volunteers to help Habitat for Humanity Kota Kinabalu build a home at Kampong Tamau, Kota Belud, Sabah. A total of 22 volunteers from the Renaissance Hotels and Marriott Miri will be in Sabah from 19th to 24th October 2008. This is the 4th consecutive year that the Hotel Chain is partnering Habitat for Humanity Kota Kinabalu. President of Habitat for Humanity Kota Kinabalu, Allen Tong (Pix, second from left) briefed the volunteers in Kuala Lumpur on safety rules, logistics, history of Habitat KK and also thanked the management of the Hotel for its corporate support for Habitat's programs.

Some sightseeing too...for our overseas volunteers

11th Oct 2008: Principal village co-ordinator, Terrance (standing, 3rd from left) is the perfect host, taking the volunteers from Japan for some local sightseeing after they worked so hard at the Kampong Natai build site. Thanks Terrance!

Enjoying local coconut drink

11th Oct 2008: Volunteers from Kanzai Bible Institute having a good time enjoying fresh young coconut drink. Truly refreshing! Most deserving for all of you especially after a hard day's work at the Habitat worksite at Kpg Natai, Telipok, Sabah. Habitat for Humanity Kota Kinabalu would like to thank Operations Mobilisation Sabah for organising this group of volunteers from Osaka.

Sumptuous luncheon for hard-working volunteers

11th October 2008: Building on a hill top really work up your appetite, as shown here, the 9 volunteers from Kanzai Bible Institute, enjoying their lunch break at Kampong Natai, Telipok, Sabah! Home cooked delicious food by Flora, the home partner of Habitat for Humanity Kota Kinabalu.

Kanzai Bible Institute volunteers help Habita build home

11th October 2008: The build site is on top of a hill. What an exciting time for the volunteers having to carry the building materials uphill!! Not only building their muscles, but also building a huge appetite for the local village delicious food, which the Japanese volunteers thoroughly enjoyed.

9 volunteers from Japan build Habitat home in Kpg Natai, Telipok, Sabah

11th October 2008: Habitat for Humanity Kota Kinabalu builds its 9th home at Kampong Natai, Telipok, Sabah. 9 volunteers from the Kanzai Bible Institute, Osaka, (arranged by Operations Mobilisation) commenced the build for home partner John & Flora, who are both rubber tappers.

Habitat KK will build Home number 10 in Kota Belud

4th October 2008: The Board of Directors have approved the application to build Habitat home number 10 in Kampong Tamau, Kota Belud. Pix shows joyful home applicant Mabulmaddin (in blue T-shirt) discussing detail plans and logistics with Board Members (from left) Joanna Kitingan, Phyllis Chin and Mary Chai at the build site.

If you are lucky...you get additional benefits...

20th Sept 2008: Well, if you are lucky ones like us, you will be treated to a delicious kampong style cooking...we assure you that it is finger licking good. Cooked by Felicia (Terrance's sister)...all of us went for huge second helping!! Thanks Terrance; Thanks Felicia!!

Fringe benefits for being a Habitat volunteer!!

20th Sept 2008: Enjoying fresh and juicy coconut water!! Terrance (squatting in dark T-shirt) the principal village co-ordinator from Kampong Natai demonstrated finesse and skills in spliting the green coconuts for our consumption!! Joanna and Jeannette slurping in every drop of the fresh coconut water!

What other benefits do you get for being a volunteer?

20th September 2008: Well, well, well...you also get a chance to track up and down hill when you go on site inspection...that will give you a chance to find how how fit you are!!

What are the benefits of being a Volunteer?

20th September 2008: Want to know what and how you can benefit as a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity? Well, well, well...you will certainly derive a great deal of satisfaction helping someone build a decent home for their family. You will also make many new friends, you get to learn team work and team spirit and also learn a great deal about yourself...how lucky you are with all your blessings...well, you also get a chance to see the countryside and enjoy dipping your tired legs in a fresh flowing stream in this village (Kampong Natai, Telipok, about an hour from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia)!!

Coconut water for thirsty Habitat visitors

20th September 2008: Fancy a refreshing drink of coconut water on a hot day? How thoughtful of the village folks in Kampong Natai, Telipok, on this hot and windy day to provide us all with fresh coconut! It was really delicious!

Home site is next to a padi field

20th September 2008: Board Member and Public Relations Chairman Jeannette Tong at one end of the proposed build site at Kampong Natai, trying to visualize what the home will look like...

Family Education in ACTION!!

20th September 2008: Board Member and Family Education Chairman Ms Joanna Kitingan (in green T-shirt and hat) sharing pointers to applicant Marius Jalius about obligations of a Habitat home partner.

Habitat KK prospective site for Home number 11

20th September 2008: President Allen Tong led the Board Members to visit and evaluate the prospective build site for Home number 11 at Kampong Natai, Telipok. Pix shows Allen (3rd from left) discussing the plans with the village folks. The home applicant is Marius Jalius, a rubber tapper.

Another pix of current condition of present home

13th Sept 2008: Another pix of current condition of the home they live in...

Condition of current house

13th September 2008: Condition of current house at Kampong Tamau, Kota Belud. Home applicant and wife living in this house with 5 children. The visiting Board Members mentioned to home applicant that they will make a positive recommendation to the full Board of Directors for a new home for Mabulmaddin.

Beautiful Mount Kinabalu

13th September 2008: Seen from Kampong Tamau, Kota Belud, from the build site of home applicant Encik Mabulmaddin is the majestic Mt Kinabalu, the peak of South East Asia. Imagine volunteers at the site will be enjoying this view everyday. Pristine...simply pristine...

Habitat KK potential Home Number 10

13th September 2008: Board Members of Habitat Kota Kinabalu led by President Allen Tong arriving at Kampong Tamau, Kota Belud, to evaluate the potential build site of Habitat home number 10. Seen in pix, from left, Allen Tong, Ms Joanna Kitingan and Mabulmaddin (Home applicant).

On site Education about Habitat requirements

20th September 2008: Ms Joanna Kitingan (Chairman of Family Education) sharing with Ms Flora Gudin about homeowners obligations and requirements as partner of Habitat for Humanity. Every homeowner is a partner of Habitat and hence, must know their commitment when the home is being built.

Habitat KK to start on its 9th Habitat home

20th September 2008: Habitat for Humanity Kota Kinabalu visits Kampong Natai, Telipok, (about one plus hour from KK) to evaluate the proposed home site and the home applicant's background for the next build. Pix shows (from left) Willie (village co-ordinator), Ms Joanna Kitingan (Habitat Board Member and Chairman of Family Education), Flora Binti Gudin (with child), (home applicant), Jeannette Tong (Board Member and Chairman of Public Relations) and Allen Tong (President of Habitat for Humanity Kota Kinabalu) at the home site.