Hammock Life
Volunteering in Borneo
Nothing quite beats waking up to the sound of the rainforest while gently swinging in a weightless cocoon; the dappled sunlight spilling through the forest canopy, the whistling of faraway birds and the knowledge that you're hammock is safely sealed to those damn mosquitoes humming outside!
Volunteering in Borneo with the Penan Tribe
Anyone volunteering in Borneo will spend several nights sleeping in lightweight jungle hammocks among pristine primary rainforest while living with and learning about the Penan tribe and their unique way of life. Situated in the Malaysian state of Sarawak in Borneo, these villages are far-flung from any towns and cities, deep within the forest.
Volunteering with the Penan tribe, there is always plenty to see and do. Famous for being the last nomadic tribe of Borneo, volunteers will have the chance to listen to passed down stories of Penan life and culture, trek with local guides and discover the long-used medicinal remedies and hunting tips of the forest, and work with Penan women on their distinctive weaving designs.
Volunteering in Borneo with Moving Mountains’ Reforestation project
Volunteering in Borneo, there is also chance swing out of your hammock and get you're hands dirty with the reforestation project. Started by the Penan communities, Moving Mountains Trust has developed and supported their reforestation project since 2006. Volunteers can help out with seed collections, replant tree saplings and record tree data as part of our ongoing data collection in order to accurately assess the impacts of the project.
Volunteering in Borneo and support a sustainable tourism initiative
By volunteering in Borneo, travellers will also be supporting the sustainable tourism initiative set up in several of the Penan villages. As the Penan lose more land to illegal logging and encroaching palm oil plantations, so too do they lose their means of supporting themselves. By establishing a series of homestays in the villages, the community produces alternative sources of income that supports the host families, while generating further employment and training opportunities through working as guides and porters for the tourists and volunteers.
While sleeping in your jungle hammock will undoubtedly be a highlight of any trip to the Penan, volunteering in Borneo with the Penan has an array of experiences of offer for both tourists and volunteers alike.