Hello, thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

My name is Dean McBride and I'm fundraising for a charity called Raleigh International and I am seeking sponsorship to help fund the necessary travel and equipment needed for my expedition to Borneo

During my 13 weeks abroard with Raleigh International I'll be undertaking three phases:

Phase 1: Community Phase

Our community projects are in some of the most remote and poorest areas of Sabah. Here is an example of a community projects i may be working on

Kindergarden Build

You’ll work with the local community to lay foundations and floor boards, construct walls and the roof, fit windows and doors and decorate inside and out. The community and project partners provide teachers and manage the kindergarten.

By building a kindergarten, you’ll be helping children reach the minimum standard of reading and writing required for them to enter the education system in Malaysia. Raleigh International works alongside a semi-government organisation called KEMAS. Their aim is to provide the basic level of education needed so that when a child reaches 6 years old they are able to start school, and not find themselves years behind their peers.

Phase 2: Enviromental Phase

As part of the environmental projects of the expedition, I could be getting involved in conservation work in areas not normally accessible to tourists. Here is an example of volunteer projects I may be working on

Danum Valley

The Danum Valley Conservation Area is one of Sabah’s last strongholds of undisturbed lowland rainforest, attracting the international scientific community.  Danum is home to six out of 10 of the totally protected animals (including the Sumatran rhino, pygmy elephant, clouded leopard, orang-utan and proboscis monkey) 124 mammals, 330 birds, 72 reptiles and 37 different species of fish. Raleigh volunteers have been working on a satellite camp for scientists at Ulu Purut – a site 8km into the virgin rainforest from the Danum Valley Field Centre. The camp will allow scientists to base themselves there whilst carrying out research and means they will be able to explore deeper into the area.

Phase 3: Adventure Phase

During the adventure phase, I will trek more than 250 kilometres over 19 days, learning navigation, camping and survival skills along the way. Here is an example of a adventure trek in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

Diving

As well as trekking, you will get the chance to scuba dive off Mumatik Island. In partnership with Borneo Divers and Sabah Parks, Raleigh volunteers spend 4 days doing their PADI Open Water diving qualification followed by 2 days of either reef survey work, an underwater clean up or collecting data (coral condition, fish and invertebrate counts) for the international Reef Check Project.

Click Here To Find Out More About Raleigh International