The following review was written by volunteer Lynn, who joined the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Volunteer Project in July this year.
Almost the whole of July in the rainforest of Samboja Lestari!
Ever since I can remember, I have wanted to go and volunteer with the orangutans in Borneo. When I came across the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Volunteer Project, I conveniently had the time to do it. It wasn’t something I had done before, and as I was travelling on my own, I thought it was a great opportunity.
At first, I was a bit sceptical about the cost, and it took me a little while to finally book. I decided to go for a month, and I am so glad I took the plunge! The money is very well spent by The Great Projects, and you can totally see where it goes.
The transition from Balikpapan to Samboja Lodge was seamless. On arrival, you’re greeted by the lovely Kate with a freshly squeezed juice made from whatever fruit they have that day (ever tried dragon fruit juice? It’s not the smelly one, and it’s rather nice!).
The rooms are shared between two people, unless you want to upgrade to have one to yourself (not necessary in my opinion). They have everything you need, including a proper mug for your morning coffee, which, by the way, is available all day long, along with tea and water.
My first encounter with the orangutans was on their islands, where I met Rambo. I fell in love with him straight away, and he gave me so many different poses throughout my stay!
I just stood there, feeling so privileged to be so close to such a great animal (97% shared DNA!).
I could write and write about all the different characters and the wonderful experiences they gave me, but that would perhaps spoil it for you.
The work was actually quite hard, mainly because of the heat, but I didn’t really see it that way. It was lovely to be able to make enrichments for the orangutans and then see what they did with them. It was a pleasure!
We made a cargo net, a hammock, a concrete path and a concrete gully for the sun bears. Again, it was so rewarding. We also cleaned out two moats and had the pleasure of Papa and Kikan keeping us company from the sidelines (they were released back onto their island while we were there, too!).
The technicians are always there, working away, but there aren’t enough of them, which is why volunteers make life just a little easier. Volunteering: what a great experience! If you’re having second thoughts, forget them and just do it. You won’t regret it!
Special thanks go to Kate (UK), Wiwick and Aril (Indonesia). They kept us safe and genuinely care about the orangutans, sun bears and us. Also, a big thank you to Keke, Vera and Lesley for the entertainment. You’ll know what I mean when you get there!
