Borneo!
Type: 3-week volunteer positions; program fee covers accom., food, more (see
below)
Organization: Orangutan Foundation International
Location: Borneo / Indonesia, Southeast Asia
Orangutan Foundation International has volunteer opportunities available for
active individuals who want to get their hands dirty and help save one of the
earth’s most bio-diverse areas. Come
to Borneo, the world’s oldest rainforest,
and help OFI build a much-needed structure! You may be building a bridge, an
enclosure, an infant orangutan jungle gym, or another structure to help OFI
continue our work to save orangutans in the rainforest.
Field volunteers complete projects that aid critically important aspects of our
on-the-ground programs. The Field Construction Volunteer Program was developed
because concerned individuals asked to participate directly in the work. We
believe that together we can ensure that wild orangutans do not become extinct
in our lifetimes.
Click here for a downloadable brochure:
http://orangutan.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/OFI-Short-Term-Volunteer…
For more information, you can read the FAQ here:
http://orangutan.org/take-action/volunteer/construction-program/construc…
Dates for 2016
• Team 1: July 10th to July 31st
• Team 2: August 7th to August 28th
Each volunteer team runs for a set period of approximately 3 weeks. The cost of
taking part in each team is $1,275 (USD) and is paid upon acceptance of
volunteer’s application at a link listed below. This payment is non-refundable
and is meant to hold your spot on the team.
Be ready for:
• Hands-on manual work in a hot, humid, equatorial environment
• Buzzing, biting insects and the rare venomous snake
• Basic, remote, isolated living conditions: no running hot water, rudimentary
toilet and shower facilities
• Possibly sleeping in the middle of the forest in temporary shelters
• 3 meals per day (rice and vegetables, possibly supplemented by eggs, chicken,
tofu, or fish)
• Construction work: building, carrying, sawing, cutting, etc. – heavy lifting
required!
Volunteer projects will take place at one of the following sites*:
• The Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine (OCCQ)
• In the Dayak village of Pasir Panjang
• Camp Leakey
• Guard posts within protected forests
• Remote release sites
• And other sites to be determined
*The projects will not be confirmed until later in the year and will be
specific to the needs at that time.
A Volunteer’s Typical Day:
• 7:00am – 8:00am: Breakfast
• 8:00am: Work begins
• 12:00pm: Lunch break
• 1:00pm: Work
• 5:00pm: Work ends, time to bathe
• 7:00pm: Dinner
• 7:30pm: Discussion of day’s events and discussion of next day’s work
• 9:00pm: Bed (at volunteer’s discretion)
The Basics: In order to participate in our Volunteer Program:
• Volunteers do not need experience in the field, just a willingness to help, a
sincere interest in forest conservation and orangutan survival, and a passion
for the work OFI does.
• Volunteers are expected to work approximately 8 hours per day with one day of
rest on Sunday. This volunteer experience should not be viewed as a “holiday.”
• You must be a member of the Orangutan Foundation International.
• You must be 18 years of age or above.
• You must be in good physical condition and be prepared for hands-on manual
work in a hot, steamy, equatorial environment that may occasionally have
buzzing and biting insects and other inconveniences as well as the occasional
danger (such as the rare venomous snake).
• Volunteers should also be cognizant that Borneo’s endemic diseases consist of
such tropical diseases as malaria, dengue, typhus, hepatitis, etc.
HOW TO APPLY
• All applicants must be members in good standing of OFI. To join OFI, please
visit: https://orangutan.org/products-page/membership-program/.
• Fill out the online Construction Team Application Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1j_IHK7cagrJM5WLAQuwVs7256hXAwClhNnxZu21…
• Submit the following documents to
ofivolunteer@gmail.com :
• Proof of OFI membership
• Resume
• Cover Letter
Application process
All applications will be acknowledged. Once applications and supporting
documents are received, phone or Skype interviews will be conducted with chosen
applicants. You will be contacted by one of our volunteer coordinators to set
up this interview usually within a few weeks of application. Note that all of
our volunteer coordinators are themselves volunteers, so please be patient if
there is an occasional communications delay.
After the interview, if accepted, you will receive a letter of acceptance and
you will need to pay the program fee to reserve your spot on your chosen team.
Once you have paid your fee, you will receive our program waivers and a
Volunteer Program Manual. This manual included emergency information relating
to Borneo, Indonesia, a “What to Bring” list, and information on the program
and local community.
Pay Online for Volunteer Program
Once you’ve received the official acceptance letter please choose your team and
pay here: http://orangutan.org/products-page/volunteer/online-program-payment/.
You will receive a receipt and a confirmation email. Up to 6 months before the
program, the fee is refundable. Once paid, the fee holds your spot on the team.
The program payment includes:
All accommodations, food (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), materials for the
completion of the project, local assistance, as well as travel to and from the
program site from the town airport.
This program payment does not include:
Snacks, postage, laundry, or activities outside the volunteer experience. This
program payment also does not include international and internal travel to the
town airport. You must purchase your flight tickets to and from the closest
airport which is located near the town of Pangkalan Bun, Kalimantan Tengah
(Central Borneo, Indonesia). This also does not include the cost of three days
entry into the national park during the trip to Camp Leakey at the end of the
project.
Volunteers are responsible for their own vaccinations and should bring
anti-malarial prophylactics and medication as well as medicines for common
conditions such as diarrhea. OFI will NOT accept applicants who do not show
proof of valid vaccinations against the following diseases: tetanus, hepatitis
A and B, typhoid, and potentially others, depending on alert levels at the
time. We also require negative tuberculosis test results for orangutan health
and safety reasons.
Contact Information:
OFI Volunteer Committee
824 Wellesley Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90049
USA
Telephone Number: 310-820-4906
