ABILITY EXPEDITIONS

The rigorous courses are several weeks long. They combine online self-study with group work and seminar-style video-conference calls. Topics include safety culture, best practice standards, COVID-19, systems thinking, and more.

 Viristar Director Jeff Baierlein stated, “We are delighted to bring our comprehensive safety trainings to the Ability Expeditions community. Outdoor and experiential program providers around the world have benefited from Viristar’s risk management courses, and we know that international schools and others in the Ability Expeditions network will find great value in them as well.”

Individuals wishing to take advantage of the opportunity to participate in an outdoor risk management training at a discount can learn more at https://courses.viristar.com/ae-presents-risk-management-for-outdoor-programs/.

Ability Expeditions has over 20 years' experience providing educational expeditions for schools, universities and youth groups. Program themes include community service, adventure, and environmental conservation. AE holds programs at its residential Adventure Centre in the Kiulu Valley of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Ability Expeditions also offers jungle trekking, ascents of Mt. Kinabalu, zip lining, climbing, abseiling, rafting, and virtual team-building experiences. Safety is a top priority with all Ability Expeditions programmes.

We had a very active Adventure Centre in 2019, welcoming back our regular school clients and also enjoying being able to share a unique Ability Experience with a number of new schools. We loved how busy we were and how we had number of different staff teams working simultaneously on different programmes and schools. It was the BEST year not only because we reached a different level for our teamwork but because we met many new friends along the way.

This year was supposed to be all about the continuation of these amazing partnerships and enabling many more students to thrive in an experiential personal development experience.  Due to the pandemic that is happening all over the world – we have had to accept the fact that everything needs to stop and reset for us all to be able to rise again.

Out team has been working so hard during the down time – to enhance our systems and processes; to improve and make things even better. We are “IN PROGRESS” and we are excited to start all over again when things are settled, everyone is allowed to travel again and we can safely welcome schools back to Borneo.

Why is this program so incredible? Simply because the location remain a sanctuary for some of Sabah’s most unique and diverse fauna. It is still the home of all ten endemic Bornean primate species, of which several are now endangered or critically endangered. The Clouded Leopard, the Sun bear, and depending on their roaming position throughout the year the illusive Pygmy Elephant. It has less well known species like the Sunda Pangolin (the world’s most trafficked animal), a myriad of invertebrates, birds, amphibians and reptiles and other mammals make up this jewel in the Sabah crown. The next amazing thing to note is that almost all of these aforementioned species and countless others are all being studied by dedicated unknown heroines and heroes of the science community. Many for years at a time.

So, we have a location that is home to a relatively abundant volume of wildlife (that is very relative considering how many areas have no fauna or virtually none remaining compared to say fifty years ago) and a small group of field Biologist who plot, observe and data record as many aspects of their selected species lives as is possible. Add into that mix sixteen enthusiastic, globally aware young adults from UWCSEA International school (Singapore) and that is the ingredients for an incredible expedition.

The collaboration between PhD, professional training year, volunteers and school age students (with the guiding hand of expedition experts) really does result in some truly wonderful and powerful learning. This year’s team arrived with expectations, and these have formed as a direct result of all the successful trips that have been enjoyed by their peers in previous years. The trip now has a reputation and this is fantastic from one perspective, but also can produce an almost unrealistic demand on the location. By demand I mean ‘’when will I get to see’’ X (no pressure there!).

The time spent with the science team, at the NGO KOPEL flew by for all, far far faster than anyone of them wanted, the early morning misty river boat starts, (the aim of identifying every bird species that was spotted), dusky evening river boats (identifying all the primates settling in for the night). The star lit night boat searching for Pythons on the river bank. The canopy platform, the pangolin night search, the frog night walk. Butterflies catch and identification, lizard catching, fungi plotting, Forest transects, Pollution and river clean assessments, reforestation tree planting and oxbow lake weed removal to name but a few of the activities that devoured their eight days. Lectures from the experts, cementing that what they were trying or attempting that day or the previous was how the scientists do it for real.  They then presented their own findings and realisations to the professionals.

I am very confident that no one went home disappointed, that no one went home bursting to throw yet more plastic into the trash bin and that no one went home unable to see and feel the need to recognize the reality of the impact of humans on our one and only home Planet,  Earth.

Well done UWCSEA Bio Diversity Expedition team Oct 2017 – It was our pleasure.

Despite the three long days and the three sleep deprived nights, due to flights and then excitement, the students found enough energy to smile, play, laugh and interact with the kids from SK Rangalau Lama, every single day!

The interaction between the two sets of students was wonderful to watch. The laughter of the local Dusun-Malay children truly touched the hearts of the students from SIS. Several tears were shared upon reflection of their time partaking in the community service project at the kampung school.

The consensus from students was about just how the children were all so happy, smiling and care free really. Despite having so little in comparison to us, they are so much happier.

The following day was the adventure part! Zipping across the Kiulu River on our double zip line, scaling across the high ropes challenge, abseiling down and climbing back up our tower at Zip Borneo all that occurred before lunch! The afternoon was just as packed with thrills, the group took on the white water rafting trip down the same river they had just Zip-lined across.

The final day was the well-deserved R&R, a day on Sepanggar Island. Snorkeling, kayaking, playing volleyball and relaxing on the beach was enjoyed by all. It was lovely to watch the new friendships that had blossomed and how the cliques that existed on the first day, were now non-existent.

That night was spent at the four star Sutera Harbour Resort in Kota Kinabalu. The plump pillows were indeed welcomed by weary heads, all before an early wake up call, transfer back to the airport and a flight back to Hong Kong. The action packed week, genuinely whizzed by in a blink of an eye. But hey, time flies when having fun!!

Thank you for the pleasure of looking after and working alongside your school once again. We look forward to seeing you again in 2018 SIS, Hong Kong!

The team began with a written first aid knowledge check, the format purposely altered to avoid standard multiple choice response. This was an "understanding" answer style, pushing that memory recall to greater depths. Practical practice scenarios then followed, nothing too complex, just the basics to fire up that residual response to immediate first aid issues. These two elements designed to lead our team nicely into the remaining live "unknown" stress tests that would follow for the next 36 hours out on the hills in the Jungle.

The first scenario was "Lost person" with critical medical issue, specifically a Hypoglycemic Complication. The lost student would need to be located and then treated with full consideration to medical responses, team management, remaining expedition team management (the students team) and ancillary support and response. A very slickly organised search team ascended the hill climbs on all known routes to the last known location and on finding our casualty gave genuinely good medical and associated management related solutions.

Some evening coaching on 'adaptive' tourniquets and Pelvic fracture splinting was the evening entertainment up on Tirig Hill summit (along with some great food courtesy of 'Syl').

The following day found our team dealing with a three vehicle road traffic collision, six casualty's (of which one was an infant), a motor cyclist and four other vehicle occupants. Conditions that presented all would be expected as a reality in such a critical incident. With limited resources (as you would realistically expect in a remote expedition setting) the team then had to adapt and provide the best care and response that they could. Base of skull fracture, Catastrophic bleed, pelvic fracture, cardiac arrest, open wounds, broken arms, spinal etc.

Add into this the terrain, the limited resources and 38 degree heat and you can start to imagine what the challenges felt like for them. The realism of these scenarios is a conscious decision when planning and preparing on my part. Know one really enjoys half hearted 'just imagine you are dealing with . . . . or " lets pretend you are faced with " type training. I certainly never did and so I feel it is very important to provide the most realistic experience possible (where possible). I think we came close with this session.

That was undoubtedly achieved with the final scenario, left until almost the very last minute before the "believed" endex time line of the training. A shriek and panicked screams from our house keeping team at the adventure center pointing out a body floating face down in the river. Only the casualty and house keeping knew of this last test. The response from the team was to say "Dynamic" an understatement of epic proportions. Flotation devices (commercial and adapted) were in that river with fully charged and 'genuinely believing" instructors powering to the aid of our victim. Full support criteria requested during the 300 meter sprint the rivers edge - all requirements in place or under way within seconds.

I have seen many unfortunate incidents and scenarios played out for real during my years working in a variety of arena's, I have had also had the privilege of working with and alongside some highly trained and professional people and teams dealing with those times.

Ability Expeditions crew are one of the most committed collection of instructors I have the pleasure in calling 'our team'. If I was in trouble out in the Sabah Jungles, I know who I would want to be coming for me, and whom I would, without hesitation, trust to see the job through until the very end.

Heart felt thanks to you one and all for your level of commitment during all that was thrown at you.

Ryan Bundoi Cyler Gabil Fulbert Maurice Josh Ristin Erica Fetthlin Christ Egbert Edward Dulah Jordan Hillary Ronnie Jr James Creighton Hailin Gambud Sonia Jacob Sylvia Sangau Floyd Maurice

The school program included a unique Environmental service project, a tiered 24 hours Jungle survival introduction phase, plus adventure and team building activities. The School elected to fund raise their entire project contribution and so arrived with a vested interest.

I think it is safe to say that on the initial viewing of the pile of galvanised steel, wood and tools “and” then being told “you and these materials will produce a fully operational tree nursery” they were less than convinced, dare I say sceptical! However Alice Smith Year Ten prepared, constructed, and created a fully operational tree nursery. We do know best, but it is always more rewarding to let them see the objectives grow for real as they build, as opposed to trying to convince with words.

The nursery build is a long term project adopted by Ability Expeditions and will we hope facilitate a boost to the reforestation efforts in the Kiulu valley over the next decade or more. This drive was started with the students planting 240 saplings at locations in two village’s community areas during the project phase.

The Jungle phase is always a revelation for the majority, no matter how long international school students have lived in the tropics they rarely venture far into the wilderness, this is a genuinely daunting phase for many, and will always encourage and induce the biggest development personally  as individuals. To pack a bag with what you think you need for 24 hours is on its own a challenge, that bag needs what you want, the equipment you are told you need and then yet more collective food rations and it becomes the first challenge. All the while looking at the jungle edges from the safety of the centres landscaped grounds, the ominous hill horizons stealing your focus, “how far will I be trekking” an overload of the imagination is almost guaranteed. Nervous, anxious and void of any normal comfort zone reference points is now their reality. The only real safety blanket that they can see is each other, and that is the essence of the phase, strength and adaptability as a team. Only at this point it they are not one. Fast forward twenty four hours and the return with smiles, heroic voices greet their friends, tales of survival feats. A team who “number off” loud and proud, and a collection of individuals whom now believe they are a little bit tougher than they imagined they were before. We wish the Alice Smith Year 10 a fantastic summer holiday – you will be welcomed back any time.

Students can, if you choose, be compared to caterpillars, (although initially they may not thank me for pointing it out), but if you ponder that picture “am I far from the truth”? Caterpillars are the prerequisite to the bold, beautiful incredibly agile and enduring butterfly, a species needed, admired and critical. These young adults are cocooned in the protective shell of school and then after what seems an eternity to them the end of captivity is in site, and then at that point it may feel like it has occurred in the blink of an eye. After all that waiting, the pupation period is over. We are very fortunate to witness the emergence of some of these fresh wing butterflies during this expedition. It is a truly incredible experience that humbles the observer.

Take forty young adults, not one has any real practical skill set (yet), limited physicality (save for the sports fields and related disciplines), all of whom make up a melting pot of opinions that are rainbow esq in breadth and ocean trench deep in contrast of belief. Remove all their perceived “needs” and “must haves” and provide the simple “real” necessity’s, add in some genuine compassion and good humour and then direct towards the provision of others for no gain and you will witness a defining reason to actively invest time, energy and understanding in this generation.

Incredible achievements are lying just below their surfaces, sometimes all that is needed is a patient and consistent guiding hand. The rest they will give you in abundance.

Our ‘emerged’ young adults took a hard challenge head on and delivered more than we could have anticipated. They existed without “must haves” (very happily) and formed a team spirit that will provide a template for each as they head into their own futures. Well done Tanglin Trust Year 12 2017. Outstanding – With much great respect and fond memories – “Your crew”.  

Why was their program challenging? Because these kids on average were 12 years old, they had never completed ‘real’ service work and none had stayed overnight in a Jungle in Borneo, (some had not even been away from family before). This week was going to be a marker for many, and we know that some will have gone home an inch or two taller. I think I can safely say no student team has hugged all the instructors at the airport, completely blocking the concourse the way you guys did - “much respect”.

The teams service phase included the construction of four concrete block incinerator builds, two ‘A’ frame homestay pods and a very professional looking concrete block village sign. All build tasks being part of a larger, long term project that is being progressed in Kampong Tombung. Many other schools will visit this Kampong before it is all completed, but CDNIS team were the first to add to the legacy and left a very high standard for others to follow.  

That was the service phase completed over three days, the next was a 24 hour Jungle trek and camp, not before completing Jungle survival school and Jungle Taboos!

Nothing can raise the fear stakes like a dark Jungle, rain and the knowledge that jungles have spirits. Then add into the mix you are twelve years old and you have a genuine challenge ahead of you. The fear is owned individually, but fed by the collective and yet miraculously all emerged from their hammocks the following morning alive, in one piece and greeted by the AE team with a burning fire ready for them to cook their breakfast on.

So if you push past the little voices of doubt in the depths of your mind, “you can” and “they did”, all at once the world becomes a much bigger place to play in and you grow into a little bit more.

We thank you ‘Team Lolita’, and look forward to your piers visiting with us in 2018.  

“Flags and Flowers” was a project designed for Panaga School to allow these very young minds access to ‘community service’. Achievable and genuine community service is not so easy to nail when you are only nine! But nail it they did, repairing the school buildings front wall and repainting the flags of State and Country (their funds actually extended to repair the leaking roof as well!). Not only did they help repair, and rejuvenate but they also provided an after school club infrastructure for the community school kids to enjoy.

Large clay pots where decorated by the kids, flowers planted, tools provided and left as the Tombung Kindergarten gardening club roots. A truly “good” legacy – Thank you.

Adventure for most souls, whether nine years or forty nine is normally about being pushed, pulled (and in many cases running out) from your comfort zone, straight into a rugged, and unfamiliar setting, with far less familiar ‘things’ around you, and knowing or suspecting that under any rock, dead log, or dark hole is waiting a legion of terrifying monsters (or a spider or two) ready to come thundering out. The fear factor is all part of adventure, “no fear, no real point”. It is that sensation that is then overcome that tells us we are a ‘bit tougher’ than we thought we were, and a maybe we could do even more next time? But to get to those thoughts you have to take a first step, that step for the majority is hard. These children have taken their first step, and all emerged the other side scar free. They trekked out into the Jungle, learned how to light a fire, and cooked a simple meal and were shown that using the natural resources around them (bamboo) you can create items to help achieve that task.  

The climbed, repelled, demonstrated agility on the High Ropes course and then few the double Flying Fox from one side of the Kiulu River, to the other, and back again.

They went home tired, grubby and wearing trainers and boots that actually looked used, a perfect end to a great summer camp I would suggest.

Their days started before sun up and finished way past sun down. Joining the Biologist, whilst they work on their live projects is a completely unique experience for school students, they see the reality of the job that these dedicated individuals are striving to achieve, their incredible success’s and spontaneous wild life encounters afforded by relentless tracking, monitoring and data collection, and also share the struggles and reality involved in conservation research in our time “here and now”. 

Attached is “their” video of “their” expedition experience, they hope you enjoy.

From our perspective - One genuinely incredible group of young adults who were an absolute pleasure to care for during their program – a group to remember for all the right reasons. Thank you Epsom College, we look forward to seeing you next year.

Three days of service project were the first phase of their trip, students were assigned onto two different working teams alongside Kampong Tombung elders. The groups were tasked to build a kitchen for the Kampong community hall and extend a drainage channel running alongside the community sports field. Students genuinely enjoyed themselves working the “not so rich and famous life style at their project site. Daily hanging bridge river crossings, mixing of cement, digging, carpentry, and block laying all genuine tasks completed by our enthusiastic young volunteers. These projects are selected to fit the age and “probable” ability of the teams. This team excelled and left a genuinely great legacy for the Kampong.   

A big shout out to Moet Nakayama, the first student to get into the mud for the drainage project, she was the kick start that the Drainage team needed. As soon as she showed willing everyone join her in. Mud in decades gone by was a child friend, in the digital technical world of today however it is a real and for some scary stranger. We can safely say that team are now reacquainted with an old friend from yesteryear. 

The students truly impressed the Ability team instructors with their engaged and positive attitudes. Combining energy, sweat and determination and as a reward completed the task set before them. “Well done”. When asked of them of “what is your favorite part during the project”, they replied, “ACHIEVEMENT”. Enough said! 

Another key hurdle to overcome with this generation is an enforced period of time away from technology, free from their gadgets, social media (and by default away from a degree of relentless social pressure). Yet as quick as day turns to night their need for that connection ebbed into a distant memory, and before they realized they had completed a week and were homeward bound. Nature and exposure to the basic side of life is a very empowering feeling for all ages, no less so this generation. They may choose to reconnect when back in the hustle and bustle of city life, but they also now know that the countryside is now their friend too, it offers a different connection, and one that is not reliant on battery or contacts engaged on. 

Saying good bye was emotional moment during the closing ceremony – we can see how students appreciate that they were part of the expedition.

Chris Partrat was given the award for the “Best Student on Expedition”, showing outstanding commitment and being consistent throughout each element of the program “Well done Chris”.

Three more students also demonstrated excellent effort and participation level which deserved a big shout out from us – “Moet Nakayama”, “Parth Shetty” and last but no least “Celine Cheng”. Well done to the three of you. 

The team’s final phase was a day trip to a tropical Island (Seppangar Island) and it is fair to say this ranked as a highlight, it was swiftly followed by an overnight stay in a 4 star hotel (so that may have had something to do with the ranking!!). The team worked hard, played and adapted so very well this was a fitting end to their expedition experience.  

The team, Sylvia, Sonia, Ryan, Edward and Jack built a close relationship with both teachers and students alike, it was hard to send them home but knowing that all had enjoyed and achieved so much made the good bye worthwhile and easier. 

A special note of Thanks to Jess DAVEY-PEEL, the lead teacher took the time to send a heart-warming email as soon as they reached hometown saying the students were bragging about how amazing they felt the trip was. That kind of attention to detail is much appreciated by all the hard working Instructors at Ability Expeditions.  

The first day ebbed into late afternoon, and with that the team were instructed to collect their kit and head for our Jungle base camp a few miles into the forest. A look of surprise was on some faces, rye smiles on the rest. The smiles had seen that the day was far from over, (In fact it was 24 hours away from being over). The team were now on a practical assessment phase, six rolling emergency scenarios had been planned ahead of time, victims briefed, make up and props sourced and we were off. Off course some still expected a little medical “event” on route, an hour first aid and then back to the centre for “tea and medals”…how wrong they were, of course any practical test so soon into the fun zone would be very predictable and utterly pointless. No we would wait until darkness had fallen, then the fun would begin.

Dinner cooked and minutes from being served, rain falling (as if on cue) and a blood curdling “SCREAMMMMM” breaches the jungles own orchestral melody…. snake strike (scenario), the team now knew they were in for a long night (and next day), but all were definitely “up for it”, the energy was very evident, the tempo of the next twenty four hours was fairly unrelenting. In case any are concerned yes they did get some sleep and dinner (eventually), but 0400 Sunday morning when most of the world (at least in our time zone was sleeping) found the Ability crew rudely awoken from their slumber and straight into searching for a suspected unconscious lost man casualty, full lost man protocols, comms base and logistical support in play. The casualty was found half way down a ravine slope, most definitely not in the best of health (skull fracture) and needing well considered swift first aid followed by hospital. An outstanding full rescue from the team, and before daylight breached (and the night time terrors were over), but not so the day version (evil smile).

Between dawn and sunset on that second day they dealt with four other critical incidents, each one run by a new lead pair, river rescue with multiple casualty’s, high tower falls and transfer to HLS (Helicopter Landing Site), Fire drills (with real smoke) and more lost man incidents, oh and multiple phase technical recues on the high rigging tower with a casualty in acute cardiac arrest (just for fun). Everything that was thrown at the team was caught with both hands and bagged up. Incredible effort was applied and although no doubt for some the learning curve was steep the seniors and newer team members all worked as a team and looked after one another as well as sick, wounded and whining, (learning is at its most acute and most effective when conducted in difficult and testing circumstances, after all……Not much that is good and great in life ever came without a little challenge or two!)

Ability crew were certainly put to the test, they were not found wanting (one or two mini shine ups needed) but overall genuinely outstanding work.

Congratulations Ability Team!

The purpose of this recce was to assess SOP routines practised by the providers and the general infrastructure offered to clients, conditions on the trek routes and general terrain assessment. The three day trip started with the ascent on the Keningau side of the mountain, ascending up to the summit and then down onto the Tambunan trek route to the finish point. From the base camp to the mountain overnight camp is the first days walking, the second being the final summit trail and then the descent to the waiting 4X4 and homeward bound. The trail from Keningau is a beautiful mix of lowland and hill dipterocarp forest, followed by lower and then upper montane forest finally summit scrub. The hybrid vegetation on the upper montane and summit scrub is absolutely unique to this mountain (not even found on Mount Kinabalu). The only place on the planet to find the hybrid pitcher plant nepenthes x trusmadiensis.

It was a genuine pleasure to see their almost infinite energy supply’s pouring out nonstop from the day they arrived to the moment they steps back onto their coach on ‘endex’ day. Like super charged whirl winds, the kids ate into all the events, challenges and games our team supplied hour after hour. The group led by one of our veteran instructors “Floyd” and assisted by our newest Event manager Sonja created a well-organized, dynamic, fun packed atmosphere from start to finish, this was magnified by students and teachers alike. A fantastic collaboration of experience, expertise and energy. The highlights being “trekked into the jungle and learnt to cook on open fires”, “conquered fear through completing the longest (and only) double zip line in Borneo”, (alongside other rigging disciplines), “river tubing and river hang out time” (simply allowed them to just have fun on their “own terms”). The evenings spent playing games, old and new, (east meets west) just simply more fun, and all without iCloud, smart devices and the ever present pull of the WWW.  

The teams were incredible, they worked so hard (yes, they had assistance from the Ability team and the kampong community), but the students mixed tonne after tonne of concrete, erected and painted the weather shelter (and yet more concrete for that base!), they erected and painted the tamu shelter (market shelter) and tonnes and tonnes of concrete for the takraw court.

“Outstanding team work,”

The level of commitment and dedication shown by both service teams was just incredible. “Take a bow” CDNIS, you are ranked AAA rating for shear hard graft! The team split into three groups for the Jungle phase, and all returned smiling and “jungle fresh”. The week was over in a flash, with a blink of an eye all where back on the coach and heading to the airport. Another huge success with young people truly expanding their own vision of the world we live in, their own pushing boundaries to create a yet bigger spirit of adventure. Congratulations CDNIS May 2016 team.

“You rocked the house!”