Photolog: Kg. Tinanom Electrification Project A Success!

Rain poured heavily in the village, surrounded by a breathtaking tropical landscape in the highland region of Ranau, Sabah. The volunteers and villagers of Kampung Tinanom watched from their shelters as raindrops turned soil into mud, swelling the nearby river to its brim. Movement restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic that ravaged world economies have put this project to install a 5kw pico-hydro powerplant in the village on hold for months now…

 By the riverbank

In March 2021, we resumed the mission to build a pico-hydro powerplant for Kg. Tinanom, a remote Bornean village located a 3-hour drive from Ranau town, with the final 2 hours to be travelled on gravel road. 15 volunteers worked tirelessly alongside the villagers to build a small hydro power station in the village, leveraging on the hydro power generated a river nearby; a clean and sustainable energy source.

Rain, Sweat & Tears

Months of fundraising and preparation effort by the firm and Lightup Borneo, in collaboration with Estranged and Sound Asia Live have finally come to fruition when the installation project officially kickstarted on May 3rd, 2021! It took 5 days, despite intermittent rain and challenging terrains, for the team to transport materials through the hilly jungle trails, connect the pipes and wiring, and construct the hydropower station. 

Unloading materials for the project installation

Volunteers connecting the pipes from the river to the village

Carrying heavy materials up and down the hilly terrains comes with the job

Pulling cables across the village

The Kg. Tinanom hydro station

Throughout the entire project period, volunteers were housed in the village hall that is large enough to accommodate a standard badminton court. Two volunteers opted to pitch their tents outside of the hall and stay closer to nature instead. 

Two tents pitched by the volunteers stood out in the midst of greenery

‘Teach a man to fish’

Sweet success is in the near horizon when the pico-hydro powerplant roared in full force, generating enough electricity to light up 22 houses in the village. However, the old Chinese proverb said “give a man a fish you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”. Access to electricity has been recognised as a basic human right in many international conventions and accords, but the continued access and sustainable usage of energy (such as electricity) is vital towards communal and societal progress. 

Upon completing the construction of the pico-hydro powerplant, villagers were taught to wire up their own distribution box in order to bring light into their respective homes. Volunteers conducted a wiring workshop in the community hall. Villagers who attended the workshop managed to wire their distribution boxes, and were provided with 3 lightbulbs each to be brought home after the workshop.

Villagers were taught to wire up their own distribution box.

Celebrating a New Beginning

On May 7th, 2021, we celebrated the completion of this long-awaited project in a muted fashion, through expressions of gratitude on social media, a simple meal, and a good get-together in the evening attended by the Ketua Kampung (village chief) - Yuen Gurup, ex-Ketua Kampung (past village chief) - Sikim (who also initiated the hydro project), the Chair of the Jawatankuasa Kemajuan Dan Keselamatan Kampung (JKKK) (Village Development And Security Committee) - Azmi, as well as volunteers and villagers. 

Sign-off by all the volunteers of the Kg Tinanom hydro mission

To date, we have worked with Lightup Borneo on the following:

(a) Long Pakan, 40 houses (joint sponsorship with Klscah Women Section); 

(b) Kg Rangan, 20 houses (joint sponsorship with Klscah Women Section); 

(c) Kg Kieyip, 70 houses; 

(d) Sg Toubang, 25 houses; and

e) Kg Berambang, 20 houses. 

By the end of May 2021, this initiative has helped more than 190 rural homes gain access to electricity, lighting up the lives of  hundreds of people in Borneo.

Every bit of access to electricity can make a huge difference in the lives of those living in remote villages or on the periphery of sprawling urban areas. A single lightbulb at home means the children have more time to do their studies, homemakers get to make handicrafts after sundown to supplement the family's income, and homes get to reduce the use of kerosene lamps that emit harmful gases. Access to electricity and lighting has a significant impact on the community's standards of living, life expectancy, literacy level, as well as economic welfare. 

The path towards full rural electrification is long and studded with challenges. Moving forward, we will continue to work in partnership with local communities and kindred spirits on this mission to bring positive impact where it matters most. 

Join Us On This Mission

Join us on this mission to bring light to the heart of Borneo! You can help by:

(A) Volunteering on the installation mission. Volunteer applications to be sent to lightupborneo2013@gmail.com; OR

(B) Donating to Lightup Borneo PLT - CIMB Bank Account No. 8009639861