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19th March, 2010
LIKAS: The activities carried out by Habitat for Humanity KK has lured many foreign volunteers to Sabah’s shores.
“In a way, we help to promote tourism for the State as our activities attracts foreigners from various nations,” said founding president of the non-governmental organisation (NGO), Allen Tong.
He said that some of the volunteers even come back time and time again to Sabah, some to undertake other housing projects while some come solely to enjoy the State’s many tourist attractions.
“When the volunteers are here, we often bring them around to see many of the tourism attractions that are available. Some of the suggested destination sites are Mahua Waterfall in Tambunan and the Rafflesia Centre in Tambunan as well as the Sepilok Forest Reserve to see the Orang Utans and Labuk Bay to catch a glimpse of Borneo’s endemic species of Proboscis Monkeys,” he said.
He added that once the volunteers returned to their own country, they become ambassadors for the State as they share their experiences here with their families and friends, which in turn lures more people to come.
“We do have several volunteers who came with their families and friends for holidays in Sabah,” he said.
Allen added that most of the volunteers who do return to Sabah re-visit the families whose houses they have helped built.
“It is understandable. After weeks of spending time with the family, it is only normal to start building ties with one another. So when they return, they often make an effort to visit the same family they have helped,” he said.
He said that many of the volunteers who came were fascinated by the way the local people lived and the food they ate, and even simple things we locals take for granted such as seeing chicken and ducks roaming around village houses.
Since its inception in 2004, Habitat for Humanity KK had attracted volunteers from France, USA, UAE and South Korea.
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