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THE United States (US) Embassy in Brunei Darussalam yesterday hosted an outreach event for local Non-Hovernment Organisations (NGOs) and Bruneians who have actively participated in the US government-sponsored cultural exchange programmes. Titled ‘Conversations’, the public diplomacy programme was aimed at encouraging dialogue and the exchange of ideas on volunteerism in the Sultanate. Present at the event was the co-founder of Green Brunei, Khairunnisa Ash’ari, who shared her experiences as a participant in the recent International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP) in the US. Khairunnisa’s recent three-week trip focused mainly on volunteerism and youth. She said that the IVLP programme gave her a better understanding of the volunteering culture in the US. “The program itself was beyond exposure to the work of various nonprofit organisations; it was also about understanding the service-learning…

SOME 16 people representing 1stopbrunei Wildlife Club, Brunei Nature Society, Museums Department, Police Rangers, Green Brunei and Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Research of Universiti Brunei Darussalam attended a field training session held in Ulu Belait recently. During the eight-hour walk in the jungle which began at 3pm, participants surveyed the local wildlife in the region and more specifically kept an eye open for suitable pangolin habitats. The trek was led by Muhammad Shavez, who was accompanied by British conservationist and pangolin expert, Louise Fletcher, who provided information and advice to the other participants. A bird count also took place, with the rare Great Argus being heard twice throughout the journey. Participants included the President of Brunei Nature Society, Professor Ulmar Grafe, who spotted and identified seven different species of frogs,…

THE founder of Green Brunei Khairunnisa Ash’ari has become the first Bruneian to be awarded the Queen’s Young Leaders Award, in recognition of her leadership in the community. A statement by the British High Commission in Brunei said Khairunnisa was one of the 60 young individuals from across the Commonwealth nations to receive the Queen’s Young Leaders Award. Winners of the award will receive training, mentoring and networking, including a one-week residential programme in the United Kingdom during which they will collect their award from Queen Elizabeth II, according to the award’s website. Speaking to The Brunei Times, Khairunnisa said she was nominated online by a friend last August and had to write essays about activities she had done, while also going through a phone interview in November before finding…

PROCEEDS from Asia Inc Forum’s Trash to Treasure campaign was officially presented to three environmental Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) yesterday. The campaign was held as a corporate social responsibility initiative in conjunction with the National Environment Conference (NEC) 2014, which took place earlier this year. It was organised against the backdrop of Brunei producing 1.4kg per capita of trash every day, where 70 per cent of the total waste produced goes directly to Brunei’s six landfills and only two per cent into making compost, while the rest is disposed of in other ways. The rationale behind the campaign is that waste can be reduced by about 80 per cent for the average household or business if effectively recycled. As Asia Inc Forum stated, “Recycling is an essential activity to ensure Brunei…

ASIA Inc Forum (AIF) held a cheque presentation ceremony yesterday at the AIF’s main office to appreciate the hard work of three non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that successfully conducted one of the recycling activities this year - The Trash to Treasure Campaign. The gathering during the event had representatives from the Society for Community Outreach and Training (SCOT), the Beach Bunch and Green Brunei. Also attending during the presentation were representatives from conference partners TOTAL, Butra Heidelberg and Baiduri Bank. According to the Programme Manager of Asia Inc Forum, Nanette Ramos said, “The Trash to Treasure Campaign is a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative held in conjunction with this year’s National Environment Conference was a collaboration with JASTRE, Ministry of Development - the main government agency that is involved in Brunei’s waste…

SEVERAL non-governmental organisations are calling on young people who are passionate about volunteering to either join them or set up their own volunteer groups. Rizan Latif, president of Beach Bunch, an NGO that focuses on protecting Brunei’s beaches from pollution, told The Brunei Times that nearly 90 per cent of their activities are driven by volunteers who are keen to contribute to society and make a change. “I think if youths would like to get engaged, at the end of the day, it is their own beliefs and values that will determine whether they want to contribute back to society,” he said. Volunteering, Rizan said, is not something that can be learned in school. “Volunteering also depends on how passionate a person is. If they are really (keen on volunteering),…

ONE hundred and eight teens and young adults raced across the Bio Innovation Corridor (BIC), formerly known as the Agro-technology Park, in Tungku to complete the challenges set during the Remarkable Green Race yesterday. Organised by Green Brunei, the race was a first for the non-profit environmental awareness group aimed to raise awareness among the 16-40 demographic about environmental issues, creating more exposure about the BIC and to encourage them to be more active in future green programmes. Attending the prize presentation was the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, Hjh Hasnah Hj Ibrahim and representatives from the sponsors of the event. The teams of four participants each raced throughout the park from station to station to complete green-themed challenges, one of which was the…

THE International Volunteers’ Day could serve as a reminder to volunteers that any related activities carried out are not only beneficial to the country, but it also helps to foster their individual growth. In an interview with The Brunei Times, the president of the Belait Youth Association (PEMBELA), Atikah Rumaizah Dr Hj Harun said through volunteering, a person would be able to understand and learn more of the community they lived in. [Related story: Brunei to commemorate International Volunteers’ Day with festival next week] “Especially by extending their helping hands to those in need, volunteers would be able to develop within themselves the senses of empathy and care; that they are more people out there experiencing hardships which perhaps could be more difficult compared to the volunteers themselves,” she said. “Besides…