The Start (And How It Started)

Hello! My name is Rhonwyn, and I’m the founder and 2014 youth coordinator of Project WHEE!.

Two years ago, I never thought that I would one day be the founder of a youth project. The thought of it seemed impossible as I was only an 18 year old after-SPM intern when I applied to Dana Belia. I never thought my idea would ever be considered, let alone I would win the Dana Belia grant itself!

An inside look of the day in the life of Rhonwyn.
This planner is my life and soul. 

The company I intern for, eHomemakers (eH) has had a project in Bario for almost 6 years, and as an intern I had the chance of a lifetime fly to Bario and assist in the project. The last leg of the eH Bario project was to teach the women English, as we are trying to get them to be community guides. The questions that were running through our minds were endless. Where could we possibly find people who would want to volunteer their time for Bario? I was then asked by the Executive Director of eH, Ms Chong Sheau Ching, to apply for the Dana Belia grant.

I sat at my desk picking at my brain for hours. How will this work? What will the project be called? Who will be the volunteers? When will it be? ..... So many questions were going through my head; my hair must have turned white. After finally completing the application form and defending my project in front of the Dana Belia selection committee, Project WHEE! was born, and my hair went back to its normal brunette colour.

As this is the first year of Project WHEE!, there are a lot of logistics to plan. I couldn’t possibly handle everything myself (and even if I could, I wouldn’t want to anyway). So along came my partner-in-crime Daniel, and ever since then it’s been utter chaos in our office. Accounting, reports, endless documents that Daniel and I edit over and over again (thank you Google Docs!), to endless meetings. It seems that everything we accomplish, another two things pop out that demand our attention! We’re constantly on the job and busy!

If you were to ask me what the best thing about being a project coordinator is so far, I would say that excluding Bario trips, it would have to be the interviewing process. Daniel and I have interviewed so many different youth similar to our age, each with his/her own special set of skills and talents. It was impossible to find two of a kind. Sitting at the interviewer’s side of the table, I can honestly say I have learned quite a bit about how to behave and what to say during an interview. There was something to learn from every youth that walked through our office door.

Interviewing applicants from Taylors Lakeside.

Although it’s all good fun, there is also an element of bad. That’s just how life works. No one said being the project coordinator was going to be an easy job, especially since this is the first year of Project WHEE!. Daniel and I have had long discussions about many different project concerns. I have had my share of sleepless nights thinking about the project. There are also times I felt like giving up, how maybe starting Project WHEE! was all a big mistake. I could have been in college now, with my biggest concern being mid-terms or finals, not having to worry about sponsors, accounts and schedules!

But then I take a deep breath. In every bad thing, there is also an element of good. Again, that’s just how life works. I think of the smiling faces of all the tepu-tepu (grandaunties/grandmothers) in Bario and the 30 youth who will be embarking on this journey. Both parties are completely different people in terms of age and upbringing, but both are so excited to meet one another.

I WANT this to be a successful project, I WANT to see strong relationships being built among the youth and the Kelabits. I WANT to do something for the mountainous community of Bario that won over my heart several years ago. All these thoughts are what keep me going during my lowest and most stressful times of project planning.

Working hardly, or hardly working?

We are less than a month away from bringing our first batch of youth to Bario in May, and I’m very excited. Finally Daniel and I’s work will be put to the test! Will everything we planned go accordingly?

Probably… Probably not.

But either way, each step of project coordination will and has been a huge learning process for me, and I’m still not done learning!






-Rhonwyn-