NGWA Datuk Nicol's field mission to the Gombak Forest Reserve

Exclusive from NicolDavidOnline.comUNDP National Goodwill Ambassador(NGWA), Datuk Nicol David, visited the Gombak Forest Reserve to learn first hand about the Conservation of Biological Diversity through Improved Forest Planning Tools project, which seeks to develop better economic and ecological tools for improved forest management.

Datuk Nicol David inspecting a moth trap with researcher Anthony, who is from the Philippines. Anthony designed the moth trap to be portable and to be able to turn on automatically at night.

The team visiting the Temuan village

The project team at camp

See also: Datuk Nicol David: Let Us Not Turn Our Backs on Nature
For more photos, click hereeeeeee...

Now she's bringing awareness to the streets..

It looks like our UNDP National Goodwill Ambassador, (quite)fresh from her first field mission of the year to Sarawak, has taken to the streets in her bid to raise awareness on issues regarding HIV/AIDS.

Look at that shirt she's wearing- notice the red ribbon? The red ribbon is "used internationally as a symbol of the fight against AIDS, and worn by people throughout the year in support of people living with HIV and in remembrance of those who have died."



The Red Ribbon Project was created by the New York-based Visual AIDS Artists Caucus in 1991.

To learn more about Nicol and her role as the UNDP National Goodwill Ambassador for Malaysia, click here.

Photo credits: Bloggers Billy and Siawcheng!

Datuk Nicol David: Let Us Not Turn Our Backs on Nature

Exclusive from NicolDavidOnline.com
A day after international women’s squash player and UNDP National Goodwill Ambassador Nicol David was conferred with the honorary title of Datuk for her contribution to her home state of Penang, the exuberant 25 year old hopped onto a plane and headed for the interiors of Sarawak for her first field mission for the year.

Trying for herself the basic transport facilities available to rural communities, Nicol and a small team from UNDP and the Sarawak Inland Waterway Transport System (SIWT) Study journeyed along the Batang Rajang for many hours to the far-flung community of Punan Bah, some 80km from Kapit. The Punan is one of ethnic groups under the Orang Ulu community and Punan Bah is the largest and oldest Punan longhouse in Sarawak.

At the aggregate level, Sarawak has an enviable record of development and an overall poverty level of just 8 percent in 2004. However, development in the rural areas has been less spectacular, and the rural poverty rate was 14 percent in 2004. The poor communities tend to be scattered along the state’s rivers or live in forested areas.

Currently, UNDP and SRB are concluding the Sarawak Inland Waterway Transport System (SIWT) Study. The two-year development project seeks to enhance river transportation in the state and support more effective use of water and related resources to alleviate rural poverty, while improving environmental management and contributing to the UN Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).

Nicol visited SK Punan Bah, a primary school lining the banks of Sungai Punan, and read a story titled, “Togu and the Trees of Life” to a group of delighted children during their afternoon tutoring session.

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