Creating Meaningful Experiences by WOX

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WOX (Way Out Experiences) is a company that connects everyday people with endangered animals in a sustainable, responsible and collaborative way. It provides a global platform for people to enter the world of conservation of species that are on the brink of extinction. Brainchild of Afzaal Mauthoor and Guillaume Feldman, WOX was established in October 2003. Today, it is an international operation with offices in the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Borneo, and with representations in India and Mauritius.

WOX was set up to create meaningful experiences for people wishing to exercise their right to care for endangered animals and local communities, on a project abroad. Sustainability lies at the core of its conservation efforts, implemented through specific models such as responsible volunteering, responsible tourism and corporate responsibility. The company’s efforts are one hundred percent localised, as WOX operates by establishing administration offices and mobile conservation units in each host country.

Enabling local communities to become custodians of their own environment is WOX’s ultimate goal. WOX is a great believer of knowledge transfer, and aims to equip local communities in the host countries within which it operates with the knowledge and skills to care for their wildlife better than anyone else.

 “We do not want to stay forever. We would like to provide local government, host communities and local partners with the knowledge, support and training necessary to run projects themselves. Once we have everything we can to create a sustainable future for both the wildlife and local communities, the end result would be our ultimate removal (as facilitators)” – Guillaume Feldman, Director of Conservation.

The Great Orangutan Project (GOP) is a signature project of WOX, and represents a collection of orangutan conservation projects both in Malaysia and Borneo. It is funded by volunteer contributions and coordinated by conservationists employed by WOX. Each GOP project has the shared vision of increasing the size and health of Bornean orangutan populations. The GOP also works to improve the lives of the local people as well as of orangutans. In the last 3 years WOX has provided over GBP100,000.00 to the welfare of orangutans at the centres we are active in. We continue to make a difference.

Please join our Facebook group to stay in touch with The Great Orangutan Project and speak to our volunteers who have been on the projects, they will share with you the passion of WOX.

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If you want to find out more about becoming a volunteer  click here.

If you want to know more about WOX, just read on... 

Responsible Tourism:Our philosophy to responsible travel is based on creating sustainable working relationships which, as a result of this harmony, enable us to stimulate an eco-economy at a local level and spearhead a new found interest and commitment to the natural environment and inspire custodianship over the natural environment. Our role as a responsible company is being creative in our conservation efforts, improving education, raising awareness, improving standards of living for local communities in Borneo. Examples of our initiatives include:

* Wildlife centre and animal sanctuary management
* Exotic animal husbandry and enrichment, veterinary nursing, and conservation
* Rehabilitation of captive animals towards release in the wild
* Environmental education activities in local schools to create future knowledge banks and knowledge workers in ecotourism
* Facilitating and co-operating for scientific research on flora, fauna and ecosystem.
* Education and interpretation activities
* Cultural interpretation programmes with direct involvement of local communities sharing their lifestyles
* Construction of environmentally-friendly infrastructure using local materials, traditional architecture and design
* Knowledge exchange and transfer

Responsible Volunteering: WOX has developed a new, ethical, innovative and integrated approach to volunteerism over the last 3 years. It successfully runs several volunteer programmes with its flagship being Matang Wildlife Centre in Sarawak, Borneo. These Great Projects generate funds for conservation and facilitate exchange of knowledge and skills to aid wild species that are classified as endangered under the Red Data Book.

As a responsible company WOX embraces the principles of Responsible Volunteering and believe it is the key to creating sustainable and meaningful successful volunteer projects that benefit the local community and surrounding environment.Malaysia benefits from WOX:

WOX has brought the following benefits to Malaysian Borneo:

    * Conservation motivated travel stimulates local economy. On average WOX coordinates 400 travellers and volunteers a year motivated to travel to Malaysia to experience conservation of either orangutans. These travellers and volunteers have generated a total revenue of RM3.15 million (GBP525,000) a year in Malaysia, spent on local businesses, local tour operators and local villages and on the sponsorship of conservation projects. Over the last 3 years GBP100,000 was given towards for the welfare of the orangutans at centres WOX is active in.

    * Wealth Creation in Remote Areas - WOX has been responsible for wealth creation in remote areas of jungles and islands. For example in Batang Ai, Sarawak, WOX together with a local partner has invested in building an eco lodge neighbouring a local Iban tribes village. By regularly bringing in volunteers to sight orangutans in the wild, WOX has facilitated and trained local villagers and nature guides to be more entrepreneurial in selling their handicraft and providing cultural or nature based services to their international visitors. From sightings of orangutans, locals are able to make a comfortable living in their remote village. This gives the village youth hope of a career in the area and slows the brain drain or "unthreading" of the cultural fabric of that society.

    * Increased recognition of Sarawak as a centre for orangutan conservation. In collaboration with Sarawak Forestry Corporation, WOX and Orangutan Appeal UK was responsible for coordinating the world's first eye cataract operation on a blind male orangutan in May 2007. This event made world headlines and increased the reputation of Sarawak as a caring state. It was featured on all Malaysian leading papers, CNN, Times UK, Guardian UK, and various South African and Australian news. WOX has also brought the BBC to carry out for radio documentaries. There is still more stories to tell and press are invited to our projects.

    * Collaboration and partnership. WOX has worked to build joint partnerships and collaboration in Malaysia resulting in them being invited to a one to one meeting with the Minister of Tourism, Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan B Tengku Mansor on the 9th of September 2006, discussing new ideas for ecotourism in Malaysia. WOX is in frequent discussions with the Malaysia Tourism Board and the Sarawak Tourism Board.