New campaign to raise profile, $ for orang-utan

Published on: Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Kota Kinabalu: A brand new campaign designed to open a window of opportunity to everyone in Malaysia to make a real difference for Sabah's orang-utan kick-starts today (April 1) in Kuala Lumpur. The twin focus over the next 12 months is to "raise the profile of and raise funds for" the conservation of orang-utan whose last population count in the State numbered at about 13,000 among a total of 30,000 which, as a world population, is considered precariously low.
Feeling a compelling sense of mission and urgency, Haulieu Bagnau, an International Marketing Management graduate with a former corporate career background made a "complete turnaround" to join Orang-utan Appeal UK as the Charity's Liaison Officer for fund procurement!

In Haulieu, the Charity has an experienced corporate marketeer in Malaysia to work with big businesses, small businesses, organisations, the community, etc.

If the Charity had kept a low profile for a decade of dedicated conservation work, that is going to change.

In an interview with the Daily Express last week, Haulieu vowed that she is going to muster all her international corporate job knowledge and experience to help "raise the profile of and funds for" the Orang-utan Appeal UK in Malaysia.

After spending six weeks at Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre, Sandakan, with tacit groundwork support from Mike Steel, Appeal's co-ordinator in Sabah, and the Sabah Wildlife Department, Haulier is taking the mission and vision of the Orang-utan Appeal UK right to the national capital, Kuala Lumpur, to rally the national print and electronic media around two starting events right away.

Between April 1 and 5, Orang-utan Appeal UK has teamed up with Cave & Cellar, distributor of wines from Banrock Station, an Australian wine producer which is highly regarded for its passionate conservation cause with 70 such projects in 13 countries, for a one-year campaign.
"For every bottle of 750ml wine sold between April 1 2009 to March 31 2010, they'll donate RM1 to the Appeal," said Haulieu.

"We'll kick off the launch in KL doing a five-day road show with flyers all over and I'll be doing presentations at various venues, with the media there."

The three venues involved on a rotation basis are Tesco, Mutiara Damansara, (April 1 & 3) Cold Storage, Bangsar Shopping Centre (April 2 & 5) and Jusco, Mid Valley (April 4).

A bigger event themed Earth Week: Rockin' For the Environment, follows on April 17-25 April when Orang-utan Appeal UK will team up with expat rock band named Benchmarx and the International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL) to present Orang-utan Rock at Little Havana in Bukit Bingtang, 9pm to 1am on April 17.

"A fee is charged at the door for the Rock concert featuring Benchmarx and local rock act Pop Shuvit (for adults only) and all proceeds will go to the Orangutan Appeal UK," Haulieu said.
"In 2007, Turtle Rock raised RM7,000 plus for SeaTru , in 2008 Tiger Rock raised RM11,000 plus for MyCat and this is Benchmarx's third annual Rockin' For the Environment event," said Haulieu.

Following that, there will be a Conservation Awareness - Community Outreach Project for the pubic at SoHoKL, Solaris Mont Kiara on April 18-19 April - an Arts, Music and Fun Festival co-organised by Go International Group and SoHoKL.

A Children's Fun Festival follows on April 25 at the International School of Kuala Lumpur, Ampang Campus.

This Music and Educational Fun Festival is open to ISKL community and students only and a British High Commission officer will be guest speaker at the opening ceremony.
Haulieu noted the cost of one orang-utan at Sepilok ia RM7,500 a year and there are 50 to care for!

Hence at any of the above events, Orang-utan Appeal UK will be offering its Popular and successful Orang-utan Adoption Scheme.

Anyone who signs up with a donation of RM180 will receive a certificate, newsletter, photos of their orang-utan baby and a short story about the adopted orang-utan's history at Sepilok, followed by an update pack six months later detailing the progress of their adopted baby orang-utan has made and more photos, Haulieu said.

"This is a great gift for the occasion - show your care, by helping make a real difference to the lives of orang-utans," she called on people in Malaysia.