Our Better World (OBW), the storytelling platform of the Singapore International Foundation (SIF), highlights social impact initiatives across Asia to inspire meaningful action.
The Kinabatangan river, a lifeline for centuries, is under threat. This once-thriving ecosystem, home to the indigenous Orang Sungai community and wildlife species such as the Bornean orangutan, is facing the devastating effects of deforestation, pollution and decades of poaching. Local non-governmental organisation HUTAN has emerged as a champion for both people and wildlife. Through its partnership with the Orang Sungai, HUTAN has pioneered a collaborative holistic approach to conservation, blending scientific research with community empowerment.
From constructing orangutan bridges to restoring degraded forests, their joint efforts are a testament to collaboration, dedication, passion and resilience. HUTAN's success in engaging and empowering the local community as active participants in conservation offers a model that warrants replication globally. By sharing this inspiring story, we aim to show that environmental change can happen when local communities are empowered, and to galvanise support for initiatives that protect biodiversity and uplift local communities.
When we came across HUTAN’s efforts to protect the orangutan, we initially planned on doing a short video story. But we pivoted once we recognised the depth and impact of their work since the 1980s. Wanting to do justice to their long-term efforts, we spent two years building relationships, filming, collaborating with partners and crafting this project.
Having access to 40 years’ worth of data was remarkable and exciting for us as storytellers, and we wanted to showcase the depth of knowledge gained — and change effected as a result of it. Hence, using data visualisation as well as maps was crucial in effectively quantifying and communicating the complex story of HUTAN's conservation efforts and their positive impact on the local environment over the past four decades.
By combining data visualisation with an emotional narrative; profile interviews; vivid imagery; video clips and a designed soundscape, we aimed to immerse the viewer in the rainforests of Kinabatangan.
We also introduced new narrative techniques and technical elements on our platform, such as coding the soundscapes to change across different narrative landscapes and chapters.
Our social media campaign was equally important, helping us to promote the multimedia piece and offering additional insights into HUTAN's story by highlighting other key narratives which featured both people and the wildlife that live along the Kinabatangan river. This approach also made the content accessible to a broader audience, accommodating diverse content consumption preferences.
Overall, our story significantly exceeded our team's objectives by resonating with a broad audience and reaching at least 1.7 million users, far beyond our initial expectations. The compelling narrative of HUTAN not only engaged viewers but also motivated 601 tangible actions within just three months, highlighting its deep impact and effectiveness in driving meaningful change. Additionally, with 505 shares, the story sparked positive conversations and raised awareness about the issue, amplifying our message and reinforcing the success of our efforts.
