UNIMAS YellowHippo: Bringing STEM to Rural Sarawak

Sarawak’s STEM agenda aligns with the Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030, which places strong emphasis on education. However, some rural students still learn science mainly through textbooks owing to limited access to laboratories. As such, the UNIMAS YellowHippo STEM Squad was established to bring hands-on STEM learning closer to rural communities in Sarawak.

The squad was founded in 2023 by Dr Nazeri Abdul Rahman, a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), with the aspiration of giving rural communities opportunities to experience science beyond classroom theory.

This vision was supported by three PhD candidates, namely Allene Albania Linus, Anthonette James, and Calvin Jose Jol, as well as several undergraduate student volunteers. Additionally, the squad received support from the Dean of UNIMAS Faculty of Engineering to expand meaningful STEM engagement across Sarawak.

The squad began its official rural outreach programme in May 2023 at Kampung Sebangkoi Jaya, Simunjan, under the theme “STEM Segulai Sejalai.” The local Iban community participated in several STEM activities, such as the ambarella battery (an experiment using ambarella fruit and two metals to produce electricity like a basic battery), peat water treatment using electrocoagulation, water surface tension, and balloon car design.

Building on this experience, the programme continued in April 2024 at Kampung Tanjung Baru, Maludam, under “STEM Berserakup”, before expanding in May 2025 to the Bidayuh Salako community at Kampung Sebiris, Lundu, under “STEM Salako Sebiris Bato.”

Each destination from the UNIMAS YellowHippo STEM Squad marked a journey of hardship, from the 100 km road trip to Simunjan, to the nearly four-hour journey to Maludam involving a ferry crossing over the Batang Lupar estuary, and the over-100-kilometre journey to Lundu.

Despite these challenges, the squad realised that the STEM opportunities must reach beyond urban schools to rural communities across Sarawak.

This passion has transformed the squad’s work from a one-off outreach programme into continuous engagement with schools and communities across Sarawak.

In July 2025, the STEM programme continued at SK Tringgus, Bau, followed by the school’s reciprocal visit to UNIMAS.

In December 2025, the STEM programme reached SK Nanga Janan in Song, Kapit, where the journey itself reflected the hardship behind rural STEM outreach. The school was more than 400 km from UNIMAS and required about six hours of road travel, followed by another two hours upriver by longboat through a quiet stretch of tropical jungle.

Despite these challenges, the UNIMAS YellowHippo STEM Squad brought learning beyond the classroom. It opened young minds to STEM as a pathway to science discovery and future possibilities.

Advancing into 2026, the squad reached another milestone by collaborating with the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation Malaysia (MOSTI) through the Science, Technology, and Innovation 100³ Programme at SMK Engkilili, Lubok Antu. Although the school was located almost 200 km from UNIMAS, the limited engagement time was used effectively to guide about 200 Form 4 and Form 5 students through key scientific investigation skills, including problem identification, data collection, result interpretation, journal-style writing and academic presentation.

A subsequent STEM programme was successfully conducted in April 2026 at SK Engkaroh, Serian, which further extended the squad’s engagement to primary school students in rural areas of Sarawak.

Without relying on external funding, UNIMAS YellowHippo STEM Squad remains financially self-supporting by sustaining its STEM volunteerism programmes through social entrepreneurship activities. Through this approach, students develop business plans, conduct cost-benefit analyses, and raise funds through food sales, car wash services, parcel delivery, pre-loved item sales, and handmade traditional manik jewellery.

These sales activities also train students to plan, execute and manage resources independently while developing practical entrepreneurial and financial management skills.

Moreover, all proceeds are channelled back into outreach materials, logistics, and programme preparation, ensuring that every fundraising activity contributes directly to the STEM volunteerism programme.

A joyful closing moment with the local community, students and volunteers highlighted the shared commitment to making STEM learning meaningful and accessible in rural Sarawak.

Today, UNIMAS YellowHippo STEM Squad continues to serve as a bridge between university knowledge and rural communities. With growing invitations from schools across Sarawak and future collaboration with Universitas Tanjungpura (UNTAN), Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia, the squad continues to uphold its belief that small steps can make a huge difference in empowering STEM education in rural communities.