'Treetop Girl' Veveonah didn't expect overwhelming response to her YouTube videos

KOTA KINABALU: Things have been getting better for 18-year-old Veveonah Mosibin ever since she posted YouTube videos of herself spending the night up a tree to get better Internet access for her exam, and they went viral.

She became an Internet sensation almost overnight after the video she uploaded on June 13. She now has over 96,000 subscribers.

“When I started posting videos on YouTube, I never thought that it could become a hit in such a short time, and I didn’t expect much, as I was just doing videos for fun, ” Veveonah said.

However, that tree-top video challenge of hers in Kg Sabanalang Pitas opened up opportunities, while also highlighting the lack of facilities in many parts of Sabah.

“I received so many calls from the media, from people wanting to help such as Telekom Malaysia, and got an offer from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) for a degree course, and even had the chance to visit the state palace, ” she said.

Veveonah’s visit to the state palace was to receive contributions from Yayasan Nur Jauhar and meet the head of state’s wife Toh Puan Norlidah R.M Jasni, the advisor of the foundation.

The youngest of five siblings, Veveonah, who hopes to be a lecturer and a successful YouTuber, said she hoped to be able to inspire others to never give up.

In one of her videos, she also spoke of her family’s legendary Kancil car which, despite being beat-up and old, still functions and serves them well.

She talked about how the car was used to send her to MRSM Sandakan, her school, a six-hour journey from her hometown, navigating muddy terrains and gravel roads.

“For my PT3 exam, we were asked to prepare a report on transportation issues, and immediately I thought about my hometown because silly me thought that this would help to get a road built, ” she said.

Veveonah said she got an A for the subject, but the road she hoped for was not built.

“When I asked my teacher when our road would be fixed, she told me that the project was just for academic purposes. I was devastated and disappointed, ” Veveonah said.

Realising how silly she was to think that the school project would change anything, she pulled herself together.

She said there was no need to feel dejected when faced with obstacles because when there is a will, there will always be a way.

“When I see so many positive and encouraging comments and messages on my YouTube channel, it just makes me want to do more and share more, ” she said.

Many more people are talking about the bad Internet connection, bad road access, absence of water and electricity supply in their hometowns in Sabah.

“For me, I think this awareness is good and needed. I hope the authorities will look into our plight seriously, ” Veveonah said.

On her newfound fame, she said her family advised her to take what was good and ignore the negative.

Veveonah said she didn't want her YouTube platform to be a source of stress and just wanted to have fun making them.