Raise Awareness to Protect Wildlife in Cambodia

Last month, the Kouprey Express Mobile Environmental Education Unit provided flipchart training to ten teachers at Prek Smach primary school. The training gave the teachers the skills to better understand environmental issues in order to integrate the curriculum into future classes. Over the course of three days, the teachers learned about weather systems, sanitation and waste management, water, energy, biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihood strategies. The training also provided the teachers with fun and interactive lessons to better engage their students. Afterwards, the Kouprey Express team demonstrated how to present these conservation lessons by teaching the students at the school. Developing teacher capacity is critical for the long-term success of our education initiatives, and helps integrate environmental concepts into core classroom lessons.

This was an especially important visit because this is a new village. The residents previously lived in Botum Sakor, but were evicted from their land by a Chinese company that was granted a concession to develop the peninsula. The villagers, who were previously fisherman, were relocated to the forest where they have no work opportunities or skills to survive without the ability to fish. Many have resorted to hunting and logging in order to survive. They acknowledge that what they are doing is illegal and that they do not want to engage in destructive practices but they have no alternative. This is symbolic of the situation in many rural areas, and one of the numerous reasons why the Kouprey Express’s outreach and support is needed.

Help the Kouprey Express increase awareness and combat wildlife trafficking and deforestation by making a gift today.

The Kouprey Express Mobile Environmental Education Unit (KE) continues to partner with local NGOs to find new audiences for their lessons on environmental conservation. In September, KE conducted sessions in conjunction with the Cambodian Center for the Protection of Children’s Rights (CCPCR), a Khmer NGO working to help women and children who are victims of domestic abuse, neglect, and sex trafficking. The team conducted wildlife habitat and forest conservation lessons at both their locations, with 128 children and young adults in attendance, ranging from ages 8 to 22. The wildlife conservation lessons were follwed by art activities and games; they all received a notebook and pen to take notes, and a wildlife alliance t-shirt. Everyone really enjoyed the lessons, and were very enthustiastic during the Q&A session at the end.

To compliment the lessons, the women and children also went on a field visit to Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center (PTWRC) to see wild animals firsthand. Due to the sensitivity surrounding the circumstances of the children, the usual overnight stay was not an option, so they were picked up from Svay Rieng at 4:00 am to visit the Center. They were so excited for the trip, that they woke up at 2:00 am to pack their lunches! Upon their arrival to PTWRC, the students were fascinated with the animals and asked a lot of questions. Despite the rain, they were eager to compete in the various games at the Center. 

The women and children had a wonderful time, and this looks to be the start of a fruitful partnership, as CCPCR has requested that KE come back and conduct teacher training for the older students who can then carry out these lessons in their communities. This is a perfect example of how the KE program works to proliferate a message of environmental conservation, as program participants come full circle to become environmental educators themselves and bring that message back to their own villages.

Help the Kouprey Express team continue to spread the mesage of conservation by making a donation today!