This project focused on promoting positive behaviours and practices using the Social Behavior Change Communication approach and engaging with youth leaders, social media influencers, and other stakeholders. Over the last five years, USAID Cambodia Green Future trained hundreds of youth leaders, social media influencers, journalists, and civil society members to effectively communicate and encourage behaviours to improve the natural environment for all Cambodians.

Speaking to youth represented at the event USAID Mission Director Kerry Pelzman noted, “This activity is going to end, but we know your work will continue. You are the key to a sustainable, green future for Cambodia. Based on our activity surveys, three out of four Cambodian youth believe biodiversity conservation, forest protection, and sustainable natural resource management are important issues for Cambodia. Let’s keep going until we reach 100%.”

“All Cambodians, young and old, have a common duty to conserve and protect our precious natural resources,” said His Excellency Borina Ngauv, Secretary of State, Ministry of Environment. “Green Future Activity’s goal and objectives support and align with the circular strategy on the environment for 2023-2028, which aims to ensure environmental protection, natural resources conservation, and sustainable development towards a carbon-neutral economy by 2050.”

The event included interactive booths, displaying the impacts of the activity’s three Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) campaigns: #Talk2ProtectForests, #Talk2ProtectOurWildlife, and #Talk2StopLittering. The event’s guests learned about the role youth play in biodiversity conservation, forest protection, and the correct disposal of waste. Guests included representatives of relevant ministries, conservation partners, the private sector, development partners, influencers, and youth leaders.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. USAID’s work advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity, demonstrates American generosity, and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience. Reaching all 25 Cambodian provinces, USAID/Cambodia works with Cambodian and international partners to make the country a more open, prosperous, resilient, and inclusive partner in the Indo-Pacific region. Our work focuses on advancing government accountability and human rights; improving health and nutrition; supporting education and child development; increasing agricultural production and food security; conserving forests and watersheds; and helping farmers and households adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change and natural hazards.

The USAID Cambodia Green Future Activity is a five-year (2019-2024), $5 million project funded by USAID and implemented by ECODIT and FHI 360. The Activity works to empower Cambodian citizens and civil society with the knowledge and skills to use evidence-based communication systems to influence positive actions to support biodiversity conservation, forest protection, and broad sustainable natural resource management. Once aware of common threats to biodiversity and livelihoods, Cambodians can strategically communicate with fellow citizens and inspire them to protect their natural resources. Toward this end, the Activity has two objectives: Objective 1: To increase target populations’ knowledge and positive attitudes about the benefits of Cambodia’s unique and endangered biodiversity and the critical importance of forest ecosystems. Objective 2: To increase citizen-led efforts to apply strategic communications to protect biodiversity and forest ecosystems in target areas. Learn more at www.facebook.com/USAIDCambodiaGreenFuture.

Green Groups (GGs): Green Groups are youth volunteers under the facilitation of the USAID Cambodia Green Future Activity. GG has been established since October 2021. As of July 2024, there are 11 green groups with 113 (86 females and 27 males) members in total. GG has two main roles: 1). The forefront of the strategy is a big bet (given their place in Cambodian society), but, as change agents, they can influence their peers, parents who are the ones engaging in the harmful behaviors and 2). The driving seat is paying off: high engagement and involvement of GG in conducting outreach activities at schools and or in communities. GG members engaged in development of the campaign material such as idea sprint workshops (reconfirm the behaviors, find the causes that lead to those behaviors and find the strategies to address the behaviors), co-development of Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) strategy and SBCC toolkits/materials.

Photo by: Supplied

The USAID Green Futures project spearheaded the “Talk to Stop Littering” campaign to encourage Cambodians to change behaviors and actions toward the disposal of trash. The campaign will distribute content through online platforms and provide scientific information on the impacts of littering, as well as offer methods to manage waste and trash. The campaign will also work closely with young people as “Green Champions” to model successful practices.

“Over the last 10 years, USAID has contributed $100 million to preserve and protect Cambodia’s environment and natural resources. We are excited to expand our work to address littering. Littering is a problem everywhere, including in the United States where we spend about $11.5 billion a year to clean up litter. In addition to the costs related to removal and clean up, littering is a threat to wildlife, property values, human health, and other economic activity, ” said USAID’s Acting Mission Director, Hanh Nguyen.

She added, “Individuals can play a large role in reducing the negative impacts of littering. I encourage all Cambodians to talk to your friends and family members and be role models in reducing the amount of litter we produce.”

“All Cambodians have a common duty to protect our environment for a clean living, clean home, clean city, and for good health,” said H.E. Kith Chankrisna, Advisor to the Minister of Environment.

He added, “The Ministry of Environment calls on all people to stop littering. We urge all people across Cambodia to dispose of separate trash correctly in the trash bins, and to join the Cambodian Government’s efforts in implementing effective waste management measures toward achieving a waste-free Cambodia.”

“The launch organized by the USAID Cambodia Green Future and Green Group youths this evening with booth exhibitions, campaign videos, and such performances as songs and Yike, etc. is the activity that links with increasing knowledge for the public through the promotion of environmental hygiene that is not only for entertainment purpose but also sends messages that mainstreams awareness on benefits of waste management and proper disposal of waste to the public at all races, and to young people and all the people about not dispose of solid waste openly, waste separation, plastic reduction, environmental protection and making cities green, beautiful, and comfortable for living,” said H.E. Kim Seth Director General of Phnom Penh Solid Waste Management Authority.

Campaign partners include the Ministry of Environment, Phnom Penh Municipality, youth groups, conservation partners, and the private sector. Major industry leaders providing significant support include HEINEKEN Cambodia, Coca-Cola Cambodia, Mekhala Radiant Communications, Unilever Cambodia, Nham24, and the European Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia.

Photo by: Supplied

“This plant will meet the oxygen needs for critical services such as COVID-19 case management, surveys, and intensive care,” U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia W. Patrick Murphy said.

He added, “It is one component of more than $16 million in U.S. government support to Cambodia’s pandemic response and a strong example of the ties that bind our two nations.”

The oxygen plant is the first of its kind in the province. 16 Makara Provincial Hospital serves seven districts with an approximate population of 284,000. In addition to providing critical support for the care of COVID-19 patients, a reliable supply of oxygen will significantly benefit the communities that depend on the hospital’s services.

“Oxygen can be the difference between life and death. That’s why UNICEF is working with the Royal Government of Cambodia to improve the oxygen supply and infrastructure while building the capacity of health workers to provide it,” Foroogh Foyouzat, UNICEF’s Representative in Cambodia, said.

She added, “We are very grateful to the United States, specifically USAID, for supporting this lifesaving new oxygen plant which will improve today’s health outcomes and build resilience to tomorrow’s challenges.”

The oxygen plant package consists of a 300 liters-per-minute (LPM) medical oxygen generator with a cylinder-filling station and connection to the hospital oxygen pipeline. As a result of this project, the hospital no longer needs to purchase oxygen cylinders from private suppliers or send its oxygen cylinders to distant locations for refilling. This will save time and money while reducing the potential for shortages of medical oxygen that jeopardize patient treatment.

Photo by: Supplied

Nancy J. Eslick said, “The demand for luxury timber has increased significantly in both local and international markets, which contributes to deforestation and loss of particular tree species in Cambodia’s tropical forests.”

She added, “We hope that this youth-led competition will provide useful information and better options for Cambodian citizens, especially youth, to consider using non-luxury wood furniture products.”

The crowd-sourced competition which ran from September to December 2021 encouraged the development of creative and engaging materials that aimed for a “demand reduction of luxury wood furniture.” The selected materials will be used in public communication campaigns that will urge the public to consider eco-friendly furniture rather than items made from luxury wood.

H.E. Dr. Say Samal, said, “Changing behavior and continuing to participate in the promotion of the value of natural resources to prevent the destruction of natural resources that start from each of us, especially youth, families, and communities are essential factors in contributing to maintaining the natural resources and environment.” 

He added, “Today’s award ceremony underscores the U.S. government’s commitment in collaboration with Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment to promote environmental protection, sustainable use of natural resources, and positive actions from the public to conserve Cambodia’s rich natural heritage for the benefit of all citizens as well as future generations.” 

Photo by: USAID Cambodia Green Future

Shot all around the world, “Bigger than Us” follows seven young activists who fight, sometimes risking their lives, for human rights, climate change, freedom of speech, social justice, access to education, or food security. From Rio to Jakarta, via the island of Lesbos in Greece and the mountains of Colorado, these young people between 18 and 25 years old stand up, with courage and determination, for a bigger and better world.

This feature film by French writer and journalist Flore Vasseur was presented at the last Cannes International Film Festival, in a special selection dedicated to climate. The French Development Agency (AFD) is keen to join this documentary in order to help raise awareness among youth of major global issues and of international solidarity. As an official partner of the film, AFD shares the same conviction: it is through the action of citizens, and in particular young people, that change will come.

At the end of the film’s screen, a debate was held on the following theme: “How to promote the civic engagement of young people in favor of Human Rights, education and the environment? “. Representatives of youth Politikoffee, education Krousar Thmey, environmental justice Equitable Cambodia and food security AGRISUD was participate in this debate moderated by HE Mr. Jacques Pellet, Ambassador of France at Cambodia.

Photo by: Supplied

1. Integrated Health, Nutrition, and WASH Project in Preah Vihear (Year 2) (USD 760,341) and Recipient: World Vision Japan (WVJ)

In this project, WVJ will continue to conduct training and awareness-raising sessions about health, nutrition, and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) to health and rural development officers as well as communities in Preah Vihear province aiming to improve feeding practices and usage of safe water. The organization will also support the formulation of water management committees and sanitation action groups in order to maintain safe water quality and a better hygienic environment in the targeted area.

2. Realization of the sustainable living environment around Cambodian citizens through promoting and raising awareness of environmental issues (Year 1) (USD 91,848) and Recipient: Non-profit organization Nature Center Risen

In this project, Nature Center Risen will promote and increase fundamental environmental awareness across Cambodia by creating educational materials to improve the environmental literacy of the citizens, providing tools for research and observation of the environment, and implementing training for environmental education in collaboration with pagodas and health centers. Through this project, over 300 people in Cambodia are supposed to play a core role in promoting and raising awareness of environmental issues to the citizens. This will help improve the living environment in the whole of Cambodia.

The Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects started in Cambodia in 2002 to support activities by Japanese NGOs to help Cambodia’s reconstruction and development efforts at the grassroots level. Since 2002, the Government of Japan has provided over USD 45 million for 138 projects, mainly in the field of primary education, health, agriculture, and mine clearance in Cambodia.

In an effort to contain the current “COVID-19 Community Outbreak” known as the “February 20 Community Event” both sides signed the Grant Contract separately.

Source: Embassy of Japan in Cambodia 

The event is organized for the Singaporean community, especially Singaporean businesses, to meet and connect to their Cambodia business to discuss and enjoy good food and great music.

This time the event features a Singapore band group named Boxchords and introducing Himawari newly launched A5 lite craft beer.

During the special event, Mr. Albert Tan, President of SCC Singapore Club Cambodia, welcomed all Singaporeans in his speech and update about new COVID-19 measures and travel restrictions between Singapore and Cambodia.

Those interested in participating in any future event can email to singaporeclubcabodia@gmail.com or check the club Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/singaporeclubcambodiakh/

Photo by: Sakura Engly

Sihanouk became King of Cambodia in 1941 upon the death of his maternal grandfather, King Monivong. After the Japanese occupation of Cambodia during the Second World War, he secured Cambodian independence from France. He abdicated in 1955 and was succeeded by his father, Suramarit. Sihanouk’s political organization Sangkum won the general elections that year and he became Prime Minister of Cambodia. He governed it under one-party rule, suppressed political dissent, and declared himself Head of State in 1960. Officially neutral in foreign relations, in practice he was closer to the communist bloc.

The Cambodian coup of 1970 ousted him and he fled to China and North Korea, there forming a government-in-exile and resistance movement. He returned as figurehead head of state after the Cambodian Civil War resulted in victory for the Khmer Rouge in 1975. His relations with the government declined and in 1976 he resigned. He was placed under house arrest until Vietnamese forces overthrew the Khmer Rouge in 1979.

Sihanouk went into exile again and in 1981 formed FUNCINPEC, a resistance party. The following year, he became president of the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea (CGDK), a broad coalition of anti-Vietnamese resistance factions which retained Cambodia’s seat at the United Nations, making him Cambodia’s internationally recognized head of state. In the late 1980s, informal talks were carried out to end hostilities between the Vietnam-supported People’s Republic of Kampuchea and the CGDK. In 1990, the Supreme National Council of Cambodia was formed as a transitional body to oversee Cambodia’s sovereign matters, with Sihanouk as its president.

The 1991 Paris Peace Accords were signed and the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) was established the following year. The UNTAC organized the 1993 Cambodian general elections, and a coalition government, jointly led by his son Norodom Ranariddh and Hun Sen, was subsequently formed. He was reinstated as Cambodia’s King. He abdicated again in 2004 and the Royal Council of the Throne chose his son, Sihamoni, as his successor. Sihanouk died in Beijing in 2012.

Between 1941 and 2006, Sihanouk produced and directed 50 films, some of which he acted in. The films, later described as being of low quality, often featured nationalistic elements, as did a number of the songs he wrote. Some of his songs were about his wife Queen Monique, the nations neighboring Cambodia, and the communist leaders who supported him in his exile. In the 1980s Sihanouk held concerts for diplomats in New York City. He also participated in concerts at his palace during his second reign.

Norodom Sihanouk was the only child born of the union between Norodom Suramarit and Sisowath Kossamak. His parents, who heeded the Royal Court Astrologer’s advice that he risked dying at a young age if he was raised under parental care, placed him under the care of Kossamak’s grandmother, Pat. When Pat died, Kossamak brought Sihanouk to live with his paternal grandfather, Norodom Sutharot. Sutharot delegated parenting responsibilities to his daughter, Norodom Ket Kanyamom. Sihanouk received his primary education at the François Baudoin school and Nuon Moniram school in Phnom Penh. During this time, he received financial support from his maternal grandfather, Sisowath Monivong, to head an amateur performance troupe and soccer team. In 1936, Sihanouk was sent to Saigon, where he pursued his secondary education at Lycée Chasseloup Laubat, a boarding school.

When the reigning king Monivong died on 23 April 1941 the Governor-General of French Indochina, Jean Decoux, chose Sihanouk to succeed him. Sihanouk’s appointment as king was formalised the following day by the Cambodian Crown Council, and his coronation ceremony took place on 3 May 1941. During the Japanese occupation of Cambodia, he dedicated most of his time to sports, filming, and the occasional tour to the countryside. In March 1945 the Japanese military, which had occupied Cambodia since August 1941, dissolved the nominal French colonial administration. Under pressure from the Japanese, Sihanouk proclaimed Cambodia’s independence and assumed the position of prime minister while serving as king at the same time. 

As prime minister, Sihanouk revoked a decree issued by the last resident superior of Cambodia, Georges Gautier, to romanise the Khmer alphabet. Following the Surrender of Japan in August 1945, nationalist forces loyal to Son Ngoc Thanh launched a coup, which led to Thanh becoming prime minister. When the French returned to Cambodia in October 1945, Thanh was dismissed and replaced by Sihanouk’s uncle Sisowath Monireth. Monireth negotiated for greater autonomy in managing Cambodia’s internal affairs. A modus vivendi signed in January 1946 granted Cambodia autonomy within the French Union. A joint French-Cambodian commission was set up after that to draft Cambodia’s constitution, and in April 1946 Sihanouk introduced clauses which provided for an elected parliament on the basis of universal male suffrage as well as press freedom. The first constitution was signed into effect by Sihanouk in May 1947. Around this time, Sihanouk made two trips to Saumur, France, where he attended military training at the Armoured Cavalry Branch Training School in 1946, and again in 1948. He was made a reserve captain in the French army. 

In early 1949, Sihanouk traveled to Paris with his parents to negotiate with the French government for more autonomy for Cambodia. The modus vivendi was replaced by a new Franco-Khmer treaty, which recognised Cambodia as “Independent” within the French Union. In practice, the treaty granted only limited self-rule to Cambodia. While Cambodia was given free rein in managing its foreign ministry and, to a lesser extent, its defence, most of the other ministries remained under French control. Meanwhile, dissenting legislators from the national assembly attacked the government led by prime minister Penn Nouth over its failure to resolve deepening financial and corruption problems plaguing the country. The dissenting legislators, led by Yem Sambaur, who had defected from the Democrat party in November 1948, deposed Penn Nouth. Yem Sambaur replaced him, but his appointment did not sit well with the Democrats, who in turn pressured Sihanouk to dissolve the national assembly and hold elections.

Sihanouk, who by now had tired of the political squabbling, dissolved the assembly in September 1949, but opted to rule by decree for the next two years before general elections were held, which the Democrats won. In October 1951, Thanh returned to Cambodia and was received by 100,000 supporters, a spectacle which Sihanouk saw as an affront to his regal authority. Thanh disappeared six months later, presumably to join the Khmer Issarak. Sihanouk ordered the Democrat-led government to arrest Thanh but was ignored. Subsequently, civil demonstrations against the monarchy and the French broke out in the countryside, alarming Sihanouk, who began to suspect that the Democrats were complicit. In June 1952 Sihanouk dismissed the Democrat nominee Huy Kanthoul and made himself prime minister. A few days later, Sihanouk privately confided in exasperation to the US chargé d’affaires, Thomas Gardiner Corcoran, that parliamentary democracy was unsuitable for Cambodia.

In January 1952, Sihanouk re-appointed Penn Nouth as prime minister before leaving for France. Once there, Sihanouk wrote to French President Vincent Auriol requesting that he grant Cambodia full independence, citing widespread anti-French sentiment among the Cambodian populace. Auriol deferred Sihanouk’s request to the French Commissioner for Overseas Territories, Jean Letourneau, who promptly rejected it. Subsequently, Sihanouk traveled to Canada and the United States, where he gave radio interviews to present his case. He took advantage of the prevailing anti-communist sentiment in those countries, arguing that Cambodia faced a Communist threat similar to that of the Viet Minh in Vietnam, and that the solution was to grant full independence to Cambodia. Sihanouk returned to Cambodia in June 1953, taking up residence in Siem Reap. He organised public rallies calling for Cambodians to fight for independence, and formed a citizenry militia which attracted about 130,000 recruits.

In August 1953, France agreed to cede control over judicial and interior affairs to Cambodia, and in October 1953 the defense ministry as well. At the end of October, Sihanouk went to Phnom Penh, where he declared Cambodia’s independence from France on 9 November 1953. In May 1954, Sihanouk sent two of his cabinet ministers, Nhiek Tioulong and Tep Phan, to represent Cambodia at the Geneva Conference. The agreements affirmed Cambodia’s independence and allowed it to seek military aid from any country without restrictions. At the same time, Sihanouk’s relations with the governing Democrat party remained strained, as they were wary of his growing political influence. To counter Democrat opposition, Sihanouk held a national referendum to gauge public approval for his efforts to seek national independence. While the results showed 99.8 percent approval, Australian historian Milton Osborne noted that open balloting was carried out and voters were cowed into casting an approval vote under police surveillance.

Sihanouk’s name is derived from two Sanskrit words “Siha” and “Hanu”, which translates as “Lion” and “Jaws”, respectively, in English. He was fluent in Khmer, French, and English, and also learned Greek and Latin in high school. In his high school days, Sihanouk played soccer, basketball, volleyball, and also took up horse riding. He suffered from diabetes and depression in the 1960s, which flared up again in the late 1970s while living in captivity under the Khmer Rouge. In November 1992, Sihanouk suffered a stroke caused by the thickening of the coronary arteries and blood vessels. In 1993, he was diagnosed with B cell lymphoma in the prostate and was treated with chemotherapy and surgery. Sihanouk’s lymphoma went into remission in 1995, but returned again in 2005 in the gastric region. He suffered a third bout of lymphoma in 2008, and after prolonged treatment it went into remission the following year.

In 1960, Sihanouk built a personal residence at Chamkarmon District where he lived over the next ten years as the Head of State. Following his overthrow in 1970, Sihanouk took up residence in Beijing, where he lived at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in the first year of his stay. In 1971, Sihanouk moved to a larger residence in the city that once housed the French Embassy. The residence was equipped with a temperature-adjustable swimming pool, cinema and seven chefs. In 1974 North Korean leader Kim Il-sung built Changsuwon, a 40-room mansion, for Sihanouk. Changsuwon was built near an artificial lake, and Sihanouk spent time taking boat trips there and also shot a few films within the compound. In August 2008, Sihanouk declared his assets on his website, which according to him consisted of a small house in Siem Reap and 30,000 Euros of cash savings stored in a French bank. He also stated that his residences in Beijing and Pyongyang were guesthouses owned by the governments of China and North Korea, respectively, and that they did not belong to him.

In April 1952 Sihanouk married Paule Monique Izzi, the daughter of Pomme Peang – a Cambodian, and Jean-François Izzi, a French banker of Italian ancestry. Monique became Sihanouk’s lifelong partner; in the 1990s she changed her name to Monineath. Before his marriage to Monique, Sihanouk married five other women: Phat Kanhol, Sisowath Pongsanmoni, Sisowath Monikessan, Mam Manivan Phanivong, and Thavet Norleak. Monikessan died in childbirth in 1946; his marriages to the other four women all ended in divorce. Sihanouk had fourteen children with five different wives. Thavet Norleak bore him no children. During the Khmer Rouge years, five children and fourteen grandchildren disappeared; Sihanouk believed they were killed by the Khmer Rouge.

Photo by: Google & Wikipedia