What Did the Khmer Rough Do to Cambodian Art
Protecting Cambodia'due south Forest
Cambodia's forests are a vital part of the network of habitats in Southeast Asia supporting endangered wildlife and supporting biodiversity. As nosotros know, they are nether existent threat, aslope forest cover across the world. The natural beauty of Cambodia, besides every bit its amazing ecosystems – including the rivers and the Tonle Sap Lake.
MJP Foundation works aslope the Ministry building of Environment to support rangers to patrol the Samlaut forest.
Here is Channoun, one of our female rangers. Her story is powerful – a young woman from the remote countryside who did not terminate high school, but who loved nature and so much that she took on a ranger's uniform and a rifle to protection the surround she grew up in. She works with communities, students and monks, and in the last five years, the rangers have conducted nigh 5000 patrols, dealt with over 800 cases, and arrested 360 offenders.
Channoun has determined to show that women tin do all the works that men can do, and to exist a role model for girls in her customs. "Young people must engage with the destruction of the natural world going on all around them, so we can assistance change form before information technology is too late". Oct 2021
Keeping the Spirit of World Environment Day (Wednesday)
Despite this year'due south covid restrictions, we accept kept spirit of World Environs 24-hour interval alive – organizing a much smaller tree planting event in Samlout and Pailin province. More than a hundred people – including rangers, staff of Provincial Department of Environment in Pailin and MJP staff – participated in tree planting events. Over ane,300 tree seedlings including a variety of fruit trees, rare trees, and flower trees were planted.
At the national level, Ministry of Surround (MoE) celebrates and promotes this twelvemonth Midweek with the theme "Biodiversity and Human Health". Government minister Say Sam Al of MoE said, "The Ministry of Environment requests local authorities to promote participation in sanitation, tree planting and proper waste product disposal to avert burning of litter or waste matter mismanagement that may affect man and animate being wellness and ecology quality".
There are now six nurseries, of which five are customs nurseries, being supported past MJP and effectually 7,400 seedlings of various species ready to be transplanted this rainy season. Environment 24-hour interval is merely the showtime for tree planting activities.
To contribute to the regime's effort, MJP has been actively engaging with local partners, community members, monks and students with several awareness and educational events. Conserving Samlaut forest and restoring the green coverage to the district is a priority for MJP'south founder, Angelina Jolie. July 2021
Elephants are Still Hither in Samlaut Forest
In the past, Samlaut forest was known by another proper name: the Hundred Elephants Forest. It was the natural habitat for big herds of wild Asian elephants. Many believe that scared by local conflict, landmine explosions, and deforestation, the elephants had migrated to the adjacent forests in Thailand and that in that location were no elephants left in Samlaut. However, evidence collected in the last five years has proven that at that place are still some elephants living in and traveling through the districts forested areas.
In mid 2018, villagers in O'Slev village, vii-10km westward of MJP field office, reported that they saw a small herd of 3-5 elephant gazing by a stream. In April 2019, another minor herd of elephants was spotted near a road construction site, along the Thai-Cambodian border, 15km west of Pailin provincial town. In January 2020, a big herd of elephants was spotted crossing the edge from Thailand into Cambodia at a point chosen Border Gate 400, 20km southwest of JMP field office. And in May 2021, fresh tracks and elephant dung were found at several locations within the protected expanse past an MoE research team, led by Rachel Crouthers. MJP had provided adaptation and logistics support to their field mission.
Our rangers volition continue monitor and get together more than testify of the elephants' presence in the forests of Samlaut. Long Laen, MJP'due south Natural Resource Management Program officer, said "The protected forest of Samlaut is nonetheless a potential sanctuary for elephants and wild animals. A more thorough wildlife survey using photographic camera traps and drones would assist to reconfirm the population on wildlife and elephants in SMUA." Such confirmation is expected from a biodiversity survey to be carried out in the next six months by MoE, Flora and Fauna International, and the MJP Foundation. July 2021
Protecting wildlife in the time of Covid-19
The Covid-19 virus, which adult from the capture and sale of endangered wildlife, is now having significant impact on the capacity of countries to protect wild fauna across Africa and Asia. Globally, revenue for systematic protection from wildlife tourism has been slashed, and many communities and households who can no longer work and support themselves because of lockdown have turned to illegal hunting and poaching, for cocky-sufficiency and for sale.
Fortunately, the MJP Foundation has been able to go on supporting its patrol teams from the Ministry of Environment to protect the wildlife and forests of the conservation zone in Samlaut District, despite the restrictions on move imposed in recent months. Rangers have also delivered awareness sessions on the importance of conserving endangered wildlife to local villagers. MJP has likewise dug a pond to store h2o and planted fruit copse next to the conservation area for the benefit of wild animals during the dry flavour.
Over the terminal two years, rangers have removed and confiscated quantities of illegal hunting textile, including homemade guns, snares and electric wires from hunters. The teams accept also rescued wild fauna, such every bit pythons, pangolins, deer, turtles, hornbills.
MJP hopes to complete a total biodiversity written report of the conservation zone in Samlaut commune before the end of the yr, with a view to complementing the on-going Ministry building of Educational activity zoning exercise in the area. These efforts will contribute to greater systemic protection of a vital role of Cambodia'due south forest habitat and wild fauna. Oct 2020
New motorbikes for Field Patrol
In partnership with the Ministry building of Environment, MJP is helping to protect more than than thousands of hectares of woods, indigenous flora and habitat for wildlife in Samlout commune, betwixt Battambang and Pailin Provinces. The v Samlout Law Enforcement and Conservation Teams (SLECT) are made up of officers from the Ministry of Environment, Border Police and Military machine Law officers. The wood rangers comport out field patrols by motorcycle and then that they provide comprehensive coverage of the wide area nether their responsibility. In April 2020, MJP purchased new motorbikes to replace the old ones the rangers have been using.
Mr. Yong Sarith, wood ranger, says "I am so exciting to receive these brand new motorbikes for my ranger team for field patrols. The old motorbikes were no longer upwardly to the task of protecting the forest in this rough terrain".May 2020
MJP'south intervention on COVID-19
Following the news of the first cases of COVID-19 in Kingdom of cambodia, MJP immediately began implementing activities to help protect communities in Samlot district, as well as MJP staff members and their families. Upwards to appointment information on COVID-19 from reliable sources (such equally MoH Cambodia and the WHO) have been shared regularly with all staff. Hand washing gel, soaps, confront masks, and thermometers accept been installed at MJP working stations and to the ranger teams. The MJP health team is providing vital information about COVID-xix to local villagers through mobile loudspeaker in public areas, including the District Part and health centers. Hundreds of education posters and leaflets with letters about how to forestall the spread of COVID-19 take been printed and posted in the wellness center, markets, commune centers, and pagodas. All programme activities requiring community or grouping gatherings have been suspended. MJP is developing a contingency plan for emergency response interventions for the district in the result that the public health, social and economical situation deteriorates dramatically. March 2020
Dwelling house Gardening
Food security and a stable source of income are large challenges for the poorest farmers in Samlaut district. MJP work with households with small land holdings to build a livelihood via homestead food production. Growing vegetables for consumption and for sale both strengthens the nutritional intake of families and provides income to those whose opportunities for alternative employment are scant.
Phem Sok Chea, 34 years, is one such smallholder. She lives on a plot of land 20m by eighty m in Boeng Run village, and formerly her family depended on the labour of her husband for their livelihood. In the concluding few months, MJP has trained Chea to manage her own home gardening project and provided seeds to plant on the state around her house – garlic, gourds, long beans, water convolvulus and lettuces. In merely a few months, her family is eating more fresh vegetables, and she has saved $300. She has shared some vegetables with her neighbours, who are corking to follow her lead in the home gardening business. Chea plans to expand her home garden to include, cucumbers, chili, tomatoes, ivy gourds, and ridge gourds to make more savings for her family unit.
MJP volition provide preparation and seeds to xv more than families during 2020 to help them achieve nutrient and income security. March 2020
Race for Health 2020: 2nd Samlout Community Fun Run
A yr after our starting time Race for Wellness for Race, 325 local schoolhouse children enthusiastically participated in this year's Fun Run, which was held on 30thursday January at the Chrab Krahoam Master School and the MeancheayLower Secondary Schoolhouse.
The event was organized jointly by the MJP Health and Education teams, with agile support from teachers from both schools and the local authorities.
The Fun Run is a at present an annual event, and forms part of MJP'south efforts to highlight the benefits of concrete exercise to children, to share important health letters with our community, and to promote a new project on non-infectious disease at Boeng Run Health Centre.
The race was organized in three categories of 4 distances: 3km for the secondary schoolhouse boys, 2km for the secondary school girls, 1.5km for the master school children, and 500m for the walkers from both schools. The top three from each running grouping received well-deserved prizes.
Ane message all the participants agreed on was: See y'all in 2021! Feb 2020
Tree planting in Samlout
In July and August, MJP held several tree planting events with the local communities and schools, which take proved very popular with the students. At Ou Preh principal school over 150 students, local villagers, teachers and woods rangers came together to plant 320 new tree seedlings effectually the school grounds. The school Director, Mr. Phon Firet commented that over the last four years he has observed less rainfall and hotter atmospheric condition due to deforestation. He welcomed the new trees which volition do good the local area and said that: "we volition have intendance of these new tree seedlings and assist to proceed them alive and grow them for the adjacent generation". By the cease of this year MJP aims to take planted 10,000 new young trees, as well every bit donating seedlings to the regime and other NGOs, to aid restore the wood in Samlout and Pailin Province. Aug 2019
Supporting girl's education in Samlout
The MJP Shiloh Assist Plan currently supports 10 students (5 girls) from vulnerable families in Samlout. Three new girls are receiving assistance programs this twelvemonth. 1 of the new recipients is 14-year-old Roeung Sokla who is in grade 9 at Sre Andoung Lower Secondary School. She lives in Kantout village with her parents and ii sisters. Her male parent lost a leg in a landmine blow. Sokla was shut to dropping out of schoolhouse. She often missed classes every bit she lives 3.5km from school and her family couldn't afford notebooks for her classes and the schoolhouse uniforms, which affected her grades. The MJP Shiloh Assistance Programme has provided Sokla with a new wheel, school uniforms, a set of learning materials, stationary, and an allowance. Sokla now regularly attends classes and has improved her grades. She is very happy and wants to complete loftier school so she can become a instructor. She said: "I want to thank MJP for changing my life". July 2019
New MJP Field HQ
In July 2018 our staff moved into the newly-completed Samlout Field Headquarters (FHQ). The FHQ provides a dedicated facility for our staff, who back up the local customs medical centers, primary and secondary schools, and work with families to acquire new agricultural skills to help generate incomes for their households. It is as well the base for our long-term partners the Cambodian Rangers from the Ministry of Surround's Protected Expanse Law Enforcement Unit, that patrols and monitors the Samlout forest for illegal poaching and logging. MJP President Angelina Jolie officially opened the new headquarters during her recent visit to Samlout. The MJP Country Director Munichan Kung said: "The new HQ ways that the majority of our all-Cambodian team are now able to operate full fourth dimension in the field. This project represents the long-term commitment betwixt MJP and the Samlout customs, providing a solid foundation for our future work". June 2019
Our New Female person Ranger
26-year-old Am Channuon is the newest member of the MJP ranger team helping to protect the forest in Samlout. Always since she was a immature girl she has been passionate about the surround and dreamed of becoming a Natural Resource Protection Ranger. Afterward months of training, she has now reached that goal. She is 1 of 38 MJP rangers (including 4 women) and she is the only woman in her team of 6 rangers. As a ranger, she carries out field patrols to counter illegal poaching and illegal logging in the Samlout woods. She also shares her ecology noesis with the local villagers and students, belongings ecology awareness training sessions to explain the importance of protecting natural resources. On becoming a ranger she said: "I really desire to run across more people involved in protecting the surround, to keep Samlout green, and to increase the wildlife populations for the next generation".April 2019
Race for Health- Samlout Customs Wellness Festival
On January 24, MJP organised the 'Samlout Community Health Festival and Run' in social club to promote the benefits of regular do and salubrious living. Over 300 students from the local Sre Andong secondary and primary schools took part in 2km and 4km races, designed to encourage the children to participate in sports. Equally function of the wellness festival, MJP organised health checks and a quiz to help inform and brainwash young people about non-communicable diseases, such every bit diabetes. The effect brought the whole community together. 1 of the young runners, 15-twelvemonth-onetime Sam Ang Munineath who is in grade 9A, said that the event "fabricated learning virtually health fun". In light of this success we hope to make this an annual community consequence. Run into you next year!Jan 2019
First recipient of the MJP Shiloh Help Programme graduates
Terminal month, Moen Sokna successfully passed his grade 12 exams and graduated from Samlout High School. He is the first recipient of the MJP Shiloh Assistance Program. This is a huge achievement for Sokna. Both his parents were killed in a landmine accident afterward which Sokna and his brother abandoned their studies and dropped out of schoolhouse. But with support and help from MJP, Sokna and his brother returned to school. Upon graduating Sokna said: "when I was a small boy, I didn't expect to report after grade 8 because I was a village-male child from a poor family unit, but now my future is brighter". He plans to railroad train to become a teacher and help other children in Samlout gain an education. Sokna'due south brother Samphos is still supported past MJP and attends Samlout High Schoolhouse.October 2018
Planting two,000 new trees in Samlout
To celebrate Earth Environment Day, MJP and members of the local community planted virtually 2,000 new copse at the Chrab Krahorm pagoda, Meanchey Buddhist commune in Samlout. Over 200 local villagers, students, teachers, monks, forestry officers and MJP staff spent a solar day together planting new seedlings to assist regrow an area of the forest which had been cleared for illegal logging of timber. Nosotros are working with the local customs to aid tackle deforestation and promote the importance of protecting the environment. We hope that more tree planting days will be held in other communities in the district to help maintain the endangered woods in Samlout.August 2018
Beekeeping training for the local women's group
This month we take helped local villagers gain new skills in apiculture, which can be used to set-up their own modest businesses. In partnership with the Cambodian Natural Agriculture Skill Training Organisation (NASTO), MJP provided three days of technical training on farming and raising bees for the production of honey. I of the women participants said that she used to collect honey from the woods to sell, but it was very unsafe because of the unexploded country mines. Now she can safely produce and sell the honey. The local villagers are bully to expand their new network and grade a beekeeping association in Samlout commune.
July 2018
Source: https://mjp-foundation.org/