Raise Awareness to Protect Wildlife in Cambodia

For many of us, fall is in full swing and students are back in school, but in Cambodia students are enjoying their summer break still. The Kouprey Express Mobile Environmental Education Unit (KE) finished up the academic year by providing forest, habitat and wildlife conservation lessons to 588 students last month. This was the first time they worked in schools in Phnom Penh as part of their expanded Memorandum of Understanding with the government. They also introduced their new wildlife and forest conservation lessons to these classrooms. These updated lessons focus on animal classification and biology; the importance of wildlife and forest conservation; threats facing wildlife; the impacts of extinction, climate change, waste; and how this all fits into the ‘bigger picture.’

The last school visit of the academic year was to Chak Tomouk elementary school in Phnom Penh, where the team worked with 213 kids. These lessons always extend beyond just the classroom in which they are working – the activities and games drew interest from other students, teachers, and even construction workers on the campus! They all stopped to watch what the students were doing and listened to the message and rescue hotline number being promoted.

Over the next couple of months, KE has been invited by several NGOs in the area to deliver their environmental lessons. The team has also been asked by the Cambodian Organization for Living and Training (COLT) to conduct teacher trainings for university students, community educators and teachers from several NGOs. This will be an incredible opportunity to spread environmental awareness while fostering the growing professional field of conservation in Cambodia. So while school may not be in session in Cambodia, the next couple of months are shaping up to be busy months for the team! Help them continue to bring about lasting environmental change in Cambodia by making a gift today, or make your gift go even further this Bonus Day on October 15!