Context:

Kampong Chhnang Province, in the centre of the country, lies in the alluvial plain south of Cambodia's largest lake, the Tonle Sap (one of the main tributaries of the Mekong). It is a rural setting where people live mainly from farming and fishing. The area has always been prone to floods, but due to the climate crisis these are increasingly intense and devastating for the local population. In October 2022, there were very heavy floods that left a large part of the population, which has no training in natural disaster prevention, without housing, land and, therefore, the possibility of sustaining themselves. An important feature of the project is that it targets not only the Cambodian population, but also the Vietnamese ethnic minorities living in the area. These minorities are not recognised by the Cambodian government and are, to all intents and purposes, stateless and therefore isolated from most of the training and warning routes that the government organises. The problem of Vietnamese minorities is very old in Cambodia, but few organisations deal with it. To reach them, GTV will work with the local NGO KCD, which has been supporting these communities for 20 years through training, peace education and intercultural meetings.

Actions:

The project includes the following actions

1: Restore a basic level of livelihood for 4 flood-affected villages through the provision of agricultural seeds/inputs and materials to restore flood-damaged houses and schools

2: Train target communities on emergency management:
Training for KCDs on disaster management with the collaboration of an external expert from the WASH association.
Training for local authorities, teachers and representatives of the 4 villages (who will then become the emergency reference committee for the rest of the population)
Training for school students

3: Provision to communities of emergency equipment (life jackets, torches, tarpaulins, etc.) identified as a need during the training meetings

Expected results:

The project foresees the achievement of 2 Outcomes

- Outcome 1: The 4 vulnerable communities in Kampong Chhnang province have restored a basic level of living and livelihood after floods through repairing their homes or agricultural fields;
- Outcome 2: the 4 target communities are trained on emergency management and have improved their capacities in disaster preparedness, management and resilience.

Partner:

The project's local partner is KCD (Khmer Community Development), a Cambodian, areligious and apolitical NGO, which aims to improve the quality of life by contributing to the achievement of the SDGs, promoting skills and awareness, working on environmental, health and nutrition issues. It also works to promote inter-ethnic peace as a precondition for economic and social development in harmony. Contacts were initiated in April-May 2022, when GTV volunteers in Cambodia volunteered for some KCD activities. When they heard about the commitment to Vietnamese minorities in Cambodia, it was decided to start a collaboration given the affinity with GTV's normal activities in Vietnam and in favour of ethnic minorities.

News:

• Distribution of zinc for more resistent houses

Partner: