Cambodia: Adapting to climate change

photo credit: Christine Redmond

Faced with the consequences of climate change, which are violently hitting the most vulnerable populations, especially the fishing communities in Cambodia, Aide et Action is developing programs to enable everyone to adapt through quality education. 

"Living from fishing has become extremely difficult in the last three years. I used to be able to earn up to 25 dollars a day, now if I earn 10 to 12 dollars, it's a very good day. There are days when I earn nothing. I would love to change my job, to have a small business, but without money it is impossible. I didn't go to school and I wanted my children to have access to school. But our financial situation is dramatic. After finishing school every day, my eldest son goes around the streets collecting empty cans to sell to earn a little money for school, but it is not enough anymore. Now there are many children doing this, so there is less to sell. says Kin Bun, 37, a fisherman in Koh Kchorng village, Cambodia. The effects of climate change are already here: they are multiplying the impacts on food production or fish stocks and causing a significant decline in livelihoods. The most vulnerable families, who depend on these natural resources for their survival, are forced to adopt coping strategies and reduce or eliminate spending on education and health. 

Adapting to survive

"Because of the seasonal nature of fishing, my husband and I spend half the year fishing and the other half harvesting salt. But the recent unpredictable rains have put a damper on the salt harvest, interrupting what should have been a dry spell. My husband has been forced to find work in construction. He works on the construction sites all day and we are no longer able to take our daughter to school. explains Kun Roat from Koh Kong province. Faced with these threats, Aide et Action has decided to contribute to the Programme for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth in the Fisheries Sector (CAPFISH)A European Union-funded initiative to improve the management of Cambodia's capture fisheries and the development of fishing communities. 

Two flagship programmes to support fishermen

As part of this initiative, we are currently running two programmes: 

The Consortium for Sustainable Alternatives and Voice for Equitable Development (CO-SAVED) In the coastal provinces of Kep, Koh Kong, Sihanoukville and Kampot, CO-SAVED is committed to improving the socio-economic development of Cambodians who rely heavily on fishing as their main source of income. During the Over the next four years, CO-SAVED will support 36,910 fishermen such as Kin, Bunnaret and Roat and 41,568 school children to improve their quality of life. We will work with local authorities, civil society organisations and private sector representatives to increase access to educational opportunities and provide funding opportunities for decent, productive and dignified work for fishermen through ecotourism, agri-business, fish processing, inclusive livelihoods and other small and medium enterprise initiatives.

Fisher Folks Making Circular Economy Work For The Western Tonle Sap Lake (FOSTER) The Tonle Sap Lake is one of the world's four major fisheries production areas and contributes to the majority of Cambodia's freshwater fish production, but it is subject to climate change, overexploitation and deforestation, all of which impact on the quality of life (poverty, education, health) of the fishing communities living in the area. The project, led by Oxfam Cambodia, supports the economic empowerment of community fishermen by offering them the opportunity to diversify their livelihoods through entrepreneurship. Aide et Action joins the project to improve school retention and performance of the most vulnerable children through school feeding programs, improved transportation and scholarships for marginalized girls and boys at risk of dropping out. 

On the same theme :

Burkina Faso: freeing speech to combat gender inequality

Burkina Faso, free speech, raising awareness

On International Children's Rights Day (20 November), Action Education reminds us that being informed and participating are key to guaranteeing children's rights. In Burkina Faso, a number of the young girls we support are faced with numerous difficulties as soon as they start menstruating. The workshop we co-organised enabled them to look back at the inequalities and discrimination they suffer, and to show that speaking openly about taboos guarantees them access to their sexual and reproductive rights. 

Lire la suite

Children's rights : Vanessa Martin on 8 billion neighbours - RFI

rfi 8 billion neighbours

To mark International Children's Rights Day on 20 November, Emmanuelle Bastide gave the floor to Vanessa Martin, Head of Public Speaking and Advocacy at Action Education, on RFI's 8 milliards de voisins programme. On air, she stated that sub-Saharan Africa is one of the regions most affected in the world by attacks from non-state armed groups, targeting schools, children and educational staff. Faced with this security situation and these serious violations of children's rights, how can the resilience of the education system be strengthened? Discover the concrete example of the "Safe School" programme set up by UNICEF and Action Education in at-risk areas.

Lire la suite

Related projects :

en_GB