Empowering Youth to Adapt to Climate Change

Partner Profile: Kampuchea Women’s Welfare Action (KWWA)

Kampuchea Women’s Welfare Action (KWWA) is Pangea Giving’s newest partner in Cambodia. For 25 years, they have worked to improve the welfare of women, children, and vulnerable communities. Over the years, this work has included public health programs focused on family planning, HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, and sanitation; capacity building for local farmers including the introduction of new agricultural technology; and projects focused on increasing women’s participation in local governance. Recently, KWWA has turned its attention to climate change.

Cambodia is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change. Rising temperatures, more floods, more droughts, and increased unpredictability of timing of dry and rainy seasons have had devastating effects in a country where most of the population live in rural areas and rely on agriculture for their livelihoods. Flooding alone led to more than $1 billion in damage and 461 deaths between 2009 and 2013. KWWA is stepping directly into this challenge with its latest activities.

Pangea Giving is providing funds for a new KWWA initiative to empower and educate youth to be leaders in climate change adaptation in their communities. The project began in March and April 2018 with a needs assessment and the launch of EYACC (Empowering Youth to Adapt to Climate Change). The initial meetings brought together over sixty youth from 2 schools in Snoul district with commune councils, women’s groups, farmers, and NGO partners from five target villages. These initial meetings have been followed by regular Saturday youth trainings. These programs have attracted 100 participants (about 60 percent young women) and have generated a lot of interest and insight from youth. About 90 percent of participants showed improved understanding of climate change and its impact in the community. Here are some photos from community trainings:

 

Climate change is a serious concern for Pangea’s partners worldwide. To hear more about how Pangea is thinking about climate change and its effects on our partners, join us for our upcoming event, Climate Change in the Global South: What can funders and their community partners do? Details and registration here.