Recognizing that threats to forests, wildlife and biodiversity are the most important issues in the eastern landscape of Cambodia. My Village is an NGO that carries out a number of activities to conserve natural resources by empowering indigenous communities such as protected area communities, ethnic women’s networks, and ethnic youth networks.

Project of Youths’ Action for Biodiversity Conservation (YABC) focus on youth participation to increase the capacity for widespread dissemination of forests, wildlife, biodiversity and the environment, especially to local communities effectively.

Through the above issues, My Village Organization organized a training course on: “Reduction of Luxury Wood Furniture Consumption” for 13-school youth in the target area of ​​Mondulkiri province for youths. The purpose of this training is to 

– Increase awareness of the benefits of forests and biodiversity

– Raise awareness of the impact of using luxury wood furniture

– Increase the positive attitude of the participants and share it with their friends, family as well as through Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC)

A total of 325 youths (226 women) and 159 indigenous youth (116 women) participated. Through pre-testing the ability of youths, we observed that we provided the training, only about 43 percentage have an understanding of the forest and luxury wood furniture. In contrast, after they received the training from My Village Organization on: “Reduction of Luxury Wood Furniture Consumption”, they can learn more about the forest, as well as the problem of furniture made from luxury wood up to 80 percentage. In addition, they committed to reduce of using the furniture made of luxury wood from day to day, as well as to share the knowledge they gained from this training to share to their families, relatives, friends and the community as much possible. Furthermore, they also gained a lot positive thinking and how to talk about forest issues and luxury wood furniture to their relatives, families, friends and community for reduction of luxury wood consumption and forest and biodiversity conservation. The methods that have been successfully implemented in this training course include group discussion, presentation, Q&A, watching educational videos and role play which can encourage they to reduce shyness or fear to express themselves, especially the performance from role play helped the youths to remember and better understand the relationship between the forest and luxury wood furniture. 

***Note: For scoring the test of youth’s ability before and after the training, use the evaluation level of five numbers, the lowest score is represented as number 1 and the highest score is represented as number 5. Thank you!

In the riverine village of Koh Sralao, Stung Treng province, 52-year-old Mrs. Loeur Sin has emerged as a role model for women in agriculture and climate resilience. Living 35 kilometers from Stung Treng town and accessible only by boat, her community thrives on farming, fishing, and forest resources.

Among them, Mrs. Sin stands out as a leading agricultural promoter formed by My Village Organization (MVi), actively engaging in climate discussions and community development initiatives.

With technical support from MVi, Sin adopted the climate-smart agriculture (CSA) model, transforming her home garden into a diversified source of income and climate adaptation.

In 2024, she cultivated a range of vegetables including peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, and lettuce. Harvesting 10–20 kilograms each session, she supplies about 225 kilograms weekly to local buyers at the Mekong Bird Resort, earning approximately 337,500 riels per week.

Notably, she also collects produce from fellow farmers, strengthening local networks and livelihoods.

Beyond her economic success, Sin is passionate about empowering other women and youth. “They can do the same as I do,” she shared. “It’s about creating income and increasing our voices in community development.” Her learning journey—supported by MVi and Oxfam—deepened her understanding of gender equality and inclusive climate adaptation.

Yet, challenges persist. Women’s voices in decision-making remain limited due to heavy workloads and poor access to climate information. Sin stresses that women must play central roles in disaster risk reduction and climate resilience, engaging with institutions like CCDM, DCDM, and RUA to strengthen village planning.

Today, Mrs. Sin is not only a producer but also a speaker, sharing best practices in workshops and mentoring others. Her leadership reflects the potential of grassroots women to drive inclusive, climate-smart agriculture across Cambodia’s vulnerable landscapes.

Recognizing that threats to forests, wildlife and biodiversity are the most important issues in the eastern landscape of Cambodia. My Village is an NGO that carries out a number of activities to conserve natural resources by empowering indigenous communities such as protected area communities, ethnic women’s networks, and ethnic youth networks.

Project of Youths’ Action for Biodiversity Conservation (YABC) focus on youth participation to increase the capacity for widespread dissemination of forests, wildlife, biodiversity and the environment, especially to local communities effectively.

Through the above issues, My Village Organization organized a training course on: “Reduction of Luxury Wood Furniture Consumption” for 13-school youth in the target area of ​​Mondulkiri province for youths. The purpose of this training is to 

– Increase awareness of the benefits of forests and biodiversity

– Raise awareness of the impact of using luxury wood furniture

– Increase the positive attitude of the participants and share it with their friends, family as well as through Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC)

A total of 325 youths (226 women) and 159 indigenous youth (116 women) participated. Through pre-testing the ability of youths, we observed that we provided the training, only about 43 percentage have an understanding of the forest and luxury wood furniture. In contrast, after they received the training from My Village Organization on: “Reduction of Luxury Wood Furniture Consumption”, they can learn more about the forest, as well as the problem of furniture made from luxury wood up to 80 percentage. In addition, they committed to reduce of using the furniture made of luxury wood from day to day, as well as to share the knowledge they gained from this training to share to their families, relatives, friends and the community as much possible. Furthermore, they also gained a lot positive thinking and how to talk about forest issues and luxury wood furniture to their relatives, families, friends and community for reduction of luxury wood consumption and forest and biodiversity conservation. The methods that have been successfully implemented in this training course include group discussion, presentation, Q&A, watching educational videos and role play which can encourage they to reduce shyness or fear to express themselves, especially the performance from role play helped the youths to remember and better understand the relationship between the forest and luxury wood furniture. 

***Note: For scoring the test of youth’s ability before and after the training, use the evaluation level of five numbers, the lowest score is represented as number 1 and the highest score is represented as number 5. Thank you!

In Koh Sralao village, Stung Treng province, 51-year-old farmer Mrs. Loeur Sin has become a quiet yet powerful force for change.

Living along the Mekong River, her community depends on fishing and farming—livelihoods now threatened by shifting weather patterns and environmental degradation.

Once an ordinary farmer, Mrs. Sin transformed her role through active engagement in climate adaptation and sustainable agriculture.

Her leadership journey began with community involvement in climate discussions, where she realized the importance of integrating women’s and youth voices into local decision-making. She became a passionate advocate for gender equality and inclusive development.

With technical support from My Village Organization (MVi) and capacity building from the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), Mrs. Sin embraced climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices.

These innovations helped her improve crop yields, secure regular income, and reduce her family’s vulnerability to climate shocks.

She’s not alone in this movement. Youth members in the village, inspired by leaders like Sin, have been actively involved in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) initiatives. Together, they collaborate with key partners including CCDM, DCDM, PCDM, and the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) to strengthen community resilience.

“Being a farmer isn’t just about growing food anymore—it’s about protecting our environment and leading by example,” Mrs. Sin shared. Despite ongoing challenges such as heavy workloads and limited access to climate information, she remains committed to empowering others and building a climate-resilient future.

Her journey reflects the deep impact of community-based leadership and inclusive education. Through practical experience and strategic partnerships, Mrs. Sin is cultivating more than crops—she’s cultivating a legacy of empowerment, equity, and resilience.