COVID Relief for Wild Koh Kong Project, Cambodia
Donation protected
The aim of this fundraiser is to provide economic relief to the Wild Koh Kong Project, an indigenous-owned, environmental non-profit based in the Cardamom Mountains of Cambodia. Wild KK Project's mission is to fight against social and environmental atrocities committed by the Cambodian Government using ecotourism revenue to build resiliency in indigenous communities. They have lost 100% of the income they generated from ecotourism due to the COVID-19 pandemic and urgently need donations to continue with their mission.
Background
We are over a year into the COVID-19 pandemic and nearly every corner of the planet has felt its impacts. For the indigenous Chong people of Cambodia's Areng Valley the pandemic is just the newest in a long list of challenges threatening to destroy their home and way of life. Just 8 years ago the villages of Areng rallied together to start Cambodia's first grassroots environmental movement to protest the contruction of a Chinese backed hydroelectric dam. The consequences of the dam would have been horrendous, displacing 2,000 people from their ancestral home and flooding nearly half a million acres of ultra-biodiverse jungle home to endangered species such as Siamese Crocodiles and Great Hornbills.
Siamese Crocodiles (Crocodylus siamensis) have lost over 99% of their original habitat and only a few hundred remain, mostly in the Cardamom Mountains. Image courtesy of Luke Duggleby.
The government retaliated by imprisoning and exiling activists, but ultimately the protests were successful as more Cambodian citizens recognized that the real value of the Areng Valley would be destroyed by senseless foreign development. In the wake of the dam protests the environmental activists implemented a plan to generate tourism money as a means to continue battling the environmental and social atrocities carried out by the Cambodian government, called the Wild KK Project. Using ecotourism revenue Wild KK Project has not only been able to secure additional income for the local communities of the Areng but also expand their environmental campaigns to other sites in the Cardamom Mountains and Koh Kong delta. Most recently they have been busy investigating coastal sand dredging that has been destroying mangrove forests, a critically important habitat for the young of many aquatic animals. Also in the works are plans to initiate sustainable ecotourism options on Koh Kong Island before it is overtaken by the chaotic sprawl of hotels and casinos. Their environmental awareness programs have inspired countless Cambodian citizens to look towards ecotourism as a favorable alternative to destructive development like hotels, casinos, mines, and dams.
The Wild KK Project website is down at the moment due to lack of funding but you can read all about their environmental and social campaigns on the Mother Nature Cambodia blog: Mother Nature
Buddhist monks peacefully protesting the hydroelectric dam project by marking sacred trees.
Where The Money Goes
Wild KK Project is a not for profit venture and so invests 100% of their revenue back into the community, their environmental movement, and their own capacity to provide tours. Your donations will be used for the same purpose! Financial priorities include:
- Basic living stipends for the three hard working people who make Wild KK project happen
- Organizing and empowering indigenous communities to develop long term plans for sustainably managing their lands and protecting them from senseless development
-Continuing awareness campaings to demonstrate that ecotourism is a viable and better alternative than non-sustainable development
- Providing alternative incomes to indigenous communties during this global economic crisis
- Maintenance of the Wild KK Project website, which is currently down
- Maintenance of critical equipment such as motorbikes, computers, and cell phones
- Expanding ecotourism programs to Koh Kong Island and beyond so Wild KK Project will be well positioned to continue recoup lost income when travel restrictions are lifted
Thank you all for your time and consideration. Even small donations have a tremendous capacity to help many people. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact! This fundraiser was created by Nolan Exe (volunteer) on behalf of Wild KK Project because GoFundMe is not yet supported in Cambodia.
Many thanks from the Areng Valley!
Background
We are over a year into the COVID-19 pandemic and nearly every corner of the planet has felt its impacts. For the indigenous Chong people of Cambodia's Areng Valley the pandemic is just the newest in a long list of challenges threatening to destroy their home and way of life. Just 8 years ago the villages of Areng rallied together to start Cambodia's first grassroots environmental movement to protest the contruction of a Chinese backed hydroelectric dam. The consequences of the dam would have been horrendous, displacing 2,000 people from their ancestral home and flooding nearly half a million acres of ultra-biodiverse jungle home to endangered species such as Siamese Crocodiles and Great Hornbills.
Siamese Crocodiles (Crocodylus siamensis) have lost over 99% of their original habitat and only a few hundred remain, mostly in the Cardamom Mountains. Image courtesy of Luke Duggleby.The government retaliated by imprisoning and exiling activists, but ultimately the protests were successful as more Cambodian citizens recognized that the real value of the Areng Valley would be destroyed by senseless foreign development. In the wake of the dam protests the environmental activists implemented a plan to generate tourism money as a means to continue battling the environmental and social atrocities carried out by the Cambodian government, called the Wild KK Project. Using ecotourism revenue Wild KK Project has not only been able to secure additional income for the local communities of the Areng but also expand their environmental campaigns to other sites in the Cardamom Mountains and Koh Kong delta. Most recently they have been busy investigating coastal sand dredging that has been destroying mangrove forests, a critically important habitat for the young of many aquatic animals. Also in the works are plans to initiate sustainable ecotourism options on Koh Kong Island before it is overtaken by the chaotic sprawl of hotels and casinos. Their environmental awareness programs have inspired countless Cambodian citizens to look towards ecotourism as a favorable alternative to destructive development like hotels, casinos, mines, and dams.
The Wild KK Project website is down at the moment due to lack of funding but you can read all about their environmental and social campaigns on the Mother Nature Cambodia blog: Mother Nature
Buddhist monks peacefully protesting the hydroelectric dam project by marking sacred trees.Where The Money Goes
Wild KK Project is a not for profit venture and so invests 100% of their revenue back into the community, their environmental movement, and their own capacity to provide tours. Your donations will be used for the same purpose! Financial priorities include:
- Basic living stipends for the three hard working people who make Wild KK project happen
- Organizing and empowering indigenous communities to develop long term plans for sustainably managing their lands and protecting them from senseless development
-Continuing awareness campaings to demonstrate that ecotourism is a viable and better alternative than non-sustainable development
- Providing alternative incomes to indigenous communties during this global economic crisis
- Maintenance of the Wild KK Project website, which is currently down
- Maintenance of critical equipment such as motorbikes, computers, and cell phones
- Expanding ecotourism programs to Koh Kong Island and beyond so Wild KK Project will be well positioned to continue recoup lost income when travel restrictions are lifted
Thank you all for your time and consideration. Even small donations have a tremendous capacity to help many people. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact! This fundraiser was created by Nolan Exe (volunteer) on behalf of Wild KK Project because GoFundMe is not yet supported in Cambodia.
Many thanks from the Areng Valley!Fundraising team (2)
Nolan Exe
Organizer
Bellingham, WA
Sim Somnang
Team member
