Blogs
Sixth Science Talk on the Drought Situation in Cambodia
CamboJA, in collaboration with the Open Development Cambodia Organization (ODC), organized the 6th Science Talk on the Drought Situation in Cambodia on 30 January 2024. The event was attended by 35 participants (19 women), including representatives of civil society organizations, university students, and journalists. Thank Mr. Hour Ix, Reginal Drought Management Expert of the Mekong River Commission (MRC), for sharing his experience, knowledge, and expertise on this topic. This activity is funded by USAID through FHI360, under the Civil Society Support (CSS) project, and co-implemented by CamboJA and the Open Development Cambodia Organization (ODC).
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) partner meeting with the Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment
On 20 October 2023, the ODC team traveled to Utrecht City, the Netherlands, to engage in a crucial meeting with Dr. Arend Kolhoff, Technical Secretary of International Cooperation at the Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment. ODC has been collaborating closely with the commission on providing inputs to the draft general guidelines for Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and SEA for sand mining along the Mekong and Bassac Rivers in Cambodia. The primary objective of this meeting was to critically update the progress and challenges that have emerged within the area of SEA in recent times. The discussion focused on the ongoing work regarding SEA within the Cambodian context. The National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD) of the Ministry of Environment of the Kingdom of Cambodia established the National Training Team on Strategic Environmental Assessment (NTTSEA) on 20 December 2022. The team is responsible for arranging and preparing training materials, disseminating SEA knowledge at national and sub-national levels, and raising awareness through a range of meetings, training sessions, and workshops. In addition to their educational activities, NTTSEA has mobilized resources and forged partnerships with NGOs and other stakeholders, in a determined effort to foster a comprehensive training program on SEA. Stay tuned for more updates on this journey towards sustainable development!
Data visualization training in journalism
On September 11th, 2023, Open Development Cambodia (ODC) conducted an enriching training session titled \"Data visualization in journalism,\" attended by a group of 14 journalists (2 females) from various locations such as Phnom Penh, Kratie, Siem Reap, Battambang, Stung Treng, and Mondulkiri. With our \"Data visualization in journalism\" training, the trainees can embark on a transformative journalistic journey that explores the intersection of data and narrative. Data visualization, the art of transforming raw data into compelling visuals, is more than a skill; it\'s a narrative accelerator. In an age when information bombards our senses, journalists with data visualization skills gain the ability to change complex datasets, transforming them into impactful graphs, interactive charts, and dynamic maps that bring stories to life. This course provides an opportunity to seamlessly combine journalistic skills with data-driven precision, unleashing the potential of visual storytelling to captivate, inform, and inspire. The training aims to equip journalists with the skills to integrate visual elements into their storytelling, enabling them to convey information, engage audiences, and unveil deeper narratives through impactful and accessible graphics. The primary objective of this training initiative is to equip journalists with the proficiency to incorporate visual elements into their narratives. By doing so, they acquire the ability to convey information effectively, engage their audiences, and unveil deeper layers of the narrative through compelling and easily comprehensible graphics. The comprehensive training program explored data comprehension, the principles of data interpretation, the art of chart design, and an introduction to the powerful data visualization tool, Datawrapper. Despite the constraints of time, the participating journalists displayed remarkable adaptability and tenacity, successfully producing visualizations and integrating them into their stories. These hardworking trainees exhibited a worthy commitment to learning this new tool and the concepts surrounding it. Their dedication resulted in the creation of 14 interactive visualizations, each addressing a diverse selection of topics using Datawrapper. While it is acknowledged that their efforts may not yet be considered professional, it is evident that they have acquired a fundamental understanding of how to develop visualizations that enhance their news articles. Furthermore, it notes that the majority of these participants have expressed a strong desire for additional training sessions. They are eager to extend the duration of training and remain enthusiastic about staying updated with the latest data and visualization techniques. These aspirations reflect their solid commitment to enhancing their capacities as journalists and their dedication to delivering high-quality journalistic content to their respective audiences. The project is funded by USAID Cambodia through FHI 360 under a Cluster Anchor Grant from the Civil Society Support (CSS) Project.
Charay indigenous community celebrates the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People in TangSe Mlue village
The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is very important to all indigenous peoples worldwide to celebrate all together and respect that day to make it a meaningful holiday for indigenous peoples. The day can be a day to review indigenous rights and freedom to decide to do something in their community. They get the right to access information, covenants, laws, and policies. Therefore, the indigenous community, with support from several stakeholders, celebrates the 29th International Day of Indigenous Peoples and the 19th in Cambodia on 9th August 2023, aiming to promote culture, traditions, language, beliefs, customs, dances, musical instruments, leadership, and community solidarity. Open Development Cambodia (ODC) partly supported the indigenous community through Conserve Indigenous Peoples Languages Organization (CIPL) to celebrate the 29th International Day of Indigenous Peoples and the 19th in Cambodia at TangSe Mlue village, Nhang commune, Andoung Meas district, Ratanakiri province, Cambodia. The event brought together 111 participants (35 women), most of whom are Charay indigenous peoples. There were representatives from local authorities and civil society organizations including, CIPL, Highlanders Association (HA), Indigenous Community Support Organization (ICSO), and Development and Partnership in Action (DPA). Most of the participants expressed their excitement and enthusiasm about what they celebrated and learned during the day. Ms. Klan Tem, an indigenous youth group, read the history of the International Day of Indigenous Peoples. According to the United Nations Report on Indigenous Peoples in the World, 476 million Indigenous peoples live in 90 countries, accounting for 6.2 percent of the world\'s population. According to the Cambodia Census 2013, there are 183,831 indigenous peoples (24 groups) in Cambodia\'s 15 provinces. They are linked to natural resources such as forests, water, and land. The majority of them are farmers who hunt animals and collect honey. They also collect non-timber forest products to supplement their income. Mr. Aem Dea, Angdong Meas district local authority, delivered the speech, encouraging the Charay indigenous community in TangSe Mlue village to protect their culture and land. He also mentioned indigenous communal land registration. Mr. Heam Som Orn, a local authority in Nhang commune, shares his enthusiasm for the event. He is proud of the community for gathering to celebrate the event. He hopes that indigenous peoples can safeguard their culture indefinitely. Finally, CIPL screened a video about the \"Effects of Flooding on Indigenous Peoples in Tangse Mlue Village,\" which was produced by indigenous youths, supported by CIPL and ODC through the Civil Society Support Activities: Cluster Anchor Grants funded by USAID through FHI360.
Basic of GIS and QGIS Training 2023
Training workshop on the basics of Geography Information System (GIS) and the use of QGIS (Quantum Geographic Information System) was announced on the Open Development Cambodia (ODC)’s platform and social media on 13th July 2023 to call for the participants to attend the workshop on 2nd-4th August 2023 in Phnom Penh. The post reached more than 32,000 people on social media, and there were 382 people registered for the training. Due to the quality insurance and budget limitation, there were 21 participants selected based on their backgrounds, knowledge, interests, and usage. The training brought together 21 trainees (five females) from various backgrounds and professions including government officers, civil society organizations (CSOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), private sectors, and university students. Most of them are working with GIS and have the potential to work with QGIS tools in the future. Ms. KOEM Chhuonvuoch, Natural Resources and Land Editor–Researcher/Project Coordinator of ODC delivered an open speech and gave a warm welcome. She encouraged all trainees to attend and focus on the training during these three days. She also highlighted how the 21 trainees are selected among more than 380 people. The trainees were then requested to do the pre-test in order to assess their capacity and understanding of the GIS. The result illustrated that only 35% of the questions were passed. After the pre-test, the trainees took a break before the core session. Mr. VONG Pisith, Senior Data Research & GIS Officer/Capacity Building Coordinator, and Mr. Loch Kalyan, Data Research and GIS Specialist of ODC trained the trainees on basic GIS, the introduction of QGIS tool and each function of it, and general knowledge of map and other related materials. The trainees were enthusiastic and kept interactive by asking questions and following up on the lessons. The trainees were then assigned to work on actual practice after learning the concept, theory, and tool. Most of them could catch up with the lesson, followed all the exercises, and practiced smoothly. Most of the trainee came to the events on time, and no one was absent during the three days of training. Ice-breaking activities were also included after lunch each day to warn the trainees. On the 3rd day’s last session, the post-test was provided to the trainees, and the result was much better, 59% of the questions were passed. To encourage and recognize the trainees, certificates were delivered to all trainees who attended the full training workshop.
Data Literacy Training to Cluster Members
Open Development Cambodia (ODC) conducted data literacy training for Civil Society Support-Cluster members and their networks on 04th July 2023. The training course is designed to improve participants\' understanding of data, data standards, and interactive visualization. We also trained participants data visualization skills. This skill is expected to improve their data visualization in reporting. There are 31 participants (11 females) from ADHOC, NEP, YEA, Epic Arts, CHRAC, SVC, Bophana Centre, CENTRAL, LoveIsDiversity, and other networks took part in the training. Mr. Vong Pisith, Senior Data Research & GIS Officer/Capacity Building Coordinator of Open Development Cambodia (ODC), kicked off the training by introducing the general concepts and overview of data literacy and why it is important for the participants. He asked the participants to take the pre-test to assess their capacity. He then began the lesson with the topic \"Understanding data\" to ensure that the trainees understand what data is, the different types of data (qualitative and quantitative data), and the data format. The trainees were then introduced to the data standard: understand data format and tabular data standard. Furthermore, the data visualization principle: How to choose the right chart type for data presentation was emphasized. The session was discussed why we need data visualization, what data visualization is, how to choose the right chart type, and what to consider when visualizing data. Finally, the trainees were given the post-test and evaluation to complete. The training was conducted as part of the Civil Society Support (CSS) Project, which was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through Family Health International (FHI 360) under the Learning Platform (LP).