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).
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.
ODC launches a new knowledge-sharing portal called “Learning Platform”
On 04 April 2023, ODC organized an official launch of the online Learning Platform at the Poulo Wai Hotel & Apartment, Phnom Penh, with the participation of 43 people (18 females) from 23 local, national, and international organizations, including cluster member organizations and non-members. Those organizations are NEP, CHRAC, TI, UNDP, BS, CIPL, CIPO, CIYA, Epic Art, WCV, IRAM, 3SPN, HA, FLO, CEDT, ODC, FHI, USAID, KAWSANG, SVC, ADHOC, LAC, and CENTRAL. Twelve of them are from Rattankiri, Kratie, Battambang, Siem Reap, and Kampot. The Learning Platform was developed by Open Development Cambodia (ODC), under financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Cambodia through FHI 360 in partnership with the International Center Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) for the Civil Society Support (CSS) Project. The Learning Platform aims to be a free one-stop-shop knowledge-sharing portal, aggregating best practices and lessons learned by the cluster members of the Civil Society Support (CSS) project. The portal will disseminate data and information for the wider CSO community and other interested stakeholders through its interactive and user-friendly content, available in both Khmer and English, made publicly accessible and free of charge. The contents of the Learning Platform are classified based on the theme, including education, digital social innovation, environmental and NRM, gender and social inclusion, Indigenous Peoples, journalism, civil society, legal resources, and training materials, which the cluster members implement. The platform is now publicly accessible to cluster members and the public. The user can access the platform through the web address (https://learn.opendevelopmentcambodia.net/) or go directly to the Open Development Cambodia website and find the platform on the Menu bar as a sub-page. The launch event is a significant milestone in the development of the Learning Platform. Through this workshop, we aim to officially introduce the platform and gather feedback from all key stakeholders to improve its look, functionality, and user experience. We also call for increased collaboration on data and resource sharing to ensure the long-term sustainability of the platform. Most of the participants expressed their positive thoughts about the Learning Platform. They said it is an innovative platform that they have been looking for and where they can promote their project and organization’s impact to a broader audience and donors. They also learn from other organizations’ success and experiences in project implementation. At the same time, there were questions from participants regarding content management and the data contribution protocol. In conclusion, the official launch workshop of the Online Learning Platform received positive attention from cluster member organizations as well as non-CSS project partners. Through interactive discussion and constructive feedback, we get several consideration inputs for our team for the next action.
Testimonial: Young indigenous woman and citizen journalist think about the mobile report training
Would you like to know what our young indigenous woman and citizen journalist think about the mobile report training? Let’s have a look at their testimonials together! This activity is under the Civil Society Support Activity: Cluster Anchor Grants, founded by USAID Cambodia through FHI 360.