Villagers and school children in rural Cambodia live in close proximity to threatened wildlife, biologically diverse habitats, and forests and river ecosystems of global importance. Yet they lack understanding of their natural environment, and even skilled and dedicated teachers lack access to basic educational material and curricula to disseminate messages about living in harmony with nature. In the rural areas of the country, such understanding and awareness is vital to support the habitat and wildlife protection programs being implemented by wildlife agencies.

The Royal Cambodian Government, through its Minister of the Environment, has recognised it is time to build environmental awareness by moving to ‘increased skills and practical application of [environmental] knowledge through positive environmental behaviour’. Wildlife Alliance has been working with the Kouprey Express program since 2005 to achieve this goal, and evaluation has shown a 20% increase in environmental awareness among students and community members following presentations by the Kouprey Express team. 

However, repeated visits to schools and communities have far greater impact on environmental education and subsequent behaviours than one-off or annual presentations. To that end, Wildlife Alliance is refocusing the Kouprey Express program to meet the needs of rural schools and villages in Koh Kong Province in the southern Cardamom Mountains. This is an area around which Wildlife Alliance has established an integrated conservation and community development program, and is adjacent to a region of high biological importance.

Our Conservation Field Partners

Wildlife Alliance's mission is to protect and preserve wildlife, forests and oceans for future generations. Its field operations, formerly carried out under the name WildAid, train and equip rangers to fight poaching, the illegal wildlife trade and illegal habitat destruction. These actions are complemented by its Community Awareness Program, of which the Kouprey Express is an integral part. Wildlife Alliance has been working in Cambodia since 2000.

Volunteering for International Development from Australia (VIDA) has facilitated the placement of an Environmental Education & Community Outreach Advisor to the program. This position helps to develop, coordinate and deliver the Kouprey Express program.