Fall 2024

Greetings friends, supporters and donors. in our twenty-fifth year of helping the Montagnard help themselves through education we have another achievement to report. In our new partnership with Wildlife Conservation Society in the Keo Semia Wildlife Sanctuary, we included an education component in their high school program centered around environmental studies and ecology. The purpose being to develop in the students an understanding of the importance of protecting their environment and to reduce the cooperation of the people with outsiders who are conducting illegal activities within the sanctuary. Accordingly, we hired a CCi graduate teacher as the 'house mother" with the additional role of exposing the students to college or vocational trainin programs in areas such as environmental studies, ecology, forestry, clean water and ecotourism.

In a pleasant surprise, the Cambodia Secretary of State for the Environment requested an interview with our "house mother" and students to learn firsthand how the program works. Our unique approach to encouraging students to become involved in protecting the future of their rainforest environment has been passed onto them by WCS. It was very grateifying for us to have such recognition at a national level. We owe our success to our CCi "house mother" and Program Manager, Maren. Lesson learned with the WCS program will certainly be included in our CCi high school program.

This is our first foray into actively encouraging students to become involved in saving the rainforest. but it is part of our mission to help the Montagnard in the preservation of their lands and culture.