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Many young people say that they love the environment, but have no idea what to do in order to help preserve it. One young lady has been sharing her ideas and experience in environmental protection.  

Soeum Hoeung, a 23-year-old student of Economic Agriculture and Rural Development at the Royal University of Agriculture, loves the environment. Despite her age and fourth year study commitments, she has become heavily involved in protection programs.

Recently, Hoeung and a group of similarly-minded young people gathered to organise the “Youth and Environment Concern” workshop, which was held at the Royal University of Agriculture in March.

“I am really happy that there are a lot of young people interested in the environment, after more than 200 youths came along to the workshop,” Hoeung said.

She says the purpose of the workshop is to provide the knowledge and raise awareness of the adverse effects of refuse and chemical waste. The workshop has encouraged the young to love and pay attention to the environment.

Recently, Hoeung was asked to attend a taping of Television of Khmer’s Youth Forum of Environment series, which was attended by a number of university students, and where Hoeung and her peers won the program’s televised debate.

Hoeung’s knowledge of environmental protection does not only come from her studies at university, but also from a short training course she took aboard.  

“I was given a scholarship to attend a short course at Thailand and I’m really glad that I could learn community environment management. The course was attended by many students who come from this part of the world,” she said.

In 2010, Hoeung had another scholarship to attend an exchange program in Portugal for six months. During her studies, Hoeung learned how to plant trees, recycle used paper and teach other people the joys of the environment and wildlife.

Besides organising a workshop, joining the youth forum and studying overseas, Houeng and her friends have participated in local environmental programs, such as planting trees and asking children to pick up and clean the rubbish around the Royal University of Agriculture.

Hoeung said: “I almost cannot believe that I have the ability to organise environmental workshops as well as have the chance to go overseas, but I did do it.”