Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Kampong Thom protected area residents take job skills classes

Kampong Thom protected area residents take job skills classes

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
People from community protected areas in Kampong Thom province pose for a group photo with their certificates after completing training in job skills related to tourism, on February 6. ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY

Kampong Thom protected area residents take job skills classes

Individuals from seven community protected areas in Kampong Thom province have received training in job skills related to tourism, including tour guide, hospitality and cooking skills.

These skills will contribute to the improvement of their community’s livelihoods so that they can help to strengthen natural resource management and biodiversity conservation. The training sessions took place at the provincial environment department under the auspices of the ministries of environment and tourism.

Addressing the closing session of tour guide training on February 6, environment ministry undersecretary of state Khvay Atiya noted that Cambodia now has 73 protected areas covering 7.3 million hectares.

He said the areas formed the basis for the establishment of communities so that they will contribute to the protection of natural resources for future generations.

He added that local development contributed to the improvement of community livelihoods and the incomes of people living in protected areas in Cambodia.

The training focused on guide-visitor interactions, hospitality and cooking skills.

The sessions ran from February 1-5 and reflected the need for the development of job skills and professions that will increase the ability of all people to apply for better job opportunities and improve their economic situations. The trainers were from the tourism ministry and a total of 20 trainees from the seven community protected areas in the province took part in the programme.

“Recognising the importance of these skills, we collaborated with public and private institutions and development partners to provide them with opportunities to generate sufficient income to feed their families. In particular, it enables their children to go to school and will reduce pressure on natural resources and biodiversity, and increase their love of those areas as well,” he said.

The environment ministry said it had established the project with the aim of encouraging the residents of the community protected areas to assist with conservation work by creating jobs for communities and households that rely on tourism based on a healthy environment with rich biodiversity.

Seng Sot, deputy head of the environment ministry’s General Department of Local Communities, noted that the project implementation team had run skills training sessions for the province’s 17 community protected areas.

He added that 11 of the communities learned about playing traditional music in collaboration with the provincial Department of Culture and Fine Arts; two communities also completed motorcycle repair courses in collaboration with the Kampong Thom Polytechnic Institute; 14 communities completed village veterinary courses in collaboration with the provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; and 20 members of communities and four officials from the environment department completed 13 classes on tourism, hospitality and cooking in collaboration with the tourism ministry.

MOST VIEWED

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Struggling Battambang artist dreams of staging full-scale gallery exhibition

    Leav Kimchhoth, a 55-year-old artist from Battambang province, is a familiar face to locals and tourists alike on the streets of the riverside in Phnom Penh. The one-armed painter and illustrator often hawks his work near the night market on weekends and public holidays. He

  • Five-year-old Hanuman dances his way into hearts of Cambodia

    A young talent from a new-established settlement has emerged, captivating the online world with his mesmerising performances of the traditional Cambodian monkey dance. Roeun Kakada is a five-year-old prodigy who has taken the social media sphere by storm with his exceptional dance skills and dedication

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom

  • PM warns of int’l election interference

    With the national election scheduled to take place in less than two months, Prime Minister Hun Sen has warned foreign nations and their diplomats not to interfere into Cambodia’s domestic affairs. He also hinted that their statements on court verdicts handed down to any