OVERVIEW
Beng Mealea is a small rural commune in the North of Cambodia. With its own ancient temple, Beng Mealea is a fascinating first step into a culture that will charm you immediately. Most of rural Cambodia is rife with poverty with extensive drought during dry seasons and huge crop losses during typhoon seasons, it can be a harsh life.
Our camp is partnering with the community to deliver a wide range of desperately needed projects and activities whilst giving ample opportunity to learn about the ancient Khmer Empire and recent history.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN ISSUES?
What has already been done in Beng Mealea?
2010:
During our expedition we will live as part of a community and work on a number of camp internationals ongoing projects designed to improve the living standards of local people. Project work will vary hugely depending on the needs and priorities of each community at any given time. Much of their work focuses on trying to improve facilities and promote environmental awareness within communities. Project work could involve anything from low-level construction work, painting classrooms, building desks and teaching pupils and adults, to playing sports or assisting with harvesting and planting.
Environment
The health of our forests are essential for our survival and wellbeing and yet our planet is under increasing pressure from our unsustainable activities. Camps international’s Conservation Programme aims to protect and conserve our ecosystem.
Adventure
We will experience the wonder of the jungle on a 5 day trek. This exercise gives us the chance to relax and build up our personal confidence and learn how to work effectively in a team.
Beng Mealea is a small rural commune in the North of Cambodia. With its own ancient temple, Beng Mealea is a fascinating first step into a culture that will charm you immediately. Most of rural Cambodia is rife with poverty with extensive drought during dry seasons and huge crop losses during typhoon seasons, it can be a harsh life.
Our camp is partnering with the community to deliver a wide range of desperately needed projects and activities whilst giving ample opportunity to learn about the ancient Khmer Empire and recent history.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN ISSUES?
- Poverty
- Habitat erosion
- Few local employment opportunities
- Lack of skills training
- Drought during dry season
- Extensive flooding during wet season
What has already been done in Beng Mealea?
2010:
- Camp - Camp Cambodia opened in November
- Dam - repairs on ancient 1,000 year old dam started to aid water issues in the area
- School classrooms - classrooms redecorated and new furniture built
- School water catchment - Old 15,000 litre water tank repaired, the only current water source in the school
- School kitchen - started construction of a kitchen for the school as there are currently no facilities
- Family fishponds - construction of small fishponds for the poorest families in the community to act as a source of food or income during harsh dry or rainy periods when crops fail
- Tree nursery - development of camp tree nursery for future reforestation projects
- Dam - further repairs after recent storm damage
- School ablution block - creation of new ablution block replacing the one longdrop that currently serves 600 children daily
- School water catchment - addition of 3 further catchment tanks increasing water availability by 300%
- School kitchen - continued construction of kitchen. Foundation completed and walls and roof started
- Family fishponds - construction of small fishponds for the poorest families in the community to act as a source of food or income during harsh dry or rainy periods when crops fail
- Tree nursery - increasing the size of the nursery to turn it into a combined nursery, permaculture farm and jungle habitat area
- Reforestation - assisting local NGOs in reforesting the Phnom Kulen National Park
- Community meeting area - creation of community meeting area/administration centre, replacing the current small wooden shack
During our expedition we will live as part of a community and work on a number of camp internationals ongoing projects designed to improve the living standards of local people. Project work will vary hugely depending on the needs and priorities of each community at any given time. Much of their work focuses on trying to improve facilities and promote environmental awareness within communities. Project work could involve anything from low-level construction work, painting classrooms, building desks and teaching pupils and adults, to playing sports or assisting with harvesting and planting.
Environment
The health of our forests are essential for our survival and wellbeing and yet our planet is under increasing pressure from our unsustainable activities. Camps international’s Conservation Programme aims to protect and conserve our ecosystem.
Adventure
We will experience the wonder of the jungle on a 5 day trek. This exercise gives us the chance to relax and build up our personal confidence and learn how to work effectively in a team.