USAID Cambodia Green Future, Y2 Q1 Report

The Project focuses on youth audiences nationally and in Phnom Penh, as well as two target landscapes: The Prey Lang Extended Landscape (PLEL) and the Eastern Plains Landscape (EPL). The Project has two objectives: to increase target populations' knowledge and positive attitudes about the benefits of Cambodia's unique and endangered biodiversity and the critical importance of forest ecosystems, and to increase citizen-led efforts to apply strategic communications to protect biodiversity and forest ecosystems in target areas. During the reporting period, October 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020, the Cambodia Green Future team began the co-creation process with USAID to revise the scope of the Project under Section C of the contract. The team also expanded their social media reach to the Project's target audiences, engaging 28 champions who disseminated the Project's key messages and posted them on their own social media accounts on a regular basis. Additionally, the Project observed that more key influencers posted and shared the Project's key messages on their own social media profiles. The Project made significant progress in achieving its objectives. For Objective 1, the team conducted a third SBCC-WG meeting with 17 participants, including the Project's COR, who attended partially virtually. The discussion resulted in the agreement that youths could be identified as a primary target audience, and therefore would be a key focus for the Project's strategic messages on biodiversity and forest protection. The team also developed a SBCC strategy to increase target populations' knowledge and positive attitudes about the benefits of Cambodia's unique and endangered biodiversity and the critical importance of forest ecosystems. For Objective 2, the Project aimed to increase citizen-led efforts to apply strategic communications to protect biodiversity and forest ecosystems in target areas. The team engaged with key stakeholders, including USAID projects, and to the extent possible, other donors, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector, to disseminate strategic messages on biodiversity and forest protection for target audiences. The Project also observed an increase in key influencers posting and sharing the Project's key messages on their own social media profiles, indicating a growing awareness and engagement with the Project's objectives. The Project's geographic coverage is national, with a focus on engaging audiences to protect natural resources throughout Cambodia. The reporting period was October 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020, and the Project has a performance period from October 1, 2019 – September 30, 2024. The Prime Implementing Partner is ECODIT LLC, with a subcontractor, FHI 360, to support the implementation of the Project, particularly in its expertise of social and behavior change communications (SBCC). The Project has a major counterpart, Organizations, including the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Education for Youth and Sport, Ministry of Information, USAID Greening Prey Lang, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Cambodian Civil Society Partnership (CCSP), Young Eco Ambassador Cambodia, Wonder of the Mekong, InSTEDD iLab SEA, Media One, Melon Rouge Agency, Population Service International/Cambodia, Wildlife Alliance, Conservation International, and Mekhala Radiant Comms.