Working jointly with Cambodian authorities, our program employs local communities, invests in their and development and ensures that archeological finds are shared with the Cambodian people.
Activities
Development Component
Environment
- Setting up protected buffer zones around archaeological sites, planting trees in order to aid regeneration of Phnom Kulen's forest.
- Setting up a tree nursery at Anlong Thom School, building children's awareness about preservation of the forest and heritage sites.
- Purchasing garbage bins and installing them at the village shops and school, digging pits to burn the rubbish, organization of the rubbish collected, encouragement of minimal plastic bag use and recycling in order to build awareness of Phnom Kulen's rubbish problem.
- Setting up demonstration Bio Diverse Gardens, to will reduce the impact of slash-and-burn agricultural techniques on the forest.
Food security / nutritional health
- Monitor the health of children between ages 2 and 5 in the maximum number of Phnom Kulen villages. Organize a nutrition program to correct food deficiencies.
- Set up Bio Diverse demonstrations Gardens to bring complimentary food and income to families.
Education
- Physical support to schools including construction of school buildings and the purchase of educational tools.
- Educational support for the regeneration of the Phnom Kulen Forest.
Health
- Purchasing basic medications for the Anlong Thom Health Center.
- Financial support to the Anlong Thom health nurses.
Archaeological Program
Reasearch and Conservation
- Completion of the archaeological map of Phnom Kulen by prospecting.
- Topographical surveys and archaeological excavations in selected sites, 4 months per year field work with about 120 workers from different Phnom Kulen villages.
- Demarcate protected areas around each sites.
- Analysis of archaeological data.
- Communication and dissemination of findings (reports, publications, conferences, etc.)
Capacity building and training
- Close collaboration with the APSARA National Authority staff for field work, data treatment and administratives issues.
- Training of 10 to 15 students per year from the faculty of Archaeology, Royal University of Fine Arts, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for field work (team managment, drawing and data registration skills) as well as post-excavation tasks (identification, registration and drawing artifacts).
Landmine removal program.
- Demining zone defined around the archaeological sites, in close collaboration with CMAC National Agency.
- Collecting information about mines and/or unexploded ordinances in the villages and having them neutralised by the CMAC teams.