As we travel we are always on the lookout for ways to uncover unique and novel efforts towards environmental sustainability. We have found success to date by networking with contacts from home and searching out local efforts such as Green Building Codes in Singapore. And while we had arranged a meeting with a local company, SME Renewable Energy, Ltd., before we arrived, we quickly found out that Cambodia is a tremendous place to find great people working hard to create a more sustainable tomorrow. This post is a thank you to three people, Diana, Seyha and Peter, who took the time and energy to meet with us and explain what they are doing, why it is important, and how it makes a difference in the lives of average Cambodians. We will be exploring the three different approaches used by each of them in a forthcoming case study.
Diana Saw: Founder of Bloom Bags
I wandered into the Bloom store in Siem Reap because when I saw the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” sign on the door I had to find out what this was all about. It turns out that Bloom is a social enterprise that was established in September 2006 with the intention of providing fair-paying jobs to disadvantaged Cambodian women. Bloom does this by reusing rice and fish feed bags and turning them into stylish bags and accessories. Diana agreed to meet us for lunch the following day and from that terrific first conversation discussing the challenges and lessons of starting a social enterprise in Cambodia, she then spent the next three days showing us around Phnom Penh and introducing us to other fascinating expats.
Rin Seyha: Managing Director SME Renewable Energy Ltd.
We were put in contact with Seyha through contacts (made initially by my mom, thanks!) at E+Co, a US-based investment company focusing on clean energy in the developing world. Seyha met with us for 90 minutes and provided a fantastic overview of the development of the energy infrastructure (or lack thereof) within Cambodia since the civil war ended in 1997. He recounted for us stories of creating the first National Rice Millers Association, partnering with huge NGOs and how SME RE found success through an initial grant by Canadians to prove the efficacy of gasifier technology.
Peter Williams: Regional Director for Resource Equality
As we were walking out of the Foreign Correspondent’s Club one afternoon we saw a poster looking for volunteers willing to invest $15 to provide clean water to poor Cambodian villagers. After an email to Peter we had made the arrangements to deliver three ceramic water filters to villagers on Silk Island near Phnom Penh. The water filters, which look just like ceramic planters pots, are simple to maintain and allow the recipient family to avoid spending money on charcoal to boil their water until it is safe to drink. This saves them time and money that can then be spent on other necessities such as school fees.
One final thought: the expat community in Cambodia was amazing. Everyone we met was very generous with their time and willing to share personal stories with a frankness and openness we had not heard elsewhere. Amy and I had not previously thought to reach out to the expat community, but we will be sure to continue to do so in the remaining 6 months of our travels. Expats are often willing to share recommendations for great restaurants off the tourist path, introduce you to businesses and people with shared interests, and are a great resource for travelers interested in how businesses operate on a local level. The entrepreneurial can-do spirit we found in the expat community in Cambodia is very different from the Western Corporate cultural Amy and I are familiar with, and I for one found it exhilarating.
