Ecological education for students in Cambodia
The preservation of life on our planet is a human responsibility of immense ethical and spiritual importance.
The first day of this month coincided with the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation and the beginning of the Season of Creation.
During this time we were all invited to pray for the protection of creation and the promotion of sustainable, eco-friendly lifestyles.
Thanks to your support, our Ecology program in Cambodia focuses on forest conservation efforts to enhance capacities of local communities, including students in Ecological Restoration, Education, Advocacy and Sustainability.
The Ecology program is carried out by our local partner Jesuit Service Cambodia (JSC), in the rural Kambal District of Phnom Penh and in the rural Prey Thom community of Battambang Province, Cambodia.
“Young people have a new ecological sensitivity and a generous spirit, and some of them are making admirable efforts to protect the environment,” writes Pope Francis in his encyclical Laudato Si’, a book which focuses on care for the natural environment as well as the relationship between God, people and the Earth.
Our partner works closely with school communities as a way to teach and empower children to become caretakers of their surrounding environment. Young students, teachers and families can get involved with activities such as managing plant nurseries and the production of seedlings.
Funding from Jesuit Mission and our generous supporters provides the ongoing supply of seedlings to local schools along with tools and training to support a thriving ecology system.
Many families living in rural villages in Cambodia rely on a healthy, diverse natural world to farm for the food and income they need to survive.
Communities simply cannot afford to lose forests as a critical part of the ecosystem.
Thanks to your generosity, these communities are given the ecological training to ensure that their environment remains protected and cared for.
"There is a nobility in the duty to care for creation through little daily actions, and it is wonderful how education can bring about real changes in lifestyle,” writes Pope Francis (Laudato Si’#211).
Let us join together in the Prayer to be Ever Inclusive written by Fr Michael Hansen SJ, National Director of the First Spiritual Exercises Program.
"Kuchunguza mazingira ya mazingira katika Cambodia: ""Uhifadhi wa uhai kwenye sayari yetu ni jukumu la binadamu la umuhimu mkubwa wa maadili na kiroho." Siku ya kwanza ya mwezi huu ilifanana na Siku ya Dunia ya Maombi kwa Utunzaji wa Uumbaji na mwanzo wa Msimu wa Uumbaji. Katika kipindi hiki, sisi sote tumealikwa kusali kwa ajili ya ulinzi wa uumbaji na kukuza mtindo wa maisha endelevu, wa mazingira. Kwa msaada wako, programu yetu ya Ikolojia nchini Cambodia inazingatia juhudi za uhifadhi wa misitu ili kuongeza uwezo wa jamii za mitaa, ikiwa ni pamoja na wanafunzi katika Kurudisha Ikolojia, Elimu, Utetezi na Uendelevu. Programu ya Ecology inafanywa na mshirika wetu wa ndani Jesuit Service Cambodia (JSC) katika wilaya ya vijijini ya Kambal ya Phnom Penh na katika jamii ya vijijini ya Prey Thom ya Mkoa wa Battambang, Cambodia. "Vijana wana hisia mpya za ikolojia na roho ya ukarimu, na baadhi yao wanafanya juhudi za kupendeza kulinda mazingira,"" Papa Francis anaandika katika encyclical yake Laudato Si, kitabu ambacho kinazingatia utunzaji wa mazingira ya asili na uhusiano kati ya Mungu, watu na Dunia." Mshirika wetu anafanya kazi kwa karibu na jamii za shule kama njia ya kufundisha na kuwawezesha watoto kuwa watunzaji wa mazingira yao. Wanafunzi, walimu na familia wanaweza kushiriki katika shughuli kama vile kusimamia vibanda vya mimea na uzalishaji wa miche. Fedha kutoka kwa Jesui Mission na wafadhili wetu wa ukarimu hutoa usambazaji wa miche kwa shule za mitaa pamoja na zana na mafunzo ya kusaidia mfumo wa ikolojia unaositawi. Familia nyingi zinazoishi vijijini nchini Kambodia hutegemea mazingira yenye afya na utofauti ili kulima chakula na mapato wanayohitaji ili kuishi. Jamii haziwezi kupoteza misitu ambayo ni sehemu muhimu ya mazingira. Shukrani kwa ukarimu wako, jamii hizi zinapewa mafunzo ya ikolojia ili kuhakikisha kwamba mazingira yao yanabaki yakiwa yamelindwa na kutunzwa. "Kuna heshima katika wajibu wa kutunza uumbaji kupitia vitendo vidogo vya kila siku, na ni ajabu jinsi elimu inaweza kuleta mabadiliko halisi katika mtindo wa maisha, ""aliandika Papa Francisko katika Laudato Si' (21)." "Tunaomba kwa pamoja katika sala ya ""Kuwa daima pamoja"" iliyoandikwa na Fr Michael Hansen, SJ, Mkurugenzi wa Taifa wa Programu ya Mafunzo ya Roho ya Kwanza."