In December 2008, Rico Zook conducted a Permaculture Design Course in Cambodia. Here is a link to the 30 minute video documenting the course : https://www.vimeo.com/groups/permaculture/videos/3760052
2 Khmer students from the PDC conducted by Rico Zook in Cambodia in 2008 now run an orphanage and have begun implementing permaculture design on their site...here is a link to a new video called 'Harmony farm' which shows what they are doing : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlQH5QJtuBo
G'day AJ Thanks for sharing those beautiful images from the beautiful people of Cambodia. If only all the world's people thought (and more importantly acted) like Rico and Mr Han. Let's hope Mr Han's wish comes true, and that in 5-years time, the world (and its people) has (have) considerably changed. Looking forward to getting to Cambodia - it's part of my mid-term plan. Hooroo, Markus.
Thankyou Markus when will you be in Cambodia? if you want to visit Harmony Farm it's easy to find - about 1 hour drive (2 by tuktuk) outside Siem Reap is an Angkor temple called Beng Mealea, and the orphanage school is just across the road almost directly opposite the temple gateway. the training workshop is about 500 metres from the school, and the farm land is about another 500 from there. peace AJ
Really nice vid, thanks. Can you tell me what the big need for English is? I don't know that much about Cambodia. Great to see a cat in a permie design btw ;-)
Thanks pebble Most kids in Cambodia learn English at school now, and it's especially useful in Siem Reap and the area around the Angkor Wat temples. Knowledge of English language probably doubles a person's chances of getting relatively well-paid work (Chinese is the other big useful language skill to have in Cambodia). Typically, a factory worker or labourer in Cambodia will get salary of 20 to 30 US$ per month, a traffic policeman gets about the same (they supplement this with on-the-spot fines for minor traffic law infringements). Ability to speak (+ reading and writing) English opens up better paid jobs such as waitress (about $80 p/m) and shop, hotel or restaurant managers (up to $200 p/m). So it can make a big difference, and i think one of the great things they do at Harmony Farm is to get the children learning as many diverse skills as possible in order to increase their self-dependence. Although they may never need to use English, it is still a very useful skill to have because it gives them more options.
Permaculture in Cambodia & Laos I work for a Cambodian-run NGO in Phnom Penh - which is funded by foundations and foreign governments. As the owner of a PDC I'm naturally interested in using Permaculture in our rural aid projects. I'm applying for funds for that presently. I'd be grateful for information on anything else happening in Cambodia PC-wise. I have met the PC trainer ladies in Pursat & seen their farms, met a sole trainer named Muoy Man, & have heard about Harmony Farm in Siem Reap - though emails to there never get replied to, their website has vanished, their phone number doesn't answer, & not all reports of the place are positive. Any clarification as to what's happening at Harmony Farm, or further PC activities in Cambodia (or Laos), would be much appreciated. Thanks, John
Hi John i also live mostly in Phnom Penh, although during the dry season i get out and about in the countryside filming permaculture training...and i'm also very interested to discover more permaculture activities in Cambodia...i have experience in Ratanakiri, Svay Rieng, and around Siem Reap (i know Harmony Farm very well)...and i've been trying to learn more about activities in Pursat ever since i found out that Rosemary Morrow did some courses there...so looks like we could well connect our missing links! it would be a pleasure to catch up with you in town my email is [email protected] Peace
