Over the past year, the Cambodian Red Cross (CRC) has emerged as a strong partner in promoting climate resilience through inclusive, community-based action. With technical support and encouragement from PAfID, aligned with the momentum created through funding from the Global Greengrants Fund, CRC has increasingly integrated disability inclusion and environmental sustainability into its programs and institutional practices.
One of the most visible changes has been CRC’s commitment to mobilizing persons with disabilities, particularly Red Cross Volunteers (RCVs) and Youth (RCYs), as active participants in local reforestation efforts. In 2024, CRC and PAfID facilitated several tree-planting campaigns across Pursat and Siem Reap provinces. In Pursat, 25 RCVs with disabilities joined community members to plant 650 trees at BunRany SenChey Damnak Truyeng Secondary School. A similar effort in Siem Reap, three RCYs with disabilities among 311 volunteers planting 1,500 trees in the Apsara Authority area. Most recently, in June 2025, 23 RCVs with disabilities contributed to the planting of 100 trees on CRC-owned land in Pursat. These activities were not only acts of environmental stewardship; they symbolized the growing recognition of persons with disabilities as agents of change in climate action.
Beyond the field, CRC has also made strides toward institutional change. Inspired by shared values with PAfID, CRC has begun eliminating single-use plastics in its operations. Staff and volunteers are now encouraged to use reusable materials, including iron cups for refreshments during meetings, and fabric banners have replaced plastic ones at events. These efforts reflect a genuine commitment to model sustainability in both practice and culture.
Importantly, CRC’s transformation has also included education and advocacy. With PAfID’s support, CRC organized a multi-provincial training session that brought together branch directors, youth advisors, and frontline Red Cross officers and volunteers from Siem Reap, Battambang, and Pursat. The training focused on raising awareness about disability inclusion, strengthening climate resilience, and ensuring that the needs of vulnerable groups are addressed in social protection systems. Participants left equipped with new perspectives and tools to carry these values forward in their communities.
While these initiatives were not all directly funded by the Global Greengrants Fund, they are a clear outcome of the strategic groundwork laid through GGF’s support. By enabling PAfID to strengthen its role as an advocate and convener in the climate-disability space, the grant has helped create a ripple effect: sparking action, influencing institutions, and shifting narratives. The Cambodian Red Cross’s growing commitment to inclusive climate action is one such ripple, now taking root across provinces and communities.