Cambodia's floating schools face brunt of climate crisis

DW (English)

On Cambodia's Tonle Sap lake, children from floating villages embark on daily boat journeys to school. Yet, climate change is making these trips perilous, threatening both their education and way of life.

Transcript

00:00Rin Narin is 10 years old.

00:07She wakes up before the sun rises in a house that floats on the lake.

00:12Her mother helps her get ready for school.

00:17Then, like every day, Narin waits for her school bus.

00:22Well, a school boat to float through the village waters.

00:27Her older sister Rin Nari stands on the veranda, watching as Narin departs for school.

00:39School children here take these perilous journeys every day.

00:43Climate change is disrupting weather patterns and altering water levels.

00:48It makes the journey to school increasingly challenging and threatens their traditional way of life.

00:57Narin sits attentively in her Grade 1 classroom, focusing on a grammar lesson in the Khmer language.

01:11Though older than her classmates, she only began school recently.

01:16In the floating villages, children often start school a bit later because parents wait until they can swim.

01:24They live here during their retirement homes.

01:30And they directly employees?

01:33The 19th century, Onward, thanks to our user's plan to take home toおい when from the international planet to start school at 988.

01:41Now, she has a life back to break.

01:44Theządات to come along with the wannabe being.

01:46Back from school, Nareen's sister Nari helps her with revision of some lessons.

02:15Nareen dropped out of school due to health complications caused by meningitis.

02:31Nareen's sister Nari, Nareen's sister Nari.

02:38Nareen's sister Nari.

02:39Nareen's sister Nari.

02:40Nareen's sister Nari.

02:41Nareen's sister Nari.

02:42Nareen's sister Nari.

02:43Nareen's sister Nari.

02:44Nareen's sister Nari.

02:45Nareen's sister Nari.

02:46Nareen's sister Nari.

02:47Nareen's sister Nari.

02:48Nareen's sister Nari.

02:49Nareen's sister Nari.

02:50Nareen's sister Nari.

02:51Nareen's sister Nari.

02:52Nareen's sister Nari.

02:53Nareen's sister Nari.

02:54Nareen's sister Nari.

02:55Nareen's sister Nari.

02:56Studies have shown that meningitis outbreaks follow seasonal patterns,

03:09often peaking during the hot and dry months.

03:13Climate change exacerbates these outbreaks,

03:16making them more frequent and intense.

03:26If you don't, it's just that there are different kinds of outbreaks.

03:36You can also do different types of outbreaks.

03:37You only reach out to each single.

03:40I think I want to have a good chance here.

03:43When you get out then, you still need to make out your back.

03:50You can feel less protective.

03:53Tolle Saab is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia.

03:58The fishing communities living on this lake are among the most vulnerable to climate change.

04:03During the dry season, they face increasing droughts leading to a decline in fish catch.

04:07In the wet season, however, incessant rains have caused severe flooding in recent years,

04:12destroying their homes.

04:13But there is one more casualty to it all, children's education.

04:18While her father prepares to go fishing, Nari helps her mother with the cooking.

04:22At this point, they have to be focused by food, to eat rice, to eat rice, to eat rice.

04:43Some initiatives are helping to bring change.

04:47Some initiatives are helping to bring children back to school.

04:54Sampors Vaughan, an educator who grew up in this community,

04:57has been instrumental in these efforts.

05:00His dedication and tireless work have helped schools

05:03adapt to the challenges posed by climate change.

05:07But he says there is a need for an integrated approach.

05:10They face worries, money challenges, such as health, illness,

05:19with pollution, with unsafe water, with money hygiene problems.

05:26Of course, poverty among the community and parents,

05:31also the key factor that face pressure to the children's cell.

05:37And the quality and access of education, which is the service,

05:42the teacher, the infrastructure of education, is still limiting.

05:46So this is really a big challenge that the children are facing,

05:51which is they could not overcome by themselves.

05:54It needs various collaboration and engagement and support

05:58to make sure that both health care, education, and livelihood

06:03are interconnected and addressed and helping the children.

06:08Cambodian authorities struggle to reach remote communities in Tonle Sap.

06:13NGOs are stepping in with practical solutions,

06:16such as providing motor and rowing boats

06:18to help the students adapt to environmental changes.

06:22education, education above all foundation,

06:25education above all foundation, and Aide Aksion

06:27are working together in Cambodia

06:31to provide in-kind support, scholarship support,

06:36and that comes in a variety of forms.

06:39Sometimes that's in the form of the provision of food,

06:41that is school uniforms, book bags, study materials,

06:49remedial classes, catch-up classes, water filters, you name it.

06:55And the reason why we do this work together

07:00is because if you are able to ease the financial burdens

07:06associated with schooling,

07:08you have created an enormous opportunity

07:11for the most vulnerable children

07:13in the most vulnerable households,

07:15a chance to realize their right to education.

07:19And to date,

07:20we have enrolled more than 144,000

07:24out-of-school children across Cambodia.

07:27At sunset, Rin Nari helps her father fish.

07:30While she's not attending school for the time being,

07:33her father is committed to ensuring her education.

07:37She has taught me in school,

07:39and she has taught me that she's not attending school.

07:42We were taught me in school.

07:43We didn't have to give up a chance.

07:45She gave birth at a school,

07:47and she'll lead me to the future,

07:48and she's not attending school,

07:51so the mother will come to school

07:53and she's not attending school.

07:57Determined to provide better opportunities for his children,

08:01Nari's father is diligently saving

08:03to purchase a boat dedicated solely to their school commute.

08:09Nari, too, harbors hope of returning to school soon.

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