>$240,000 in bursaries granted

The Southern Cardamom REDD+ scholarship award program has distributed >$240,000 in bursaries. For example, five full scholarships to universities in Phnom Penh were awarded in 2021. These scholarships include four years of annual tuition, school materials, accommodation, food stipend and health insurance, totalling $6,852 per student per year. Limited education in the Southern Cardamom project area is directly correlated with increased deforestation due to the lack of alternative, sustainable livelihood opportunities. Once educated at the university level, these students will be able to raise awareness on forest conservation and establish new business ventures for their home communities, thereby reducing pressure on the Southern Cardamom rainforest.