CHANRIKA KEO

Keo studied biological engineering and now works with a team in Pu Ngaol to deliver workshops in the community to understand what challenges they may face.  

About 

Keo feels that ‘community’ is all about diversity, varying expertise with diverse mindsets and, crucially, that working together is extremely important. In order to achieve the best solutions, she believes we should be open-minded, listen and try to understand the community.

Her workshops involve a focus group discussion where the men and the women are divided into two groups to express their opinions on the challenges faced in the community, so that each can speak freely and without influence from the other group. This is especially important for the women who typically have lower access to education and occupy domestic roles, resulting in fewer opportunities to participate in decision-making in the community.

Pu Ngaol heavily relies on natural resources, which are not always available and are susceptible to the changing climate. Keo highlights that access to clean water is a big challenge in Pu Ngaol which impacts what can be used for domestic purposes and the amount the community can grow on their farms. There is also limited connection to the electricity grid. Some households cannot afford electricity and use other methods such as batteries or small solar-powered systems. She shares that people in Pu Ngaol would also like to increase their crop yield to generate more income for their families and farms.

Issues and Ideas

• Keo feels that ‘community’ is all about diversity, varying expertise with diverse mindsets and, crucially, that working together is extremely important. In order to achieve the best solutions, she believes we should be open-minded, listen and try to understand the community.

• Her workshops involve a focus group discussion where the men and the women are divided into two groups to express their opinions on the challenges faced in the community, so that each can speak freely and without influence from the other group. This is especially important for the women who typically have lower access to education and occupy domestic roles, resulting in fewer opportunities to participate in decision-making in the community.

• Pu Ngaol heavily relies on natural resources, which are not always available and are susceptible to the changing climate. Keo highlights that access to clean water is a big challenge in Pu Ngaol which impacts what can be used for domestic purposes and the amount the community can grow on their farms. There is also limited connection to the electricity grid. Some households cannot afford electricity and use other methods such as batteries or small solar-powered systems. She shares that people in Pu Ngaol would also like to increase their crop yield to generate more income for their families and farms.

Find out more from Chanrika Keo in their video interview, available here.