Kampong Thom Province — July 19, 2025
Excitement is blooming across Kampong Thom as students, teachers, parents, and local leaders prepare to transform two rural school campuses into lush, green learning spaces. On Saturday, July 19, the energy will shift from anticipation to action as Prak Keab Primary School and Ouch Kuk Primary School in M’sa Krang commune, Stoung district, host the next Greenspots: Climate-Resilient Schools tree-planting event — a community-powered effort to turn climate concerns into collective hope.
This activity follows the inspiring success of the first Greenspots school in Kampot Province, and it couldn’t come at a more urgent time. From January to May this year, Cambodia faced a record-breaking heatwave that forced several schools to temporarily close or take emergency measures. Some classrooms grew too hot to bear, prompting students to study under trees or use wet scarves to cool down during lessons. It was a clear and painful reminder that climate change is no longer a distant threat — it is happening now, and it’s affecting the youngest members of our communities the most.
In response, the Greenspots initiative — led by NEP collaborated with COFAP with support from ActionAid Cambodia and Aide et Action — aims to create school environments that are not only greener and cooler but also more resilient and inviting. These natural spaces will provide shade, improve air quality, reduce heat, and offer hands-on learning opportunities through nature.
This Saturday, more than 200 participants, including over 100 students, dozens of teachers, and nearly 100 parents and community members, will join representatives from local government, education offices, NEP, and COFAP to take part in the planting. Together, they will plant approximately 900 tree saplings across the two school compounds — a bold and beautiful statement of community ownership and climate resilience.
Greenspots is more than just a school greening project; it’s a movement grounded in action and fueled by a shared commitment to a better future. With every tree, the project brings us closer to schools that are safer, more inspiring, and better equipped to withstand the realities of a changing climate.
