Project Smiling Gecko CAMBODIA - What Gaps can we impact?
Role
Co Investigator
Description
JCU's mission is to create a brighter future for life in the Tropics, and this project aims to increase JCU's impact on livelihoods in remote communities in SE Asia. By working with NGO Smiling Gecko Cambodia (SGC) which supports the needy population in Cambodia, the team can contribute to their self sustaining, ecologically and economically vibrant activities that aligns with UN SDG goals 4(quality education), 12 (responsible consumption & production), 14 (life below water) and 17 (partnerships for the goals). SGC runs a school for 500 students, a farm house resort that employs several hundred employees, grows food crops, and runs tilapia ponds at their 105-hectare site that benefits 30,000 Cambodians in surrounding villages. SGC is committed to continuing growth and seeking partnerships with universities to develop programs for the continuing education of its young community. The team seeks to identify how we can partner with SGC to identify gaps where we can make a difference to the local population, and where we can make an impact on their operation by building capacity. We propose a 3 days/ 2 nights site study and stakeholder engagement in October 2025. The immediate output will be a blue print for our future work with SGC and other remote communities, how we participate in their continual growth and showcase as a working model for other remote communities in SE Asia. We will seek suitable future funding opportunities from international financial institutions such as the World Bank or the Asian Development Bank.
Date
21 Oct 2025 - 23 Oct 2025
Project Type
N/A
Keywords
Social Responsibility;Sustainable business models;Turning gaps into blueprint for social impact;Ecotourism;Aquaculture;Agriculture;Building meaningful livelihoods in remote communities through higher education;Social sustainability
Funding Body
Centre for International Trade and Business in Asia (CITBA)
Amount
3500
Project Team
Connar McShane;Caroline Wong;Zohre Mohammadi;Fanny Yasumaru