Successful Story on Woman act as the key role in advocacy for improving fisheries resources

Before, she was normal community member, she has much scaring and she also quietly women, no ideas, no decision making for contributing the community, her ideas hasn’t been considered from local authority, FIA officials and other people, in the same time she hasn’t pay attention in social affair and other public events, she only paid a lot of times in fishing with her family members.

Since, 2008 the fisheries action coalition team (FACT) has worked in Chroy Svay commune, as its project target area. FACT has provided trainings, workshops, meeting, public event, advocacy activities and study tour in and out community, while she has joined all events that conducted by FACT and registered as community member.

Her knowledge has increased through participated in the FACT project implementation; she has shared ideas, initiation for contributing in the community development, her voices has been recognized by community committee, other members, and local authority, she has a lot of opportunities to join other events with FACT and other relevant NGOs and networks at another area, she has capable to facilitate the meeting and forum, and teaches other community members.

Mrs. Norng Lim Heang led community members conducted development activities such as public forum, dissemination meeting, workshops and advocacy activities.

Since 2014, she has ability to facilitate the meeting, public forum, and lead the community by themselves. Besides, she has bravely in led the community members, as results: under her supervision, the fisheries community in Chroy Svay commune, have mostly achievement  in  digging the small tidal river 700 meters length , 10 meters width and two meters deep in community contributing and led her members advocated at commune level, and also advocated with civil court for claiming community land amount 63 hectares from Chan group., Ltd. private company, and also led her community members advocated with District inspector of police of Kampong sela District, Prah Sihanouk Province for claiming existing community mangrove forest land amount 9 hectares, besides that she has play significant roles for facilitating women group for stop the domestic violent, fish processing group formed and also led other development program in the community.

In year 2015, 63 hectares of community land located in Chroy Svay khang Lech, Chroy Svay Commune, Sre Ambel District, Koh Kong Province, had been advocated from Chan Group Co., LTD by CFi members of chroy Svay, after successfully advocated, CFi committee and its member built good cooperated with Commune and District authority, FIA in process registration of this land became Chroy Svay Mangrove conservation area. After one year and half ago, of conservation process, the local community noticed that: 63 hectares of that managed by local community have been positively changed remarkable such as: First, Some small saplings of mangrove forest have been increased through participated in replanting and patrolling for stop illegal activities, if compare with last one year and half that this area became degraded area by clearance from Chan Group company. Second, some of marine fisheries resources increased such as crabs, shrimps, blood cockles, especially birdlife had remarkably increased through reported by local fisher.

Currently, 325 fishers from two villages such as Chroy Svay Khang Lech and Croy Svay Khang keurt, Chroy Svay Commune, relied on fisheries resources surrounding 63 hectares of mangrove conservation area, they had earned 2.50 dollars to 3.5 dollars per day per family, they sad more that the income they earned in order to support daily demand, food and accompany their children to school, repairing boat. Third, The communication between local fisher and commune council, District council and FIA were built such as: Local arthritis and FIA had recognized 63 hectares of mangrove forest land managed by Chroy Svay CFi, they have joined actively in mangrove forest patrolling, and stop illegal fishing and confiscated and burned illegal fishing gears, the same time the CBO member always informed the information to their committee, local authority and FIA when the illegal fishing happened. Forth is the increasing bravely of women in advocacy process after Mrs. Nong Limheang led the community in advocated 63 hectares, she has been recognize and she has become bravely women, keep interesting and amazed by her community members, she has success in advocacy process, fundraising, led community development, led in women saving group, led in social mobilization, environment activities, like mangrove replantation, tidal river rehabilitation.

This is new lesson learn gained on successful of women in community development, her cases became good lesson learn and best practiced for other local community, local authorities and relevant stakeholders.

The fisher gained more income from fishing surrounding 63 hectares of mangrove conservation area