Phnom Penh, Cambodia (02 April 2008)—Lutheran World Federation Cambodia (LWF Cambodia) received a second-place gold medal on Community-Based Disaster Risk Management from the Royal Government of Cambodia at the 5th Disaster Management Practitioners' Workshop for South East Asia, which is being held in Phnom Penh from 02 to 04 April.

The workshop is organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and Asian Disaster Preparedness Center through its Partnerships for Disaster Reduction South East Asia Project and hosted by the Cambodia's National Committee for Disaster Management.

This award represents the significant achievements made by LWF Cambodia on community-based disaster risk management over the last three years (2005-2007) with the support of the European Community's DIPECHO Program.

LWF Cambodia successfully implemented Community-Based Disaster Risk Management(CBDRM) projects in 300 targeted villages in the provinces of Battambang, Kampong Chhnang, and Kampong Speu from 2003 to 2007, and currently the projects continue.

This is the second time that LWF Cambodia has received a gold medal from the Royal Government of Cambodia on community-based disaster risk preparedness and mitigation.

In addition, the Royal Government of Cambodia gave gold medals to three Village Disaster Committees based in the villages of Rokatong, Sleng and Srerobang of Tuolkpuos Commune, Tuek Phos District, Kampong Chhnang Province. The three villages, which won 1st, 2nd and 3rd place respectively, participate in the Integrated Rural Development through Empowerment Project (IRDEP)—one of LWF Cambodia's six projects.

Major activities of LWF Cambodia's Community-Based Disaster Risk Preparedness and Mitigation Project include capacity building to the community (Village Disaster Volunteers; Village Disaster Committees; Village Leaders and interested people) through (1) Community-Based Disaster Risk Management training; (2) Community-Based Disaster Preparedness and Hazard Vulnerability and Capacity Analysis training;(3) awareness training; and (4) first aid training to Village Disaster Volunteers, Village Health Volunteers, and Village Development Committees.

Other major LWF Cambodia activities related to drought preparedness and mitigation include small-scale irrigation, for example, open wells, canals, dams, water pumps, treadle pumps, family ponds, community ponds, road repairs.

Eight other international non-government organizations working on CBDRM in Cambodia had submitted applications with their significant achievements in competition for gold and silver medals.

LWF Cambodia is an international NGO established in Cambodia in 1979 after the collapse of the Khmer Rouge regime. LWF Cambodia actively contributed to the rehabilitation of warravaged Cambodia in close cooperation with concerned government agencies.

LWF Cambodia operates six Integrated Rural Development through Empowerment Projects in the districts of Phnom Sruoch, Thpong, and Oral of Kampong Speu province; the districts of Samaki Meanchey and Tuek Phos of Kampong Chhnang province; and Battambang province.