Song Saa Foundation

Gargantuous KUDOS to Song Saa. I wish you all (every stakeholder) every success, and I too, WILL DO MY PART.. and seek out and consume ONLY sustainably attained seafood.

I have just embarked on the most life-changing experience of my life. One month after the Marine Fisheries Management Area (MFMA) was enacted in Cambodia I took part in the Tropical Marine Conservation Project (TMCP). It was very rewarding to see a synergistic relationship between the fishermen in the village and the conservationists and researchers who help preserve the marine life where it’s usually an antagonistic one. I took part in a whole host of activities all the way from the academic like coral reef and career catalyst training to the social like teaching local children English and helping to distribute medications to rural villagers. It was humbling to see how these people lived and help educate them. I have learned so much from this experience and I will definitely carry all this education with me in whatever project I embark on next.

My experience with the Song Saa Foundation and the principles upon which it is based have restored my faith in the human race. The motivations of its workers are ethical and pure, the atmosphere is positive, hardworking and exciting, and the science exemplary. Its achievements - in tandem with those of the absolutely stunning eco-resort - are nothing short of remarkable.

The potential for good is enormous: not only for the people of the Koh Rong archipelago and Cambodia in general, but as a model for community projects worldwide.

Hope is restored that indeed we CAN protect and love both our oceans and its peoples. These Islanders now have improved living standards, health, education, life-style and opportunities. The consequence? With new-found knowledge and responsibility they are enabled to protect and enhance their wonderful environment whilst preserving their valuable traditions. For themselves and their community, for their nation, and for humanity.

Song Saa is remarkable in every way.

I recently stayed at Song Saa and worked with my group International Medical Relief in cooperation with the Song Saa Foundation helping provide medical care in the outlying island communities. The experience was one of the greatest of my life. The Song Saa foundation and its representatives are fantastic. They are providing critical services and supplies to isolated communities in serious need. Education, medical support and clean water initiatives are just some of the myriad of projects Song Saa helps with. I will be an active supporter of their foundation, and hope to return again and again to participate actively!

Almost seven weeks ago, I began my experience as a volunteer for the Song Saa Foundation’s Tropical Marine Conservation Programme (TMCP). If a random person were to ask me today how my experience has been thus far, I honestly wouldn’t know where to start. I could use words/phrases such as “Incredible”, “Life-Changing”, and “Unforgettable” to describe it. Or I could talk about the various and numerous activities I’ve been engaged in. Or I could share some anecdotes about interesting and/or funny things I’ve experienced. But nothing can truly sum up just how much has happened, how much I’ve learned, and how much I’ve grown over the last seven weeks on this program.

Part of what makes the TMCP so special is that it provides a great combination of routine and variety. While there is a general daily routine that provides a backbone for the program, there are also a great number of pleasant surprises which make every day unique. Each day brings a combination of community activities, marine biology/ecology/conservation lectures, SCUBA diving (including training and data-collecting), marine-related documentaries, pure fun, or all of these things combined.

With that said, I’ll back up a little bit and give some more background about the program. It’s run by the Song Saa Foundation, an organization in Cambodia that is devoted to sustainable development, and to attaining such development through the promotion of positive interactions between three spheres: the land, the sea, and the people. The TMCP, while combining aspects of all three, focuses primarily on the sea. Its design is to train volunteers in the collection of marine biological data for use by the Cambodian government. Such data is crucial for monitoring the health and progress of Cambodia’s first marine-protected area, called the Marine Fisheries Management Area (MFMA).

The path towards becoming a data-collector involves a fun, nourishing, and dynamic training process. As such, the first three to four weeks of the program are dedicated to PADI Open Water/Advance Open Water dive training (unless the volunteer already has certification), and to a Coral Reef Ecology course. The course goes in depth into the biology and ecology of local fish, substrates (including corals), and invertebrates, including a heavy focus on how to identify families/genera/species of these organisms. And don’t worry - it doesn’t only involve classroom lectures, but also many fun and complementary dives, in which the classroom learning literally comes to life. I mean it when I say that after the course, you could recognize the composition of a coral reef like you could a room in your house.

Once training is complete, data-collection begins! Collecting data on coral reefs can be understatedly described as exhilarating and incredibly rewarding. I have now completed seven full data-collection surveys (14 survey dives, not including several practice survey dives), and have thoroughly enjoyed each one. There’s something thrilling about being on the frontier of biological research, through collecting data that often has yet to be collected, for the government of a country. I always look forward to the next survey as soon as the previous one has ended.

Of course, in addition to this backbone schedule, I have had incredible opportunities that I never thought I would have. I’ve taught English to, and planted mangrove trees with, eager and enthusiastic Cambodian children. I’ve participated in medicine distribution to those who require it. I’ve walked through dense forests to visit beautiful waterfalls. I’ve trained other volunteers in coral reef ecology concepts. I’ve seen numerous documentaries that delve into critical issues involving today’s oceanic challenges. The list goes on, and I’m definitely missing at least five things.

And of course, there’s the people and the culture. Through living in the small village of Prek Svay, and working in a field station with 150 other people, I have thoroughly become immersed in the beauty of Cambodian culture. Program staff and village-people considered, I’ve been lucky to live with, interact with, and work with incredible people who seek to give me the best experience I can possibly have.

So yes, in short, this is a program that never ceases to amaze me. Every day brings new and exciting tasks, challenges, activities, and unforgettable moments. I know I’m going to miss this place and everything it has done to help me grow as a person and a professional. As such, if you’re reading this, I urge you to consider this program. Give it a whirl. Come see it and experience it for yourself. Life is worth living, after all.

I've had the opportunity to volunteer at Song Saa Foundation TMCP for 6 weeks. It was an eye-opening experience that none universities could provide. They have professional instructor that taught me how to dive, conduct marine survey and to understand the marine environment of Koh Rong Archipelago. It's very worth appreciating how much impact Song Saa Foundation has been making. Not only contributing much to the first marine protected area of Cambodia, but on a broader scheme, they've bettered livelihoods of local people by actively seeking to educate them the importance of conservation. If you're hesitant with joining the TMCP, I say go because, yolo, and it's actually awesome.

The opportunity to volunteer with the Song Saa Foundation was my first volunteering experience, which was a bit daunting, and my time spent here could not have been better. The four weeks that I've spent here have been engaging, challenging, and, most of all, rewarding.

Every day consists of some type of beneficial engagement with the community, environment, or staff; on most days it was with all three. On several occasions we banded together with the children of the Prek Svay community and worked to complete activities like planting mangroves, which helped promote biodiversity and furthered the childrens' understanding of how important the environment is, and cleaning up the organic garden and planting new seeds at Sala Song Saa. The staff here are hospitable and informative, I learned a lot about Khmer culture and language just by talking to the staff. Engagement was not restricted to just the village of Prek Svay, on multiple occasions we went to other villages in the Koh Rong archipelago to do things like provide medicine to those in need and teach children about the importance of sea turtle nesting, which happens annually at those villages. The staff also showed us documentaries during our free time that helped me to wrap my mind around how important our ocean is and why our volunteering will be beneficial towards the health of Cambodia's ocean. While we were here the Marine Fisheries Management Area (MFMA) was approved, which is a multi-use marine protection area. Without the staff I would not have a full understanding of the complexities of the MFMA, which will play a huge role in the conservation of Koh Rong's marine ecology as well as supporting the improved livelihoods and ongoing food security for people living in the region.

The challenge came mostly through the Tropical Marine Conservation Program (TMCP), where the volunteers dive on a nearly daily basis and undergo the Coral Reef Ecology course, which does a fantastic job of preparing the divers to complete coral reef surveys. The Coral Reef Ecology course taught the volunteers about numerous target fish species and families, corals, and invertebrates, which are all vital knowledge towards completing the coral reef surveys. As I learned more and more about each group my dives became more enjoyable, as I was able to better understand the previously alien world around me. The surveys are the only source of information that the Cambodian government receives for the entirety of Cambodia's coral reefs, so the work we do here is extremely important.

The engagement and the challenge all lead to the rewarding feelings that come both on a daily basis and at the end of the volunteering experience when you reflect on your time with the Song Saa Foundation. I feel as if my time here has only led to improvement. I've improved personally, I feel as if I've helped improve the community, and I know that I've made beneficial contributions to the ecology of the Koh Rong archipelagos. I'll be leaving the Song Saa Foundation with no regrets or criticisms because of how well put together the volunteer program is; I feel as if it has only enriched myself and everything we engaged with.

Looking back on my last 4 weeks with the Song Saa TMCP, I couldn't ask for a better volunteering experience. It was only a few days before we were in the water, actively engaging with the marine environment. The first three weeks mainly consisted of a combination of diving and classroom survey training. The coral reef ecology course is extremely well put together as I'm now very confident with my reef identification skills in and out of the water.

It's fascinating to see your underwater skills develop in such a short time. Within a week we actually knew what species of fish we were looking at. I even found my own Cephalopod, an octopus. They have nine brains.

Despite the focus on environmental interactions and species within coral reefs, I was given a broader understanding of the world's oceans. I'm really happy we were able learn about the dangers presented to the ocean with modern industry, pollution, and overfishing #fisharefriendsnotfood. We even educated local communities about the importance of mangroves and participated in a mangrove restoration project along the coast. Learning about shark ecology and the threats sharks currently face was also incredibly interesting.

Apart from the scientific aspect, the Song Saa Foundation is a community driven organization. At least once a week the volunteers and other staff spent time aiding local communities around the Koh Rong archipelago. This last Saturday, we partnered with the local Prek Svay school in a project to plant a sustainable organic garden in a nutrient deficient area. Whether we were educating or providing medicine and health accommodations, I felt each interaction was productive for both the volunteers and the local people.

During my time in Cambodia, the MFMA (Marine Fisheries Management Area) was enacted. This is incredibly exciting for future volunteers as you will be surveying Cambodia's first marine protected area! I would recommend volunteering for the TMCP to anyone looking to experience an incredible culture whilst gaining a better understanding of the ocean. Also, I'd advise signing up for more than 4 weeks. Time will fly by.

It is truly inspiring to see the work of the Song Saa Foundation in action. We have had the pleasure of working along side the foundation in our capacity as a social enterprise, and the knowledge, dedication and spirit of the staff is second to none. The work that they are doing for, and within the community, is incredible.

The work of the Song Saa Foundation is exceptional. Tucked away on remote islands off the coast of Cambodia, the Foundation has set an ambitious goal of creating sustainable and meaningful lives for the people in the Koh Rong Archipelago. Their work involves marine conservation, empowering local fisherman, improving the health and education of the local people and providing the people with the opportunities to improve their own lives and livelihoods through sustainable agricultural practices. Their activities are an inspiration to others. Their philosophy is different - the team at the Foundation firmly believe in local empowerment and have made tremendous efforts in that regard. My contact with them came as we opened the gateway for the potential of expanding research on the programs that are running with the opportunity to showcase their efforts to others to appreciate.

I have been a volunteer with the Song Saa Foundation (SSF) for 6 weeks on their Tropical Marine Conservation Programme (TMCP). It has been nothing but an absolute pleasure and privilege to work in the SSF team and experience first hand how effective their work is here. The community driven conservation not only makes it extremely enjoyable and diverse from a volunteer's perspective, but it is a model that ensures the sustainable development and healthy future for the archipelago. All my experiences of the TMCP are positive and I really could not recommend it higher to future volunteers that want to get involved with a super-efficient and exceptionally driven organisation who care so much.

It was a pleasure visiting the Song Saa team in Koh Rong. The Foundation provide a solid balance of science-led marine conservation and livelihood development, resulting in a well rounded approach to community driven conservation. The whole team were highly professional and had a fantastic rapport with the community and volunteers alike. I strongly recommend supporting Song Saa Foundation by joining as a volunteer which will give you an holistic view of conservation in the Koh Rong archipelago, all the while contributing to valuable research and efforts into conservation of the Khmer coast.

My experience with the Song Saa Foundation was simply amazing. Met them through International Medical Relief and they helped with our medical clinic experience. They were simply the most kind, generous group every. I only wish I had time to learn more about the marine conservation efforts while I was there this trip. We were so focused on bringing medical care and supplies to the people of the Koh Rong I think we forgot about their other efforts.

The Ocean Foundation decided to work with The Song Saa Foundation as its U.S.-based fiscal sponsor, because its results-oriented approach to addressing issues pertaining to the interdependency between the sea, land, and people of the Koh Rong Archipelago closely aligns with our goal not only to promote healthy ocean ecosystems, but also to benefit the human communities that depend on them. The Song Saa Foundation is quickly emerging as a leading conservation organization in the region, and we are honored to support their critical work.

The Song Saa Experience I experienced as a travel journalist is not only about luxury - but also about the very, very important work the Song Saa Foundation is doing around the (more than beautiful) resort. They do it in a great, supportive, caring way to enable a better future for the people living there and to create a reliable environment surrounding them. So the people from Koh Rong will be able to still live their authentic lifes – but in a better, forward-looking way.

I experienced the staff of the Song Saa Foundation as extremely engaged. In a very extensive way, they clean the beaches from coke cans and PET bottles. On top of that the open-minded environmentalists are great examples for the children of the local islands, as they show them that garbage is meant to be put in containers and that they have to care for their wonderful island environment

The Koh Rong Archipelago is one of Cambodia’s most pristine marine sanctuaries with a rich biodiversity. Conservationists and NGOs like the Song Saa Foundation will have to ensure that the pressure by population growth and an increasing fishing and tourism industry will be controlled in cooperation with the local communities to support a sustainable development and preserve the outstanding beauty of the islands.

When I visited Song-Saa Island earlier this year, I was more than impressed withe not only the professional structure of the foundation itself but the incredible enthusiasm the staff and local people involved have to fulfill their goals. This is not something you find in a typical luxury resort, that one can follow,in a very transparent way, what exactly the foundation does and to prove it you can just hop on the boat for 5 Minutes across to where the foundation has its main base and see with your own eyes how the system works. Really very good work is done here and it is really an experience that stays in your mind that even though you are in a place of pure luxury, tranquility and bliss; next door people who have close to nothing smile at you and seem not only peaceful but very content indeed. Song Saa foundation is doing a formidable job!

I visited Song Saa Foundation while me and my team was in Cambodia photographing and writing about Song Saa and Cambodia in general. We were all amazed of how much Song Saa Foundation is doing for the communities around and Cambodia in general. All the employees, taking such a good care of, medicins, insurance, a very nice home to one and each and of course all the jobs offered at Song Saa. The Spa using local ingredienses in their products, the ecological timber used while building Song Saa. I would say Song Saa is one of the properties i visited who managed luxury, and yet also took care of enviroment, employees, people in general and sealife. I´ve travelled a lot in my job as a swedish journalist, but this place and people who run it is something beyond anything i´ve seen. Heart, Soul, Perfection all together is unusal.

I've visited the islands several times and documented the work of the foundation first hand. Quite simply, this is a fantastic organisation. Perhaps the most impressive element is the fact that with each of their projects they look to find an exit strategy - their main focus is to build the systems and structures necessary for their programs to run independently. Their work is rare in that it has lasting and meaningful impact in the communities in which it is carried out, rather than simply fulfilling the requirements for another succesful funding application, as is unfortunately the case with so much of the NGO and non-profit sector. If you are looking to contribute to a non-profit operating in Cambodia you would be hard-pressed to find a better organisation to support.

I've seen first hand how wonderful this foundation is as I've documented their projects for several years. I'm amazed at the impact they have on the local community and the passion they have for their work.

The Song Saa Foundation is setting the standard in working in partnership with local communities and local government to make a sustainable difference for the Koh Rong marine environment and those that live within it. I enjoy receiving their regular newsletter which is educational and informative and refreshing in demonstrating the benefits that can be achieved with an inclusive approach. A fine example to the development sector.

It is heartening to see such a dedicated, hands on and grass-roots organisation operating in the beautiful Koh Rong Archipelago. As anyone who has travelled there will tell you, this is an amazing place for its communities, forests and marine life. With development proceeding rapidly in the area, the Song Saa Foundation is a much needed presence and deserves the support of anyone who loves marine life, rain forests and the warm smiles of Cambodia's people. The Song Saa Foundation has helped local villagers by creating safe sewerage systems and providing education in health and other important areas. It also manages Cambodia's first-ever marine protected area, which will assist local fishing communities by ensuring that fish stocks have somewhere to replenish.

The Song Saa Foundation has contributed hugely to the Prek Svay community and the marine environment of the Koh Rong archipelago. Their work with the local fishing community to develop marine reserves is an example of how the Song Saa Foundation achieves it's environmental goals, while also providing educational and employment opportunities for the local community. The way that this is tied into the operation of a luxury resort to educate the guests is also admirable.

The Song Saa Foundation officially began working with Fauna & Flora International in January 2015 on an ongoing project to help support the Royal Government of Cambodia's Fisheries Administration create the country's first, large-scale Marine Fisheries Management Area (MFMA)- a type of Marine Protected Area. SSF are fantastic to work with, delivering high quality biological data, robust science and provide invaluable insight and advice into the design and management of the MFMA. The team are hard-working and dynamic and FFI look forward to continuing marine conservation work with them.