At our school, we believe that education and ecology are inseparable. We have a specialized department dedicated to pioneering ecological projects and fostering innovation.
One of humanity’s greatest challenges, climate change, is at our doorstep. This is why environmental values are deeply embedded in the DNA of Happy Chandara School. Our core missions include reducing our carbon footprint, teaching ecology, and providing adaptation strategies for local communities. We take pride in being a recipient of the Green Certification from the Cambodian Ministry of Environment, along with the construction of some of Cambodia’s first ‘green buildings’.
Many of our poorest families live in extremely difficult conditions. In response, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, we have rebuilt over 50 homes, ensuring they meet the specific needs of each family while adhering to safety standards. This initiative not only provides safe housing but also restores dignity and stability to families in need.
We run an innovative exchange program to support the families while promoting environmental awareness. Families are encouraged to return all their plastic waste to us once a month, and in return, we provide them with essential food and hygiene packs. Additionally, we organize community awareness events on important health and social issues and run a medical program that supports both the students and their families. Through these efforts, we ensure a holistic approach to improving the well-being of our community.
Happy Chandara has been developing organic farming on its grounds since 2015. Our team of agronomists and local village gardeners, part of our social inclusion project, works tirelessly to provide an increasing share of vegetables from our fields. We also have a state-of-the-art mushroom farm and greenhouse. Our canteen serves two vegetarian meals a week to its 1,300 students and 350 staff members, for a combined 440,000 meals served annually. This initiative has inspired many, with 40 of our alumni now studying at the Royal University of Agriculture, determined to support Cambodia’s food sovereignty and adopt more soil- and biodiversity-friendly production methods.
We have planted dozens of large trees and hundreds of plants, and constructed green walls. This transformative project is turning our school into an urban forest while also serving as an educational tool. Our unique botanical garden at the gates of Phnom Penh features plant species from around the world, providing a hands-on learning experience for our students.
Through our partnership with One Earth One Ocean, our school recycles all its plastic waste. We regularly organize community clean-up operations and offer families the opportunity to exchange their waste for baskets of food and hygiene products. Additionally, our students actively recycle paper within the school.
This is a fundamental mission for Happy Chandara. As part of our bilingual curriculum, students have a weekly ecology class to better understand the world around them and its challenges. This practical learning experience includes engaging in numerous activities within our gardens. Moreover, we offer an extensive OSM (Opening Students’ Minds) course designed to nurture conscientious global citizens aware of contemporary issues, whether environmental, economic, or related to their future careers.
By integrating these ecological initiatives into our educational framework, we aim to pave the way for a sustainable and environmentally conscious future for our students and our community.
