Mekong - U.S. Partnership
RDMA Funds Lower Mekong Initiative Food Security Donor Mapping Project
USAID Regional Development Mission for Asia (USAID/RDMA ) awarded a grant to the Mekong Institute, an intergovernmental organization, to fund the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) Food Security Donor Mapping Project -- which aims to enable effective donor coordination on food security projects in the Lower Mekong countries. The Mekong Institute will implement this project for…
Fighting Forest Degradation through Watershed Reforestation in Thailand
On September 21, the USAID-funded the Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forests (LEAF) program partnered with the Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden and other Thai organizations to plant 15 native species of 5,000 trees on a degraded hillside that was threatening the water supply within the Mae Sa-Kog Ma, a UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserve near Chiang Mai…
USAID’s PEER Program Looking for Researchers in LMI Countries
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is exploring new opportunities to use science and technology to meet the world’s development challenges. As part of its science and technology strategy, USAID is supporting various mechanisms to leverage the investments that other U.S. government agencies make in scientific research and training. In this context, USAID,…
Ensuring Gender Equality in Climate Change and REDD+ in Lao PDR
From September 9-13, the USAID-funded Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forests (LEAF) program, in partnership with Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture and Natural Resources Management (WOCAN) and the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) carried out the first training in a regional series to provide state forestry agencies and women constituencies with guidelines and…
Senior U.S. Official Pledges USG Support for Wildlife Law Enforcement
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, William Brownfield who heads the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) paid a visit to ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) and the Thai Government on September 9, 2013 and gave clear and strong support for counter wildlife poaching and trafficking initiatives in Southeast Asia, including those developed under…
Promoting Malaria Awareness in Myanmar Communities
Recently, Control and Prevention of Malaria (CAP-Malaria) Program began implementation of activities in the Rakhine State, in south-west Myanmar. In July, the CAP-Malaria team trained 52 Village Malaria Workers (VMWs) on early diagnosis, treatment and malaria health education. These VMWs will play a central role in detecting early stage malaria cases and promoting malaria awareness within…
CAP-Malaria Program Trains Monks and Grandmothers on Malaria Education in Cambodia
The advice of monks and grandmothers is highly respected by Cambodians. Control and Prevention of Malaria (CAP-Malaria)'s target group interview results demonstrate that face to face education through monks and grandmothers will contribute to the project's Behavior Change Communication objectives. In July 2013, CAP-Malaria in collaboration with the Tasanh Health Center conducted one of many…
ASEAN Youth Volunteers Supporting Conservation Efforts in Malaysia
The ASEAN Youth Volunteer Program (AYVP), jointly funded by ASEAN and the USAID Regional Development Mission for Asia (USAID/RDMA), was officially launched on August 12. The five-week program is providing 100 volunteers with experience in knowledge driven volunteerism and community engagement while developing ASEAN awareness and regional identity. The inaugural program focuses on the theme of environmental conservation.…
Survey Identifies Wildlife Crime Offenders in Vietnam
Since April 2013, Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV), a partner of the USAID-funded Asia’s Regional Response to Endangered Species Trafficking (ARREST) Program, has surveyed 550 business establishments in Hanoi and found more than 80 violations of wildlife protection laws. During August 19-23, ENV surveyed an additional 233 businesses and found 13 offenses. Most violations were identified…
USAID-Supported a Regional Laboratory Network Workshop on Diagnosis of Rabies and Newcastle Disease
The IDENTIFY project of USAID's global Emerging Pandemic Threats program (EPT) hosted a regional laboratory network workshop on diagnosis of Rabies and Newcastle Disease at National Institute of Animal Health, Bangkok on August 26 – September 6, 2013. Led by The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization in collaboration with the Department of Livestock Development,…
CAP-TB Supports the First National Workshop on Childhood TB Management in Myanmar
On August 19-20, USAID/CAP-TB helped to co-host the first ever National Workshop of this nature in Yangon, Myanmar. Exposure to an adult with TB increases the mortality of young children by 70%. Unfortunately, TB can be very difficult to diagnose in children, however the introduction of the GeneXpert molecular diagnostic tool is providing a greatly…
NEWS: Thailand Launches Elite Wildlife Ranger Team
BANGKOK: Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) launched an elite environmental enforcement unit this week that is currently undergoing specialized training to tackle wildlife poachers and traffickers nationwide. The special unit, called "King Tigers", was developed and is being trained by DNP in collaboration with the United States-sponsored "ARREST" Program. The new…
