Fellowships Available under the LMI Environment and Water Pillar

The MyCOE / SERVIR Initiative is currently accepting proposals for a seven months fellowship program for undergraduate and graduate students from Lower Mekong countries.  Interested students should propose a research project that will provide a lasting impact in addressing challenges in Climate Change, Sustainable Landscapes and/or Watersheds.  Proposals are due November 3, 2013. Proposals must also include an outreach component to share results with local…

LMI Monthly News Feed – September 2013

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APEC Stakeholders Highlight Importance of NGOs in Combating Illicit Trade

From September 23-25, anti-corruption authorities, law enforcement agencies, private sector organizations and NGOs met in Bangkok, Thailand for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Pathfinder Dialogue with ASEAN (Association of South East Asia Nations) and the Pacific Islands Forum Partners on Corruption and Illicit Trade. The meeting provided a platform for stakeholders to network and discussed…

Regional Malaria Coordination Promotes Innovation in Cambodia

The Control and Prevention of Malaria Project convened a cross-border collaboration meeting for malaria on September 18-19, 2013, in Battambang, Cambodia.  The purposes of meeting were for creating consensus among Thai, Burmese and Cambodian malaria officials and partners on strategic approaches for cross-border collaboration, including; the review of planned interventions among vulnerable populations, especially highly…

USAID Brings Information Technology to Teachers in Rural Laos

The ASEAN-U.S. Technical Assistance and Training Facility (TATF) supported training for 20 Lao English and science teachers. The project collaborated with the Lao Ministry of Education and Sports (MOE) to help rural teachers use information technology in the classroom.  Most had never even touched a computer, but all learned to email, access educational materials and…

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…