KAMPONG SPEU & KANDAL Provinces, Cambodia - March 31, 2016

AIP Foundation, in cooperation with target district authorities, organized its fourth series of commune-wide meetings to discuss the successes and challenges of implementing the Head Safe. Helmet On.(HSHO) project in Kampong Speu amd Kandal Provinces. The meetings gathered 135 participants, among them various district authorities, commune road safety working group members, and media representatives from Samrong Tong and Chbamorn Districts in Kampong Speu Province and from Kien Svay District in Kandal Province. The meetings were covered by two local television channels, Bayon TV and Hang Meas.

In the past two years of HSHO project implementation, the commune road safety working groups have faced certain challenges in successfully promoting helmet use among passengers in their communes. These challenges have led to the following lessons learned, which will in turn be used in the following cycle of the program: (1) more cooperation is needed with the district traffic police for effective and stringent enforcement; (2) increased awareness can be achieved through village forums and meetings; (3) partners would benefit from additional educational and communications materials; (4) strict adherence to fining non-helmeted passengers is key; (5) and advocating to provincial and district road safety committees will ensure effective enforcement and implementation of the planned actions.