WeWorld-GVC conducted field visits and studied the impact of climate change on the communities. In Siem Reap the NGO teamed up with Swiss filmmaker Roman Giger. In the short-film “Waiting for Rain” Giger depicts the plight of communities living on the banks of the Tonle Sap lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. 

The lake depends heavily on the yearly monsoon rains and the reversal of the course of the Tonle Sap river, which floods it with water from the Mekong. Thanks to this, the lake’s volume varies considerably over the course of the year. At the peak of the rainy season, in late September and October it expands 10-fold and initiates a seasonal migration of fish and human settlements who depend on it.

In recent years, the lake and its surrounding ecosystems have come increasingly under pressure from deforestation, infrastructure development and climate change which are impacting the natural way of life on the lake.

Chem Oeurn and his family have always lived on the lake. The fisherman notices the impact of climate change on his surroundings. “The weather changes and the forests are disappearing. Because we don’t have enough water, fish won’t breed and spawn eggs.” – he explains. 

Of late it has become increasingly difficult to feed his family and he seeks alternatives to fishing. “Sometimes we have to buy fish from the market.” Members of the family regularly migrate to Thailand or to other provinces. They tried to diversify by starting a small chili farm. However, this year, due to the prolonged drought they managed to harvest very little. At the same time, migration is not a feasible option due to COVID-19 pandemic.