In April 2026, two significant milestones anchored the SEA Grantees’ progress. In Cambodia, SAMAKY Organization and Khmer Ocean Life (KOL) inaugurated the Kampot Dolphin Visitor Center, the country’s first community-run ecotourism hub dedicated to the Irrawaddy dolphin. Meanwhile, in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, the Women4Mangrove (W4M) network opened a community house in the heart of the forests they have protected for years.
These events were not just a ceremony. Since its launch in late 2025, the GEF/UNEP/UNOPS SCS SAP SEA Grants program has been testing a vital theory: can a modest investment of USD 50,000 drive lasting regional impact? These launches and the progress reported by SEA Grantees at the midpoint meeting in March 2026 point to a resounding "yes."
Beyond the visitor centers
The Kampot Dolphin Visitor Center is Cambodia's first community-run dolphin ecotourism facility. It will serve both as an education hub and the departure point for guided dolphin-watching tours on the Kampot coast.
The inauguration of the Kampot Dolphin Center on 3 April 2026 was a celebration that convened officers of the Kampot Provincial Fisheries Administration, and members of the Changhaun and Trapaeng Ropov fishing communities under one roof.
Photo: Khmer Ocean Life.
The midpoint numbers are promising: 15 outreach lessons in schools, weekly English lessons for community ecotour guides, four coastal cleanups, 23 ecotours, and USD 1,455 in profit. Every dollar is being tracked. The profit-sharing and reinvestment framework is still being finalized, but the principle is already operating: the revenue is equally split to fund community development and ongoing conservation.
The W4M Community House in Cu Lao Dung, officially opened on 15 April 2026 by the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), works on similar logic. Its launch, attended by local government officials, school groups, farmers' and women's unions, and ecotourism operators from Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City, focused immediately on function — nursery visits, mangrove planting, nature-based experiential learning and hands-on training for local tour guides. W4M links mangrove conservation with women's economic empowerment on Cu Lao Dung Island, Vietnam, using community-based eco-tourism and sustainable harvesting as its primary tools.
In a striking display of local commitment, the Cu Lao Dung Entrepreneur Club funded 78% of the construction costs. This local investment proves the project’s credibility; it isn't just a grant-funded activity, but a community-owned asset.
The Women4Mangrove Nursery Center and Community House on Cù Lao Dung opens its doors as a working space where locals and visitors learn about mangrove ecosystems, join replanting activities, and try making nature-based products from mangroves.
Photo: Women4Mangrove.
Paradigm shift: One of many early successes
While famous for inhabiting the Mekong River, a distinct Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) population survives along Cambodia’s four coastal provinces, including Kampot. Dams and development have now completely separated the coastal and riverine groups, making the conservation of each population independent and urgent.
"Once people in Cambodia are aware and know of this special species, they are so engaged and really want to help protect it. It is the local people themselves that give me hope that they will be the stewards and the protectors of the species."
Rose Ellis Arnett Project Co-Lead, Khmer Ocean Life
A decade ago, fishers lacked protocols for dolphins accidentally caught in nets. Some were eaten, while others were bycaught by fishing vessels. In many coastal villages, the younger generation had never even heard the word ‘psaot kbal trolok’ which is the common local term for Irrawaddy dolphins or ‘dolphin with no beak’.
Today, through the efforts of SAMAKY and KOL, fishers have learned the importance of releasing dolphins accidentally caught. This stewardship now extends to the wider ecosystem. For instance, community members now leave spawning crabs undisturbed among mangrove roots. They have embraced the "logic of nature", wherein protecting reproduction today prevents the depletion of catch and income tomorrow — a principle they now champion to neighbors and tourists alike.
These shifts in Kampot represent a very profound impact of SEA Grants: a transformation in how communities perceive and interact with their environment. This proves that when conservation is tied to the wellbeing of people, the community naturally becomes the most dedicated steward of the ecosystem.
Regional progress at every tide
While Cambodia and Vietnam celebrate new centers, other grantees are clearing vital milestones.
China: In Tonghai Village, the Lingshui Pioneer Community Development Center (PCDC) — which is building a community-run coastal ecotourism enterprise — formed a management committee and a youth volunteer communications team trained in digital marketing. A community finance model and ecotourism mini-program are 90% complete. To address a lack of existing resources, the team developed a custom ecoguide curriculum, with full certification for local guides on track for May 2026.
Indonesia: Yayasan WeBe — working to protect coral reefs and mangroves in Kendawangan through community-led marine patrols and blue economy livelihoods — deployed the LILA reporting application to support those patrols. The project has drawn co-investment from the West Kalimantan provincial government — IDR 100 million for lobster aquaculture and IDR 180 million for a marine park — reducing dependence on grant funding sooner than expected.
Malaysia: Reef Check Malaysia — training a new generation of community marine conservation leaders on the East Coast — has certified 12 young community members in coral restoration and ghost net removal on Redang and Tioman islands. An "Adopt a Coral" fundraising program is attracting donations, and two projects have been approved under Malaysia's Ecological Fiscal Transfer scheme — a government mechanism that could sustain the work past the grant period.
Philippines: SeedCore — introducing climate-resilient seaweed farming to coastal communities in Taytay, Palawan — enrolled 120 farmer-beneficiaries across three communities, providing starter kits and training on cultivation techniques. Two peer-to-peer model farms now demonstrate best practices, while the team works with the local government to legally register a farmer cooperative to manage future profit-sharing and market access.
Thailand: Pacific Environment — working to formally designate co-managed marine protected areas across Trat Province — completed ecological surveys across six underwater pinnacle sites, assessing coral health, fish populations, and water quality. Socio-economic surveys of local communities are underway. The data will support the designation of four protected areas covering 52 hectares of reef — habitat for whale sharks and a range of threatened reef species.
Lessons from the ground
The March 2026 reconnect webinar provided a platform for SEA Grantees to share candid, instructive challenges that moved beyond simple achievements. These lessons from the ground offer a realistic blueprint for community-based as also for transboundary conservation:
Community rhythms vs. workplans: Coordination often exceeds planned timelines because fishing communities operate on the cycles of seasons, tides, and family duties. In Kampot, success required a level of flexibility that traditional linear project schedules rarely accommodate.
Navigating bureaucracy: Administrative hurdles, such as legal registration and tax requirements, frequently delay early-stage implementation. Yayasan WeBe addressed this by inviting the national Tax Office to serve as a mentor and collaborating with village governments to streamline processes.
Environmental and global factors: Unpredictable weather, such as Malaysia's intense 2025–2026 monsoon, can delay field training by weeks. Additionally, the Kampot team noted that both adverse weather and regional geopolitical instability can dampen tourism numbers.
The financial case for nature: While coastal communities understand ecological interdependence, conservation gains support fastest when tied to income. Projects linking protection directly to livelihoods achieved significantly deeper and faster community buy-in.
Government as a multiplier: Effective state involvement accelerates impact rather than adding bureaucracy. In Cambodia, monthly reporting to the Fisheries Administration has facilitated joint patrols and the use of Vessel Monitoring Systems, backed by the 2025 Fisheries Law’s protections for endangered species.
"Dolphins in Kampot are a source of pride for us. They are rare, and their presence draws tourists to the province. We encourage fishers to join conservation, and we work with local authorities and partners to strengthen the dolphins' protection."
Tum Sopheap, Deputy Head Kampot Provincial Fisheries Administration
Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) in the waters off Kampot, Cambodia. Once connected to their Mekong River relatives, this coastal population is now isolated — and one of the few remaining along Cambodia's four coastal provinces.
Drone shot: Kampot Ocean Life.
The road ahead
An in-person SEA Grants showcase, back-to-back with the SCS SAP’s 4th Project Steering Committee (PSC) Meeting, is being organized for June 2026 in Hainan, PR China. The focus remains on sustainability moving forward. SEA Grants will eventually conclude, but the infrastructure they have built—the patrol apps, the resilient seaweed strains, the community houses, and the trained local leaders—is designed to keep running long after the final report is submitted.
The Khmer Ocean Life team with students at a Kampot primary school following an hour-long interactive lesson on marine habitats and species. School outreach is part of the Kampot Dolphin Ecotourism project, supported by the GEF/UNEP/UNOPS SCS SAP Project through SEA Grants.
Photo: K. Gudczinski/SCS SAP.
About the SCS SAP
Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) are productive ocean areas near continents, crucial for both the environment and coastal economies. Because LMEs face threats like pollution, habitat loss, and overfishing, they require transboundary cooperation. The "Implementing the Strategic Action Programme for the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand" (GEF/UNEP/UNOPS SCS SAP Project) addresses these challenges in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand LMEs. Funded by the GEF and implemented by UNEP, the project unites six countries, namely Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Philippines,Thailandand Viet Nam, to promote sustainable management. With UNOPS support, SCS SAP helps these countries achieve the Strategic Action Programme (SAP) goals through regional and national actions. This aims to maintain healthy, productive, and resilient LMEs.
For more information,contact the Senior Project Manager, Anders Poulsen (andersp@unops.org), and visit the project website (www.scssap.org).
Words by Khristine Custodio Gudczinski.