Teachers and students from six schools in Kandal Province received 5,670 high-quality helmets during a ceremony held at Sdao Kanleang Primary School on December 24th. Community members and schools are engaged together to promote local support for child helmet use. The helmet donation was organized by AIP Foundation as part of the “Head Safe. Helmet On.” project with the support of USAID’s Development Innovation Ventures (USAID-DIV) and others.

The ceremony was attended by approximately 2,000 students and stakeholders, including His Excellency General Yun Chhunny, Deputy Commissioner General of National Police, H.E Poeu Maly, Secretary General of the National Road Safety Committee (NRSC), H.E Cheav Tay, Deputy Governor of Kandal Province, and other distinguished guests.

In addition to students and teachers, the “Head Safe. Helmet On.” Project will be extended to other vulnerable community members. Cambodia’s farmers are involved in more road crashes and suffer more fatalities and injuries than any other group. In Kandal Province, farming and fishing are the two main industries and, thus, farmers constitute a large percentage of the province’s residents.

AIP Foundation is also educating teachers, students, and community members about the importance of helmet use. AIP Foundation is part of a coalition in support of the new Road Traffic Law, passed by the National Assembly on December 5. The new Road Traffic Law, which will be enacted in 2015, requires all passengers—including children—to wear helmets when on motorcycles.

Read the press release and check out the photos!