Participants engage in BBC Media Action's Khlahan9 outreach initiative in Kampong Cham province. Khlahan9
BBC Media Action, a British charity, hosted the "Impact Insights Forum: Innovative Multimedia for Youth Participation" to celebrate the achievements of their Klahan9 SPACE project and mark two significant anniversaries: 25 years of global impact and 21 years of dedicated service in Cambodia.
Klahan9 SPACE is a youth-focused initiative designed to foster civic participation and empower young Cambodians. It combines BBC Media Action’s expertise in media and communication with the community outreach capabilities of local partner NGOs, according to their press release.
One participant from Takeo province shared her experience, stating, "I was not interested in sending my daughter to community meetings thinking she was too young. After watching the Klahan9 programme, however, I encouraged her to join the meetings. She has attended twice already."
Since its launch in May 2021, the project has reached over 2.4 million Cambodians through engaging media content and interactive community activities.
Surveys revealed that individuals exposed to the project were more likely to engage in civic life. The initiative also addresses negative generational and gender norms, promoting greater trust and collaboration between young people and elders, according to the release.
The project’s four pillars – media production, support and training, community outreach and research – were recognised for their innovative approach. An independent evaluation highlighted the project as a unique and effective model for strengthening youth civic engagement.
The forum underscored BBC Media Action’s commitment to empowering communities through creative communication. Since 2003, its campaigns in Cambodia have addressed development issues like climate change, reproductive health and youth empowerment through entertaining and informative multimedia initiatives such as Loy9, Love9 and Klahan9.
“We are proud to celebrate this milestone and look forward to continuing our work to promote youth participation and civic engagement in Cambodia,” said BBC Media Action media support and training manager Mam Vibol.
