News and Events

May 10, 2012 – Phnom Penh

On the anniversary of the United Nations’ Decade of Action for Road Safety launch, ARRB Group is sponsoring a helmet donation to 800 students and 28 teachers of Phnom Dil Primary School. The donation is part of a program called Helmets for Kids which is being implemented by the non-profit Asia Injury Prevention (AIP) Foundation. The program is supported by the National Road Safety Committee alongside other Cambodian ministries concerned with road safety.

Cambodian law currently does not require motorcycle passengers to wear helmets when they ride behind a driver, and this leaves children particularly vulnerable to the road’s dangers. “In Cambodia, road traffic crashes lead to around 1,895 deaths in 2011, and many of these victims are children,” said Brigadier General Kim Yideth, Deputy Director of Order Department, Ministry of Interior. “It is unacceptable that children be riding without helmets when this can more than halve their chance of being severely injured in a crash.”

Phnom Dil Primary School is located in Kampong Cham Province, along National Road 6. Proximity to this road creates a dangerous environment for the students because motorcycles, cars, buses, and trucks travel along the road at high frequency and speed.

“Helmet observations revealed that virtually none of the children at this school wear helmets when they are driven to school,” said Pagna Kim, AIP Foundation Country Director. “This is an extremely dangerous scenario. The Decade of Action for Road Safety is a time for us to focus on reversing this trend, through projects such as Helmets for Kids. By providing primary school students and teachers with free helmets and training teachers and parents in helmet use education, we are working toward our Decade’s goal of putting a helmet on every head by 2020”.

ARRB Group is one of Australia’s most trusted advisors regarding road safety technical input, and, this May, they are sponsoring Helmets for Kids. “Our specialty is examining road and transport issues, so we are very aware of the dangers that emerge from them,” said Mrs. Noha Elazar, Senior Engineer of ARRB Group Ltd. “Our visit to Cambodia will be an opportunity for us to review existing schools environments and assess guidelines for improvement. Decreasing the rates of injuries and fatalities due to road traffic crashes is one of our primary concerns, and this helmet donation is a great way for us to further this goal.”

The helmets were handed over to the students at a ceremony attended by 200 people, including parents, local authorities, and partners. “We are firm supporters of this project and are happy to see it being kicked off on the anniversary of the UN Decade of Action’s original launch in May 2011,” said H.E Mr. Peou Maly, Deputy Secretary General of the National Road Safety Committee who chaired the ceremony. “This is symbolic of the many initiatives the Cambodian government has been supporting in the past few years to keep people safer on the road. Helmets are simple, affordable, and should be worn by everyone.”

ARRB Group’s sponsorship also includes extracurricular activities and communication with students’ parents to reinforce their understanding of helmets’ uses and encourage them to put helmets on their children.

For Media Contact

Chloé Denavit

Communications Coordinator

AIP Foundation

18bis/21 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, District 1

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Tel: 08-6299-1409 Ext. 113

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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About AIP Foundation

The Asia Injury Prevention Foundation (AIP Foundation) is a U.S. registered 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that uses public-private partnerships, public awareness education, and school-based programs to reduce the rate of traffic injuries and fatalities in developing countries. AIP Foundation has offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Bangkok, Thailand. In 2001, AIP Foundation built its non-profit helmet assembly plant, V-SPEC, which manufactures Protec brand tropical helmets. These helmets offer an environmentally appropriate, safe and affordable option for motorbike and bicycle users.

In 2009, AIP Foundation, in collaboration with the FIA Foundation and the World Bank, launched the Global Helmet Vaccine Initiative (GHVI), an international coalition with the objective of “putting a helmet on every head in the ‘Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020).” In May 2010, H.E Mr. Im Sethy, Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, High Representative of Deputy Prime Minister H.E Mr. Sar Kheng, Minister of Interior launched the Cambodia Helmet Vaccine Initiative (CHVI) in Phnom Penh.

April 28, 2012 – Phnom Penh

Motorcyclists rode from Phnom Penh to Takeo Province this week with Go4 Charity Ride, to celebrate the event organizers’ donation of 475 helmets to primary school students of Prey Sandek School. Last February, these riders rode from Bangkok to Phnom Penh and donated the ride’s proceeds to non-profit AIP Foundation’s Helmets for Kids program. The ceremony at Prey Sandek Primary School on April 28^th featured the helmet handover to the students as well as the launch of the program’s educational components.

In 2010, 1,816 people died in road traffic crashes on Cambodia’s roads. To protect road users, Cambodian law requires adults to wear helmets anytime they drive a motorcycle. However, the law leaves out a major demographic of motorcycle riders: passengers. With no requirements in place, many passengers – including vulnerable children – consistently ride motorcycles without wearing a helmet, putting themselves at great risk of death or permanent brain trauma.

“Go4 Charity Ride’s donation enabled us not only to give helmets to children, but also to educate them as to why helmets are necessary, how to wear them, and how to take care of them properly,” said Kim Pagna, AIP Foundation’s Cambodia Country Director. “We trained 25 school teachers to be able to deliver this information to their classrooms, and the school gates were painted with road safety messages for parents’ viewing.”

Located along the busy National Road 2 which leads to the Vietnamese border, the students of Prey Sandek School risk their lives daily to get to school. To keep students’ motivation to wear helmets high year-round, road safety themed activities will also be conducted periodically outside of the classrooms, such as essay writing,​ and drawing contests.

“I have learned that many young people die in road accidents,” said Tommy Christensen, Go4 Charity Ride event organizer and partner in Go4 Bunker (Cambodia) Co., Ltd. “Go4 Intelligent Bunkering Solutions strongly feel that we need to help make a difference. Our Go4 Charity Ride which provided helmets and education to save lives was our first step in contributing to this battle.”

“Many deaths and serious injuries on Cambodia's roads are preventable,” said Maersk (Cambodia) Ltd’s Country Manager, Ben Wilson. “Maersk Line and Damco Cambodia are very pleased to be able to contribute towards this project to help safeguard Cambodian children.”

“The public-private partnership which resulted in this donation is admirable,” said Mr. David Simister, Chairman of CB Richard Ellis (Thailand-Cambodia) Co., Ltd. “Attending this ceremony really highlighted how important these helmets will be for these children’s lives, and our company is very pleased to have contributed.”

“This is the second year that we are implementing activities under the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020),” said Brigadier General Mr. Kim Yideth, Deputy Secretary General of the National Road Safety Committee. “Our government is proud to be supporting the donation of helmets and education to children, and plans to continue in the years to come.”

“I would like to encourage the teachers and parents to act as role models to their students and children.” said H.E. Mr. Lay Vannak, Deputy Governor of Takeo province. “You can do this by always wearing your helmet and obeying traffic laws. Your example will help protect children on the road.” “We do not want to see our loved ones injured, disabled or killed because of a traffic accident. Our loved ones can become innocent victims in a split second as a result of the careless act of traveling without wearing a helmet.”

The helmet handover ceremony attracted attendees from the sponsor organizations, as well as the Deputy Governor of Takeo Province, representatives of the NRSC, and members of the national traffic police. Private sector company representatives were also invited.

For Media Contact

Chloé Denavit

Communications Coordinator

AIP Foundation

18bis/21 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, District 1

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Tel: 08-6299-1409 Ext. 113

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

About AIP Foundation

The Asia Injury Prevention Foundation (AIP Foundation) is a U.S. registered 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that uses public-private partnerships, public awareness education, and school-based programs to reduce the rate of traffic injuries and fatalities in developing countries. AIP Foundation has offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Bangkok, Thailand. In 2001, AIP Foundation built its non-profit helmet assembly plant, V-SPEC, which manufactures Protec brand tropical helmets. These helmets offer an environmentally appropriate, safe and affordable option for motorbike and bicycle users.

In 2009, AIP Foundation, in collaboration with the FIA Foundation and the World Bank, launched the Global Helmet Vaccine Initiative (GHVI), an international coalition with the objective of “putting a helmet on every head in the ‘Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020).” In May 2010, H.E Mr. Im Sethy, Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, High Representative of Deputy Prime Minister H.E Mr. Sar Kheng, Minister of Interior launched the Cambodia Helmet Vaccine Initiative (CHVI) in Phnom Penh.

About Go4 Charity Ride 

In support of the Helmets for Kids program in Cambodia, Danish Ambassador H.E Mikael Hemniti Winther led the Go4 Charity Riders from Bangkok to Phnom Penh. The ride run from February 15 to 19, 2012 and covered approximately 650 km from Bangkok to Phnom Penh. The ride from Bangkok to Phnom Penh was over two days, with one night in Battambang province. The ride concluded at the Hotel Cambodiana in Phnom Penh on the afternoon of February 18, 2012.  

Sponsors of Go4 Charity Ride, among others, include:

1. Go4 Bunker (Cambodia) Co., Ltd (www.go4bunkering.com)
2. CBRE Cambodia (www.cbre.co.th)
3. Maersk Line Cambodia (www.maersk.com)
4. DAMCO Cambodia (www.damco.com\

March 29, 2012 – Phnom Penh

Cambodia’s National Road Safety Week is April 7^th to 14^th, and the road safety focused Asia Injury Prevention (AIP) Foundation is running a variety of activities in support of the government’s campaign. These activities were kicked off with a helmet donation to 209 students of Hun Sen Chak Angre Primary School on March 29th, part of a Helmets for Kids project being sponsored by the Australian Embassy’s Direct Aid Program.

In a country where 1,816 people died in road traffic crashes in 2010, road safety is a major cause for concern. Motorcycles are one of the most prominent forms of transportation, and they are involved in 72 percent of crashes.

“Research has shown that only 8 percent of motorcycle passengers wear helmets, and this includes our most vulnerable—children,” said Brigadier General Kim Yideth, Deputy Director of the Department of Order, Ministry of Interior. “This National Road Safety Week is the opportunity for Cambodian road safety stakeholders to partner with the government and give their helmet promotion strategies an extra push.”

A roadside awareness campaign is taking place in Kampong Speu and Kampong Chhnang from April 2nd to April 6th. Hundreds of riders without helmets will be stopped along the road, and children will be given free helmets if they are not wearing one. In Kampong Chhnang’s town center, a booth will advertize helmet safety and AIP Foundation staff will conduct question & answer games with visitors. The lucky winners will receive free helmets as well.

At Hun Sen Chak Angre Primary school, these activities were a follow up to the first helmet donation they received in December. “We know that children need to be reminded, and that new behaviors will only be adopted if they are frequently reinforced,” says Pagna Kim, AIP Foundation’s Cambodia Country Director. “For this reason, Helmets for Kids programs include extracurricular activities conducted throughout the school year, to emphasize the safe road behaviors learned previously in the classroom.”

This week, students were asked to practice wearing their helmets correctly, riding a bicycle safety, and crossing the street correctly. A drawing competition and impressive ceremony helped make students excited and motivated to wear their helmets. The Australian Embassy’s Direct Aid Program is also supplying an additional 209 helmets to the school’s kindergarteners and 1^st graders. 

“AIP Foundation and the Australian government’s additional helmet donation was a generous gesture,” said H.E Mr. Poeu Maly, Deputy Secretary General of the National Road Safety Committee. “It demonstrates active involvement with the Cambodian government and our National Road Safety Committee’s work, particularly in the context of the upcoming National Road Safety Week 2012. I call on all road users, including children in this school, to consistently respect road traffic laws. They should bear in mind that their relatives are anxiously waiting for them to arrive home safely.”

AIP Foundation is currently running television and radio spots, in addition to billboards and public events, all promoting helmet use for motorcycle passengers. “Always care. Always wear a helmet.” is the slogan for this campaign being run in collaboration with the National Road Safety Committee and General Commissariat of National Police, Ministry of Interior.

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For Media Contact

Chloé Denavit

Communications Coordinator

AIP Foundation

18bis/21 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, District 1

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Tel: 08-6299-1409 Ext. 113

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 ***

About AIP Foundation

The Asia Injury Prevention Foundation (AIP Foundation) is a U.S. registered 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that uses public-private partnerships, public awareness education, and school-based programs to reduce the rate of traffic injuries and fatalities in developing countries. AIP Foundation has offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Bangkok, Thailand. In 2001, AIP Foundation built its non-profit helmet assembly plant, V-SPEC, which manufactures Protec Tropical Helmets. These helmets offer an environmentally appropriate, safe and affordable option for motorbike and bicycle users.

In 2009, AIP Foundation, in collaboration with the FIA Foundation and the World Bank, launched the Global Helmet Vaccine Initiative (GHVI), an international coalition with the objective of “putting a helmet on every head in the ‘Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020).” In May 2010, H.E Mr. Im Sethy, Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, High Representative of Deputy Prime Minister H.E Mr. Sar Kheng, Minister of Interior launched the Cambodia Helmet Vaccine Initiative (CHVI) in Phnom Penh.

AIP Foundation Cambodian collaborated with the Traffic Police and Department of Order in an innovative new approach to raising awareness around the country: street-based awareness. Traffic police stopped motorcycles whose passengers were not wearing helmets at checkpoints along National Road 2 in Kandal Province. Once stopped, the riders received flyers from the officers, as well as crucial information about the importance of wearing helmets and the upcoming passenger helmet law which is soon to be put into place. This project will be conducted throughout April along several major roads leading from Phnom Penh to outside provinces.