Clarios Foundation and UNICEF: Partnering to Change Children’s Lives in Cambodia

On a recent visit to Cambodia with UNICEF, Clarios Foundation president Alexis MacDowall and team members Cici Liu, and Jonathon Moser saw firsthand the advancements achieved through this collaboration focusing on UNICEF’s Healthy Environments for Healthy Children program,  which works to mobilize international action to protect child health and development from the impact of climate change and environmental degradation.   

“Every child has the right to a healthy environment, and we all have a role to play,” said Alexis. “I’m honored to have met the many people who are making positive change in Cambodia.” 

Healthy Environments for Healthy Children program  

Since 2020, the Clarios Foundation has been a key partner of UNICEF’s Healthy Environments for Healthy Children (HEHC) program. The HEHC program is making great strides towards its goal of protecting 171 million children under 5 years of age from environmental degradation and climate change across three regions and 14 countries, including Cambodia. 

This partnership has already enabled Cambodia to make remarkable progress in mitigating environmental health risks for children. In the past two years, the country has significantly improved policies and healthcare systems. To date, the Clarios Foundation partnership has committed over $36 million globally to enable UNICEF to reach 10 million caregivers, train and facilitate training of more than 10,000 health workers, engage nearly 3,000 youth, and support seven countries to integrate children’s environmental health into their health policies and primary healthcare.  

Clarios Foundation Visit to Cambodia 

During the visit to Cambodia, the UNICEF team showcased the advancements achieved through the partnership with the Clarios Foundation. The team met with health care workers and policymakers and saw firsthand the strides made in improving children's environmental health.  

“I’ve always been proud to partner with UNICEF, but this experience opened my eyes to just how well-respected and appreciated UNICEF is in the region,” said Alexis MacDowell. “It was one of the most impactful trips of my life.” 

During the visit, the Clarios Foundation team visited several communities where the HEHC program has been implemented, including the Boeng Tranh Health Center in Takeo province. 

At the Boeng Tranh Health Center, staff have received training on lead poisoning prevention and other crucial environmental health measures. The team also visited nearby households to observe traditional indoor cooking methods, water management practices, and discuss these with families and children who have benefitted from HEHC program. In both rural and urban communities, the team connected with families to understand how the places where children live, eat, and sleep directly affect their health. 

The team also visited Kirivong District Hospital, home to a newly established newborn care unit equipped with oxygen support. The hospital has significantly improved its water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities—including solar and water sanitation systems—focused on providing quality care for conditions like respiratory illnesses. 

“The families we met were amazing—so kind and generous,” Alexis said. “And you could see just how committed the doctors and nurses were to their work and helping their communities.”  

Additionally, the team spoke with government officials and the Ministers of Environment and Health as they work to implement health policies across Cambodia. A true highlight of the week was hearing from young climate activists, whose powerful message was clear: Invest in youth voices.  

“Our meeting with a dynamic group of young climate activists left us deeply inspired. Their energy and passion for driving positive environmental change were contagious, Alexis said. 

The Clarios team was also honored and recognized at the launch of the Children’s Environmental Health Assessment (CEH), a report that was created in partnership with the Ministry of Health. The CEH is a comprehensive report that provides an overview on the current state of children's environmental health in Cambodia. It highlights the major environmental health risks that children face: exposure to air pollution, water and food contamination, heat stress, toxic heavy metals, pesticides, and other hazardous waste, which are exacerbated by climate change.  130 officials from relevant ministries and stakeholders in Cambodia attended launch, committing to environmental health for futures to come. 
 

UNICEF and Clarios Foundation: A Continuing Partnership

The journey to Cambodia offered a unique opportunity see firsthand the progress UNICEF and Clarios Foundation have made through the HEHC program. From meeting with policymakers, to boots-on-the-ground health care workers, to engaging with families and young activists, the team witnessed the positive impact of the HEHC program. The visit reaffirmed the importance of long-term partnerships like that between UNICEF and Clarios, in addressing the urgent health challenges posed by environmental and climate risks worldwide. It also deeply reinforced the Clarios Foundation’s mission: to ensure every child, everywhere, can live, learn, and thrive on a healthier planet.