An intimate interview with Camille, founder and director of Anoulak, for “World of Women”

A few weeks ago, Association Anoulak’s founder and director, Ms. Camille Coudrat sat down with two ladies representing the association “World of Women” for intimate interview. World of Women is a digital media portraying women with atypical careers. Its aim is to bring new role models to the new generation of women, by sharing the stories of women all around the world who have gone out the beaten track.

Here is a summary of her interview in English:

Camille Coudrat, a Frenchwoman living in Laos for a decade, is truly passionate about biodiversity. Founder of Association Anoulak, she is fully involved in the conservation of wildlife in Laos. In an interview for the “World of Women” association, she shares her journey, her childhood dreams, her inspirations and her hopes for the future.

From a young age, Camille already nurtured the desire to work with animals. She first aspired to become a veterinarian, but finally chose to study conservation biology. Her admiration for Jane Goodall, a famous primatologist, reinforced her passion for primates, in particular chimpanzees, which she dreamed of studying, thus following in the footsteps of her model.

Over time, Camille made her way by first studying general biology, later specializing in biodiversity conservation. However, her goal of studying primates in Africa took an unexpected turn when she discovered the species of “Red-shanked Douc” in Asia. This endangered species touched her deeply and was the starting point of her commitment to Laos, where she eventually obtained a doctorate studying the biodiversity of the Annamite mountain range, along the Lao-Vietnamese border.

When asked what motivated her career choices, Camille first cites her role models, inspiring women like Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey, who followed their dreams with determination and independence. Finding out about of the “Douc” in Laos was a revelation and pushed her to devote her efforts to the protection of this endangered species. But Camille also that the woman who inspired her is her mum. Her parent have always supported her to follow her choices and passion, which she is truly grateful for.

Camille’s greatest pride lies in the foundation of her association, Association Anoulak. However, what makes her particularly proud is to form and support a Lao team. Camille’s ambition is to train and inspire the new generation of Lao people to protect the environment and the biodiversity of their country. Camille has trained her in the various field techniques and offers them scholarships to continue their studies, thus enabling them to become future actors in conservation.

To finance her projects, Camille benefits from the support of many international donors. She devotes a large part of her time to seeking funding for each project she aims to develop.

When it comes to the impact of being a woman in a predominantly male field, Camille doesn’t see her gender as a barrier. She points out that she has been supported by both men and women throughout her career. According to her, the differences in sensibilities she brings as a woman have helped shape her association.

Finally, her wishes for the future are clear: she hopes that the Lao people themselves will be the guardians of biodiversity and nature in the long term. Her ultimate goal is to serve Laos and leave a lasting legacy by nurturing a new generation of conservation enthusiasts.

The interview with Camille Coudrat testifies to the strength of her determination and her will to preserve the biodiversity of Laos while investing in the future of the country through the training of the new generation of environmental defenders. An inspiring story that shows how childhood dreams can shape exceptional life journeys.

Interview (in French with English subtitles):