Angelina Jolie purchased 60,000 hectares of land in Cambodia that had been heavily impacted by illegal logging and poaching and transformed it into a protected wildlife reserve. The project helped safeguard species like Asian black bears, elephants, and Indochinese tigers that were nearing collapse in the region. She named it the Maddox Jolie Project, after her adopted Cambodian son.
What truly set this effort apart was how she approached the local community. Instead of displacing people living on the land, Jolie employed many former poachers as rangers—providing steady work, income, and a new role in protecting the animals they once hunted.
The initiative went on to support more than 6,000 villagers and employed 72 staff members across ten communities, all funded personally by Jolie.
In recognition of her contributions, King Norodom Sihamoni granted her Cambodian citizenship—an acknowledgment of the lasting impact of her conservation work. 
