Adventures
Volunteer in a Cambodian Orphanage
Sponsors
Overview of the Project
UNICEF estimates that there are about 100,000 orphans in Cambodia . Furthermore, many poor families are not able to bring up their children properly and send them to an orphanage. Cambodian Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have set up orphanages in the capital, Phnom Penh , and the provinces, to provide the orphans with a homely and secure environment, with access to education, vocational training and health care.
KindHeart LionHeart Adventures cooperates with five orphanages in Phnom Penh and two Cambodian provinces. The children living with the organizations are between 1 and 18 years old, and their parents having died as a result of either poverty or AIDS. Furthermore, many of the children have been affected by sexual exploitation, trafficking or kidnapping. In the orphanages the children have found a safe and secure home environment.
Although some orphanages receive funds from international donors, many have no financial support at all. Most staff members are local volunteers who receive no salary. The orphanages usually spend around US$5 per day for food, and struggle to cover daily living expenses. Most of them lack the appropriate staff members to enable the children to develop in a suitable manner.
Role of a Volunteer
As a volunteer in Cambodia , you will help the children to build their confidence and hope in life. Depending on the volunteer's skills and interests he/she will support the children with any of the following activities:
• Teaching English in the morning or in the afternoon for 3-4 hours a day
• Helping the children to do their homework and make sure that they do it
completely
• Singing and learning songs with the kids
• Helping the children to learn the traditional Khmer dance or teaching them a dance from your own country
• Drawing pictures and playing games
• Playing music or any instrument
• Helping the children with personal hygiene
• Helping the children to clean their rooms and prepare daily meals
• Teaching kids to plant fruits and vegetables in the garden
• Support and capacity building for the staff of the orphans' centers is also highly appreciated. They need help in the following areas:
• Improving the centre's facilities and building (painting, renovating etc.)
• Developing fruit and vegetable cultivation
• Improving hygiene and basic medical care
• Strengthening the center's organizational capacity and fundraising skills
Skills/Qualifications Requirements
A special qualification is not necessary. However, experience in teaching, nursing, construction, gardening or organizational skills are all highly appreciated. The volunteer should be at least 20 years old.
To safeguard the physical and mental well being of the children the volunteer must learn about the 'UN convention on child rights' and must sign the 'Code of Conduct' of the orphanage they are placed in.
Room/Food/Supervision
The volunteer may live with a host family during volunteering. The families are very friendly and hospitable and look forward to learn more about the volunteer's culture and country. They offer clean but simple accommodation with a separate room, shared bathroom with cold water and a fan. While they have breakfast in small restaurants or at work, they serve Cambodian food for lunch and dinner. Some volunteers have lunch at the orphanage. In the case of the volunteer having special eating requirements (e.g. as a vegetarian or vegan), we would recommend staying in a guest house, as meat is the basis of most Cambodian food.
Our cooperation partner will welcome the volunteer at the airport and introduce him/her to the host family and the host organization. A welcome dinner will help the volunteer to get his/her bearings and to meet other volunteers. During the whole stay the volunteer will have a contact person and an emergency number that is available 24 hours a day. Furthermore, the contact person will visit the volunteer every two weeks as part of the program.
Location Descriptions
The orphanages in Phnom Penh are located in the periphery of the city. The distance to the centre is a maximum of half an hour by motorbike taxi (it is advisable to wear a helmet!). Phnom Penh is a charming, rapidly developing city situated at the confluence of three great rivers: the Mekong, Tonle Sap and Bassac. The town offers many tourist attractions such as the Royal Palace , Wat Phnom, National Museum , and Toul Sleng Genocide Museum , and is a perfect starting point for daily or weekend trips to the provinces and the coast. Phnom Penh has a wide range of restaurants (all nationalities), markets, internet cafés and a lot of areas away from the tourist trail.
The volunteer to Cambodia should take some time to visit the main attractions in the country, above all the majestic temples of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap province, and the beautiful coconut beaches of Sihanoukville. For a trip a minimum of 3 or 4 days should be planned (It is possible to take the Friday off!).
The orphanages in Pursat and Kampot are in the province capitals. Both of these quiet and medium sized cities are situated by a river, and small restaurants invite the volunteers to enjoy sunset on the riverside. Kampot offers basic tourist facilities such as internet cafés and travel agencies. In Pursat it is the pleasure of the local people to show the volunteer around and to give the volunteer an idea of country life in Cambodia . At long weekends the volunteer has the opportunity to discover the country. It is a half day trip from Pursat to the temples of Angkor Wat and the Tonle Sap . Kampot is close to the beautiful beaches and islands in the gulf of Thailand .
A typical day as a Volunteer in Cambodian Orphanage
7.00 am: Wake up and take breakfast in a small restaurant
7.30 am: Transfer to the organization by motorbike taxi
8.00 am: The volunteer helps the children with personal hygiene and clean the center
9.00 -11.30 am: While one group of children goes to school, the volunteer
teaches English, sings, dances, draws, paints or plays games
with the kids who stay in the center
11.30 am: Lunch together with the kids
12.00 - 14.00 pm: Lunch break. The volunteer can also take a nap in the orphanage
14.00 - 17.00 pm: The second group of children goes to school. The volunteer takes another class with the kids or supports the staff with organizational work, gardening or construction
17.00 pm: Transfer back by motorbike taxi to the host family's house. Dinner with the host family
Remarks: This itinerary gives a generic picture of daily life but it varies from orphanage to orphanage (as we work with many orphanages), season, and climate. This itinerary has been prepared to give a general idea to our volunteers on what to expect in an orphanage project
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