VOLUNTEERS
This is the main way we bring skills and expertise into most of our work. We welcome both short termand long term volunteers, some people are with us for months and others may only do one week. One week is our minimum period.
What can you expect when you arrive?
Cambodia has only recently emerged from a terrible past. The Khmer Rouge genocide period followed by 20 years of civil war. The country remains one of the poorest in the world and social indicators are amongst the worst in the region. The United Nations Development Program's 2002 Human Development Index ranks Cambodia 130th among 162 countries in terms of quality of life. Therefore Cambodia is a very poor country with little infrastructure. Sometimes we work in remote rural areas with no mains electricity or running water. Most of our present work is at Osborne House so facilities are modern but if you arrive when we are doing a rural project you may be working in basic conditions with no modern conveniences. It will be very hot and dusty during the dry season (November to April) and very hot and muddy during the wet season (May to October). Projects can be up to an hours travel time from Siem Reap.
We ask all our volunteers to help us with our present and future work by making a donation. The sum you pay includes your accommodation with breakfast as well as support and emergency assistance from our staff while you are in Cambodia. Details of the donation levels are listed below:
| Duration |
US Dollar |
| 1 Week |
$20 |
| 2 Weeks |
$30 |
| 3 Weeks |
$40 |
| 4 Weeks |
$50 |
| 8 Weeks |
$80 |
| 16 Weeks |
$140 |
When you volunteer you are making a serious commitment and will be a role model to both the children and the Khmer staff. There are a few simple rules we need you to follow:
a. Please wear modest clothing nothing skimpy. Particularly women. Khmer culture is very conservative in the way women dress. Men should always wear a shirt whilst teaching.
b. Remember you are a role model. The Khmer people will look up to you. The ‘teacher’ is greatly respected. Set a good example at all times in the way your dress, behaviour and time keeping
c. No smoking in class or in meetings.
d. Please stick to your booked dates and commit to working the agreed hours every day. We plan our work and sometimes turn people away because we are full. If you take time off this disrupts our work and it would have been better for us to have offered your place to someone else.
