Volunteering at Siem Reap

Hi everyone,

I%26#39;m planning to bring my students (14 - 15 years old) to Siem Reap for community service from 9 June to 13 June next year. The plan is to volunteer at an orphanage, a primary school or the village there. Does anyone have any tips or ideas for me? FYI, this will be our 2nd project.. the first one was done in Indonesia in June this year.

Volunteering at Siem Reap

Our guide Leng Tek took us to a community school for poor children %26amp; orphans called LITTLE ANGELS near the Roulus Group... the kids learn English %26amp; regular subjects (slices of logs are desks) in an open-air pavilion %26amp; learn traditional leather carving... The poor kids are desperate for a few school supplies %26amp; would LOVE to have native English speakers teach English... I did it while I was there.

Tek tells me they%26#39;d LOVE a CD that teaches English, so they can hear English spoken with proper pronunciation. They need rulers, colored pencils, elementary English reading books, CDs or books that teach counting, ABCs, colors, etc., in English.

If you go for a few days, it would be good to bring healthy, nutritious food for the kids (boxes of milk, cereal, fruit, sandwiches with peanut butter, hardboiled eggs).

A crippled boy is desperate for football/soccer knee pads, as he drags himself about when he%26#39;s not in his wheelchair. You can contact Tek at LengTek@yahoo.com to see about volunteering with LITTLE ANGELS. You could spend a couple of days with the kids teaching English, math, encouraging them to stay in school, teaching the girls to put off getting married %26amp; having babies when they are teenagers.

Tabitha is a US/Canadian %26amp; Aussie charity that does home building, well drilling %26amp; community development projects, here%26#39;s

their website:

www.tabithausa.org/

Their Aussie website allows you to donate 2 pigs for $35, a well for a village is $100.

There%26#39;s a children%26#39;s hospital close to Raffles Grand d%26#39;Angkor that needs money (and blood donations) for the kids...

Beatocello and Jayavarman VII Hospital

Here%26#39;s a website with more ideas:

canbypublications.com/cambodia/cambodiavolun鈥?/a>

Since Little Angels is a small school, I know whatever supplies you could donate, they would be grateful. You can air mail them to Tek directly %26amp; he will give them to him. You can email me privately %26amp; I can give you the info. I did this before we visited, to avoid over-loading our suitcases with the 50 toothbrushes %26amp; tubes of toothpaste I brought. In addition to English lessons, I taught the kids how to brush their teeth.

Bring supplies for 45--50 kids, there are about 35 in the class, but many more showed up during my English class. It was a WONDERFUL experience.

Volunteering at Siem Reap

Hi AskOksana,

Thank you sooo much for the information! Really appreciate it. Coincidentally I have also emailed Tek regarding the project. He was my guide when I was there in December last year. He has replied me and said that he can make all arrangements for me including accommodation, transportation and food too.

Looks like you have found a good organization to volunteer with.

For anyone else picking up this thread, I would also recommend the Ponheary Ly Foundation. www.theplf.org

Enjoy your stay!