Work With Local NGO Projects in Cambodia

Project Summary

Project at A Glance Location: Phnom Penh, Pursat and Kampot provinces Start/End Point: Phnom Penh Duration: 4-12 weeks Hours: 20-30 hours per week Food: Local meals; 3 times a day Room: Host family or hostel Date: First and Third Monday of each month Minimum Stay: 4 weeks

Cambodia is amongst the poorest countries in world, yet citizens continue to overcome their country's shattered past of the Khmer Rouge government. There are many established NGOs in Cambodia created over the last ten years to support and encourage positive progress. These recognized organizations focus on improving the citizens’ living conditions at a grassroots level by creating development programs. Participants involved in our Cambodia NGO volunteer projects will assist communities in every way imaginable. Your skills and creative brainstorming efforts can aid the NGOs with profitable fundraisers and writing reports/proposals. We invite volunteers from all backgrounds in lending their hands and minds as these NGOs continue to enhance the communities of Cambodia.

Skills/Qualifications

There are no specific qualifications required for IFRE's NGO volunteer projects in Cambodia. However, volunteers need to have an interest in and be enthusiastic about community works and projects. Volunteers are expected to be flexible, patient, proactive and “out of the box” thinkers.

Volunteers' Responsibilities

IFRE assists numerous local NGOs focused on education/information about: democracy, sustainable development and human rights. As a result, a volunteer’s duties vary with the type of project. IFRE customizes the project based on the experience and interest of the volunteer. Those with skills in development work can assist with report writing and fundraiser proposals. Volunteers can also help create profitable activities for the poor and develop programs to help stability/sustainability in a community. In the Pursat province, volunteers possessing skills in land-planning/distribution can offer assistance in establishing land and fishery communities.

Minimum placement time in these NGO projects is 4 weeks. Upon arrival and at the beginning of the program, volunteers receive an overview of the NGOs and the activities they offer as well as their goals. Also at this point, volunteers will receive specific information needed to begin their project's associated activities.

Room/Food /Supervision

IFRE arranges room, meals and supervision for volunteer for the entire duration of the program. Depending upon the location of the project, volunteers will either stay in our guesthouse or with a host family. Placements are usually in Phnom Penh or in/close to a provincial capital. Our Phnom Penh guesthouse is located in the center of the city (a notable Cambodian tourist city) near the Olympic Stadium and the Orussey Market. The staff is made up of English and French speaking people and they are very kind. There is a large roof terrace with hammocks, a TV and internet access. Nearby there is a restaurant and more services to help make your stay in Cambodia a pleasurable one.

Our host families are very friendly and hospitable. They look forward to learning more about a volunteer‘s home-country culture and life. Whether you stay in our guesthouse or with host family, IFRE manages clean but simple accommodations with a separate room (occasionally shared with other volunteers), shared bathroom with cold water (usually no hot water is available) and a fan.

IFRE also manages three local meals a day. Usually, volunteers have breakfast in either a small restaurant, with host families or at work. IFRE manages volunteers’ food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some volunteers have lunch with project workers. If a volunteer having special eating requirements (e.g. as a vegetarian or vegan), we recommend staying in our guesthouse and not with a host family, as meat is the basis of most daily Cambodian meals.