Work In an Orphanage in Cambodia

Project Summary

Project at A Glance Location: Phnom Penh, Pursat and Kampot provinces Start/End Point: Phnom Penh Duration: 2-12 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: 2 weeks

There are many orphans in Cambodia. It is a resource-poor country with thousands offamilies still living in poverty.There are also amultitude of orphaned children throughout Cambodia because of poverty and a number of other debilitating social circumstances.

Great emphasis has been placed on securing a safe future for orphans by offering them a stable home environment, love and an education. Our volunteer programs in Cambodia collaborate with local orphanages to protect these oppressed children. As an orphanage volunteer in Cambodia, you will have the opportunity to leave a lasting impression on the lives of these precious children (ages 1-18 years). You will assist them with learning and improving their English, helping with homework or encouraging their involvement in activities that may aid in their development (educationally, socially and creatively). Volunteers are also able to donate their free time performing various administrative duties.

Skills/Qualifications

While there are no specific qualification required to volunteer, Cambodia’s orphanages need loving, caring and compassionate volunteers to provide much-needed assistance. Volunteers are expected to be flexible and patient as well as possess a passion and love for children.

Volunteers' Responsibilities

As an orphanage volunteer in Cambodia, volunteers will teach English to children and help with daily activities. You help them to speak, write, draw pictures, sing songs, play sports and fun games, shape clays, dance, etc. Volunteers develop their own creative activities which best suits the needs and interests of the young children.

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 at the orphanage. 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.