Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in Asia. Cambodian people are still haunted by their bitter past of Khmer Rouge regime that shattered their dream as well as the beauty of country. Various Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) are making great progress in fighting poverty and rebuilding Cambodian society. Hundreds of other organizations that work to reduce poverty and create sustainable development are giving the Cambodian people new tools and hope for the future. NGOs have been instrumental to pave the way for improvements in health, education, human rights, social services, environment, women and children's rights, land reform, resettlement and rights of affected people, rights and care of older people, democracy, rule of law and so on. Most NGOs in Cambodia operate within multiple sectors and play crucial roles in delivering services to these sectors. The main objective of these NGOs is to support the majority of population who are living below the poverty line.
Developing a poverty-reduction plan is really a challenging task that CBOs/NGOs are undertaking. Due to limited financial resources these organizations are facing various constraints to carry on their programs. They lack skills and resources to become powerful players at the local level. They often struggle to run their programs and to raise funds from international donors. They immediately require support, for example, in fundraising and proposal writing, organizational development, administration and community development. In this Project, volunteers not only get to learn about Khmer culture, past and present, but are also able to help local communities in this truly fascinating country through various work activities in NGOs.
Volunteer’s Activities
Asia Horizon cooperates with many Non-Governmental Organizations in multiple areas. As a volunteer working in NGO project in Cambodia, you will be involved with the community people and assist them in various possible ways. At the beginning of the project, the volunteers will get an outline of the organizations and its activities that will certainly help them getting necessary information while starting the work in NGOs. You will use your ideas and skills by raising funds, writing reports and proposals, developing ideas on income-generation activities, facilitating, networking and training and others.
As per the volunteers’ skills and interests, they will work in other various sectors like democracy, sustainable development, rule of law, teaching, health, education, human rights, social services, environment, women and children's rights, land reform, resettlement and rights of affected people, rights and care of older people, community development etc.
Project Skills Required
No specific qualification and experiences are needed for the volunteers working in the NGOs. However Volunteers in this project should at least be 20 years old. The basic requirement you need is genuine interest in and committed to the Cambodian society. Volunteers should also be flexible, self-motivated with open mind to learn and serve to the people of new culture and religion and loaded with passion and enthusiasm. Asia Horizon welcomes volunteers from any background since this project cooperates with various NGOs working in diverse sectors. So one thought, one head and one hand will be a building block to uplift the underprivileged societies of Cambodia.
Arrangement of Food and Accommodation
Asia Horizon makes an appropriate provision for food, room and supervision for its volunteers from the very beginning of their arrival to the country to the end of their project. You will get a brief orientation about the premise and the schedule of the program, living with the Cambodian host family is a great opportunity to understand the Cambodian life, language (especially Khmer), culture, tradition and people. In your volunteering programs, volunteers’ accommodation and food management is provided by a host family and in the placement, cooks prepare a variety of Cambodian food three meals a day (rice, noodle, drinks, various soups, salad, a main fish dish and a Cambodian dessert). You can also get the food from outside if you wish; there are numbers of affordable restaurants and hotels in Phnom Penh. You can’t expect a luxurious bedroom while staying with the host family. However, volunteers joining Asia Horizon-Thailand’s orphanage program stay with the children in a hostel. Asia Horizon arranges a separate room along with a communal bath with cold water and fan for volunteers in both the host families and hostel accommodations but sometimes they may share the room if the number is large. Volunteers are expected to share same life style while staying with the host family; they may join the daily activities such as cooking, cleaning, washing and so on. Though the local fare will be provided twice a day, you will be really enjoy the way of Cambodian hospitality and generosity to the guest.
Project Location
The orphanages are located in the nearby areas of Phnom Penh city, the distance of half an hour drive by motorbike or taxi from the center. Phnom Penh is a charming, rapidly developing city situated at the convergence 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, majestic temples of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap province, Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, the beautiful coconut beaches of Sihanoukville and is an ideal initial point for daily or weekend trips to the provinces and the beach.
The orphanages in Pursat and Kampot are in the province capitals. Both of these calm and average sized cities are situated by a river that invites the volunteers to enjoy sunset on the riverside. 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. In Pursat and Kampot the local people take pleasure in showing the volunteer around and giving the volunteer an idea of country life in Cambodia. The more volunteers have interest, the more will have the opportunity to discover the country and the culture of Cambodia.
Visa Information
It is the responsibility of volunteers to manage their own tickets and visa.Any traveler to Cambodia can stay on a tourist visa (20 US $) or a business visa (25 US $) for one month. The visas can be obtained at the Cambodian Embassy in your country or at the Pochentong International Airport in Phnom Penh upon arrival. But we strongly recommend you to get a tourist visa prior to your arrival. It saves time and hassle of filling out the form in the airport, making sure you have all the documents required, and queuing up to apply for the visa.The tourist visa can be extended for one month (40 US $) and the business visa can be extended for a maximum one year (for 3 months 80 US $, for 6 months 160 US $ and for 12 months 290 US $). Lastly, if you wish to stay for longer period, we will take care for that.
Project Information
Program Date: Asia Horizon volunteer Program begins with your arrival at Pochentong International Airport in Phnom Penh on Sunday, the day before of your project. A one-day orientation about the program including project sites, types of work, local food, climate, safety issues, health issues, culture people etc. will be provided in Phnom Penh office before you start the project.
Program Fees: Our program fee is 80-100% less than most international volunteer organizations.
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