Job Discussion Forums

OrionForest · Joined: 14 Apr 2007 Posts: 1 Location: Madison, WI

My wife and I are interested in visiting Cambodia Jan 2010. We will have three weeks vacation and would like to spend at least two of those weeks helping out at an orphanage or doing some sort of community development work.

Does anyone have any recommendations/guidance on what organizations are good? Or the best route to take in finding a trustworthy volunteer organization? All I'm finding in my searches on-line are organizations wanting to charge $US 700-1000 for 'volunteering'. I'm very hesitant on where that money goes.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for you time,

Orion

khmerhit · Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 3:52 pm Post subject:

you might try the irish charity CARE

or World Vision, two aid org that i know are there--they might give yoiu advice

C A M B O D I A
try it and see Cool

jprimm · Joined: 03 Aug 2007 Posts: 91

Check out the web site Cambodias Hope.....

TravelJenn · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 1 Location: New York

You can also try to Ponheary Ly Foundation. I've heard great things about them.

http://theplf.org

Jenn

MrMrLuckyKhan · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:43 am Post subject:

khmerhit · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 8:45 pm Post subject:

AH, SCAMBODIA
try it and see Laughing

MrMrLuckyKhan · Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 8:15 am Post subject:

Austrian · Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 12:43 pm Post subject:

Well, as it is Jan 2010 already, you either changed yr plans or are already sweating in some classroom.

I myself, have volunteered with Travel-to-Teach (http://www.travel-to-teach.org/) for a one-term teaching stint at their Cambodian partner school starting in late April 2010. I went there last October and had a talk with the owner in Phnom Penh. Small but interesting outfit.

I have kept an eye on that organization (T2T) for some 5 years now and their rates seem quite reasonable. 5 years ago it didn't work out for me as I went to China and "ended up" teaching there for almost 5 years. But now I am ready for a change.

Would be curious whether you went to Cambodia and how it all worked out.

bonsta · Joined: 23 Jan 2010 Posts: 2

Hi, I have just returned from volunteering in Cambodia for 5weeks. It was absolutely amazing and very very rewarding! would definitely recommend. I went through an organization in Cambodia, however you will definitely find work if you just turn up and contact organizations directly. I taught english at a slum school & visited many orphanages. One orphanage in particular I feel in love with. They had children from newborn to 24yrs. There were 6 babies under 9months and several toddlers, which made it really sad. It was the most welcoming and warm place and I felt very at home. They are happy for people to visit them and I'm certain would be exstatic if you were able to volunteer.

I also visited many other reputable orphanage including one with HIV positive orphans and would be happy to pass on their details/names. Just a word of warning there are several phanges in Phnom Penh - particularly by the river front which are funded by tourism. If a tuktuk driver/hostel etc offer to send you to an orphanage say "NO". The current scams are to get tourist buying rice at over inflated prices to take to these orphanages.

If you are interested in receiving further info re the orphanage I helped at and other places you could volunteer at please email me [email protected] - sorry but for the children's privacy etc I prefer to not advertise the name of the orphanage online,but happy to give info privately. Thanks