Volunteers

The Cambodia-Dutch Organization is always looking for self-confident and enthusiastic volunteers who are not afraid of new challenges. As our projects are located in the country side, your experience as a volunteer gets an extra dimension. The projects supported by the Cambodia-Dutch Organization are located in the provinces Siem Reap and Takeo.

Siem Reap Province - Phum Chhuk

The Cambodia-Dutch Organization (CDO) was founded in June 2007. Since that moment the CDO gives English classes to the children in the small village Phum Chhuk (pronounce : poom tsjou) in the countryside of Siem Reap. Due to the succes of the classes we also have a lot of the children from the next village Phum Bhouk (pronounce : poom boh) attending our classes. Every day we have around 150 to 200 children in the school.

To be more involved in the village life, as a volunteer you live in the village, more specific in the “Cambodia-Dutch house”. This house is renovated by the CDO and the villagers. It is the house of two orphans and is rented by the CDO. The monthly rent is saved for the children. As such they will have some money when they’re grown up. As a volunteer you live together with these two orphans Laum, a girl of about 14 years old, and her brother Lea, about 7 years old, and the other volunteers in the house. The volunteers are helping with the housekeeping, and help Laum with the preparations of the cooking. In fact, you also take care of the two children in the house. CDO asks a small amount per day from the volunteers. This includes the overnight stay, 3 meals a day, the laundry and a contribution to the project, e.g. the caring of the two children Laum and Lea. During the weekend (Saturday evening until Monday morning) the possibility exists to go to Siem Reap.

Next to the English classes we also give some lessons in hygiene and health. We have a water filter at the house and at the school. The filtered water is even drinkable for us. We teach the children and their families that they should drink this filtered water since it is much better for their health. We also already gave some classes in hand-washing and teeth-brushing. The children loved it. In the near future the CDO would like to start up a craft school in the village such that the children can learn a profession as for example weaving.  Phum Chhuk is a traditional, conservative Cambodian village. As a volunteer in the village you shall behave with respect towards the culture and religion of the population. As such it is not permitted to talk about politics or religion. The CDO asks the volunteers to take up a conservative appearance. Too exposable or tight clothes should be avoided and piercing or extravagant hairstyles are not permitted.

Takeo Province – Talle Batie

In the commune Champei in the province Takeo, about 35 - 40 km South of Phnom Penh, we are currently starting up a similar project. It concerns the villages Phum Muen Protjsan, Phum Phreat en Phum Dawndong. From these villages the Baca family, the family with whom Jan has started the guesthouse Baca Villa, originates. The brothers and sisters of the parents of the Baca family, and such the cousins of the Baca boys and girls, still live in those villages. Since the standard of living in Talle Batie is much lower than in Phum Chhuk there is a lot work that has to be done.  Clean (drinking) water in particular is a big problem. Still very often, villagers get sick of drinking the water. We have placed 3 water filters, though the villagers need more explanation on the usage of these filters.

To be able to start up the project we build last year a new house where the volunteers can live. Since the village had no school we first builded a simple school building. We started with Khmer primary school lessons English classes for starters. Also here we would like to start up a craft school for the children in near future.

Health Care Chhuk

Building our new health care/ medical post in above-mentioned village is as good as completed (January 2010). With help from a building expert, the medical post is completely built by locals. The building materials were financed with donations from the Netherlands. Also the complete furnishing for the medical post was sent from the Netherlands, including beds, crutches, rubber gloves etc. Basically everything that’s needed for a medical post. 

For this new medical post we urgently need volunteers for medical issues. Not only volunteers for medical support, but also for creating structure. Success of the medical post will largely depend on this. If you’re interested, send an e-mail to: volunteers@cambodia-dutch.org

Experiences volunteers:

“The life in the ‘Cambodia-Dutch house’ and the village Phum Chhuk gives an extra dimension to your experience as a volunteer. You get to know the real Cambodia intensively. The villagers are very friendly and are always prepared to help you. You feel really welcome. Also working with the children in the school is fantastic. The children are very motivated and enthusiastic. Not only with these children, but also with Laum and Lea, a bound is created. Your work is really appreciated.”

Geertrui, 25 years, volunteer in Phum Chhuk

Marleen                         Maaike

Experiences volunteers Marleen & Maaike. (translations coming soon)

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