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Cambodia5/5 (2 reviews)

Social projects in Phnom Penh

In Phnom Penh, Cambodia, put your skills to work for local NGOs: a center for children with disabilities, support for women entrepreneurs, childcare or teaching.

Where
Cambodia
Length
From 2 to 12 weeks
Minimum age
18 years old
Language
English intermediate
Departures
Every Sunday

from €1,150 for 2 weeks

Check availabilityTalk to the team

No commitment. Anaëlle, Amélie or Maëlia will reply.

The project

During this humanitarian project in Cambodia, you will have the opportunity to assist specialists and local volunteers within a local NGO. Local organizations carefully review applicants’ profiles to assign each of them to the most suitable mission. It is not the volunteers who choose the mission, but the organizations that select candidates based on their skills and the needs on site. Several missions are therefore available depending on the volunteers’ profiles and the needs of the local associations.

In general, volunteers work within the associations, helping with fundraising, communication, administrative work, and in some cases, accompanying local volunteers in the field. The language barrier may limit the scope of tasks, but the associations will do their best to involve volunteers in the projects.

Your open-mindedness, flexibility, and versatility are highly valued in light of the variety of tasks and the frequent changes in the NGO’s needs.

Development missions in Cambodia

Center for people with disabilities

There are only 200 centers for children and young people with disabilities in Cambodia. Our partner center welcomes children and young adults with mental and physical disabilities, as well as children living with HIV. They attend public school in the morning and return to the center in the afternoon.

This project is particularly interesting for physiotherapists and physiotherapy students who wish to engage in a humanitarian mission, as the children require intensive daily care. The center has a sensory room with light and soft music to calm and stimulate the children with disabilities.

The center can accommodate around 130 patients and receives very limited government funding. Children with disabilities are often abandoned because parents lack the means to care for them and specialized facilities are rare.

The center’s goal is to reintegrate patients into society. Some manage to learn small tasks such as basic cleaning in order to earn a modest income.

Support for local businesses

The partner organization welcomes international volunteers with specific skills (press relations, social media, marketing, strategy, etc.) who want to help small projects develop in Cambodia.

This association was founded 3 years ago by two Australians. Their project supports women seeking to find their place in society by starting their own businesses, mainly in crafts, sales, and services (such as hairdressing). The demand is very local but is beginning to spread throughout the country.

The association is in contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Cambodian government in an effort to help improve the situation of women in Cambodia.

Childcare center

The childcare center for disadvantaged children is located about 20 minutes by tuk-tuk from the volunteers’ house and is sponsored by a Catholic school. Children are picked up from their neighborhood around 6 a.m. They are given food, take a shower, spend the day doing activities, and are then taken back to their parents in the evening. The children are between 2 and 5 years old and need to be kept busy for several hours with games, painting, and early English learning.

Teaching

This humanitarian project in Cambodia is only available for a minimum duration of 4 weeks.

In Cambodia, children attend school in half-day shifts because there are not enough schools available. Our partner school focuses on teaching English to children aged 6 to 12. The school welcomes children from all social backgrounds. Parents work all day and cannot afford daycare, so the school also provides meals for the most disadvantaged children.

A project we follow
Projects chosen with care and followed through regular visits on site.

Accommodation and meals

All participants stay in the volunteer house in Phnom Penh.

It is located in the center of Phnom Penh, just a few minutes from the main tourist attractions. It features large rooftop terraces for lounging, a kitchen, Wi-Fi, computers, free-to-use bicycles, and a laundry service.

You can buy bus tickets for almost all of Cambodia and some places in Vietnam and Thailand, for those who wish to travel on the weekend or after the end of their mission. Most rooms are shared.

However, private rooms can be booked at an additional cost for those who wish.

Meals

Typically Cambodian meals. Breakfast usually consists of bread, omelet, and coffee. Dinner includes a variety of dishes prepared by the local team, such as rice or noodles with vegetables or meat. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are available upon request.

Arrival and transfers

Airport pick-up at Techo International Airport (KTI) in Phnom Penh is included. Once there, volunteers can share a tuk-tuk. Expect to spend around $2–3 per day for local transportation.

Donations

Donations are not mandatory since an envelope intended to support local communities is already included in the registration fees. If volunteers wish, they can bring additional donations. NGOs particularly need toys, children’s books, school supplies, and hygiene products (such as toothbrushes). Visits to local schools can be organized by the NGO to distribute donations.

To register, you will be asked for

  • A copy of your passport.
  • A copy of your criminal record.

Budget

How long are you going for?

2 weeks

Arrival every Sunday

Total programme budget€1,150

That is, per week€575

Each extra week

Check availability for 2 weeks

What is included

  • Welcome pack: volunteer guide, a map, and a traditional Khmer dinner
  • Airport arrival, city tour, and orientation day on Cambodian culture
  • Accommodation in shared rooms
  • 3 meals per day
  • On-site coordinator and emergency contact available 24/7

Not included

  • Flight tickets
  • Travel and repatriation insurance
  • Visa
  • Transport to the project
  • Activities during your free time

Where your money goes
Donations are reinvested in full and directly into the local associations. How the costs break down

How to fund my project

See the budget week by week
LengthTotal programme budget

Getting ready to leave

Your application

An up-to-date CV and a cover letter describing your background and what brings you here.

Conditions to take part

  • Minimum age: 18 years old.
  • Intermediate to fluent level of English (able to understand instructions and communicate).

Insurance

For any project abroad, Freepackers requires travel insurance covering accidents, illness, repatriation and third-party liability. With Chapka Cap Student, you get 5% off.

Online language lessons

With Clic Campus: video lessons and an e-learning platform, from home.

Social projects in Phnom Penh13 photos

So, why not you?Travel to be useful, on ground we know.Find my programme

Line drawing: a beach and its turtle, a mangrove, two backpackers, a school on a hillside, a giraffe and an elephant under an acacia