Volunteer in CAMBODIA

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:  Khmer

POPULATION: 14.95 million

GDP per CAPITA (PPP US$): Cambodia $2,200    Canada $41,100

% of Population BELOW POVERTY LINE: 31%

WHY VOLUNTEER IN CAMBODIA?

Cambodia is rich in natural resources; however, decades of war and internal conflict have left it one of the world's poorest countries with deep social and economic scars. During the Vietnam War, two million rural Cambodians were made refugees who fled to the capital, Phnom Pehn. Then, in 1975, the Khmer Rouge rose to power and in three years killed between one and three million Cambodians, most of those living in the capital.

Volunteers work on projects in the rural Phnom Voar area of the Kep municipality, which is located on the south coast of Cambodia, roughly three hours by car from Phnom Penh. Despite Kep’s charm and natural beauty, which has made it an increasingly popular tourist destination, it still lacks basic infrastructure and remains one of the poorest and least developed regions of Cambodia. Phnom Voar is a notorious place in Cambodia, known for being one of the fiercest battlegrounds between the Khmer Rouge and the Cambodian government during the civil war of the 1980s and 1990s.  This area was one the final stands for the Khmer Rouge resistance, with the fighting lasting until 1994. The area is still largely populated by former Khmer Rouge families, who have spent the past fifteen years or so years focused on peaceful development.

VOLUNTEER PROJECTS

Volunteers work side-by-side with Cambodians in the second largest village in Phnom Voar, Chamcar Bei, on locally driven community development projects. Our Host Partner, Equitable Cambodia, is a local NGO whose goal is to increase the standard of living in the community by improving health, education, and livelihoods of Chamcar Bei residents. In recent years, our volunteers have built 25 "dream" homes for families who previously had inadquate shacks as homes. Currently, our volunteers are assisting with various water projects, including building latrines, dams and water gates, digging wells, or installing irrigation pipes. No special skills are required.

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

Upon completion of the Volunteer Experience, we recommend volunteers sample Cambodia’s rich culture by visiting Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Tonle Sap and the extraordinary UNESCO World Heritage site of Angkor Wat. Once known as the Pearl of Asia, Phnom Penh is famous for its pagodas, museums and French influenced and traditional Khmer architecture. Visit the French Quarter, silk farms, bird sanctuary and craft shops of Siem Reap. Travel by ferry along the coast of Tonle Sap (Sap Lake) to view the floating villages and one of the most productive inland fisheries in the world before witnessing the amazing classical architecture of the world famous Angkor Wat.

WHEN CAN I GO?

Note: The Volunteer Experiences Schedule will be updated every two weeks.
Schedule is subject to change depending on flight arrangements and suitability for host communities.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

SHORT TERM TRIPS: A two week volunteer trip to Cambodia costs $2,069. This includes the cost of in-country food, in-country ground transportation, in-country accommodation, program costs and a substantial direct donation to the project. This cost does not include flights; however, the entire amount paid through DWC is 100% tax deductible, including your flights.

STUDENT TRIPS: A four week student trip varies in price from $2,000 - $2,400 (flights not included) depending on the number of participants. You can fundraise for your trip and DWC will issue charitable receipts to your donors.

Trips may be cancelled if not enough people are registered so please sign-up early to avoid disappointment. A $500 deposit is required to hold your spot on the trip; the remaining balance is due 60 days prior to your trip.

We invite people who cannot give the gift of time to donate to Cambodian projects and programs through Developing World Connections.