Cambodia is known worldwide as a paradise destination. It boasts breathtaking landscapes and countless must-see sites such as the Temples of Angkor. That said, the country also presents less glamorous facets, notably poverty and underdevelopment. Currently, to help the country move forward, many non-profit associations and NGOs have established themselves there. Each year, they seek the support of volunteers from all nationalities to advance their various improvement projects. Would you like to live an extraordinary human experience during your trip to Cambodia? Why not volunteer and thus help those in need?

The benefits of volunteering in Cambodia

When you are a volunteer in Cambodia (or anywhere else in the world), you enjoy several advantages. Indeed, beyond discovering the beauty of the destination, you turn a new page in your life by immersing yourself in the humanitarian field. Thus, by volunteering in Cambodia:

• you will be in direct contact with locals,

• you will have the opportunity to share your experiences and knowledge,

• you will gain new experiences from the local population and NGOs,

• you will enrich your skills and your personal growth,

• you will have the chance to gradually change the world through your actions, however small they may be.

The qualifications needed to become a volunteer in Cambodia

Volunteering in Cambodia, and in any other destination, requires solid qualifications. It is important to keep in mind that volunteering, to be effective, must be undertaken over a long duration, particularly when it comes to working with children.

Depending on the field chosen, volunteers may take on different roles during their service. Moreover, NGOs and associations are very meticulous in selecting potential candidates, simply because volunteering entails great responsibilities. In order to collaborate with an NGO in Cambodia, you must first:

• have some prior experience,

• be multidisciplinary,

• be capable of adapting to all situations

• and finally, be available for a longer or shorter duration (2 weeks generally being insufficient for schools, for example).

For example, if you wish to go to Cambodia to help children with their education, you must first master the subject(s) you will teach. You must also, quite logically, be able to speak at least English, but also demonstrate teaching skills.

The sectors involved in volunteering in Cambodia

Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world in many respects: economy, education, infrastructure, and so on. This is largely explained by the many crises that have occurred, particularly caused by civil wars and the Khmer Rouge. To help lift the country out of its challenges, various associations and NGOs have decided to intervene by proposing sustainable development projects. Thus, they work in various sectors to achieve their goals: education, economy, human rights, communication, arts, logistics, tourism, ecology, construction, health, and more. If you wish to volunteer in Cambodia, you have a choice regarding the sectors in which you wish to work.

A few examples of key positions

By becoming a volunteer in Cambodia, you can take on the role of intern, volunteer, or professional. To give you an overview of the tasks you might participate in, here is a brief list of the most sought-after positions by organizations operating in Cambodia:

Nurse

Training to deepen nursing skills will be provided by specialists. You will work in local hospitals and care for patients.

Doctor

Cambodia is a country facing various diseases. Put your medical education to good use by working within Cambodian health centers.

Communications Manager

This position is one of the most important as it helps spread essential information effectively. Put your knowledge into practice to assist various sectors in their efforts: managing social media, developing media materials (flyers, posters, videos, etc.), creating various campaigns (such as awareness initiatives), and more.

Teacher

Cambodia needs significant support in education. Indeed, in addition to lacking infrastructure to educate children, the country is severely lacking teachers. Whatever subject(s) you master, do not hesitate to share your knowledge with Cambodians for this worthy cause.

Orphanage Manager or Assistant

Working in an orphanage is surely one of the most rewarding and noble activities in the world. If you believe you are qualified to care for young orphans, follow your aspirations and become a volunteer. Training will be provided regularly to help you improve daily.

Specialist in Women's and Children's Rights

Most local and international NGOs and associations have a branch dedicated to promoting women's and children's rights. Put your legal education to use to improve the lives of Cambodian women and children.

Volunteer in Animal Welfare Organizations

If you are a veterinarian or veterinary nurse, your qualification will be particularly valuable for these organizations; however, qualifications are not always necessary. Often, you simply need to be passionate about animals and respectful. There are notably elephant sanctuaries where, rather than riding them, you can search for them, feed them, and enjoy bathing with them.

The limits of volunteer tourism

Volunteer tourism has today become a new vision of travel. Responsible and respectful tourism is a concept that works better and better. Taking a vacation while being aware of the impact our spending and visits have on local populations is a noble cause, but where should we draw the line to avoid crossing from volunteering into voyeurism?

Visiting an orphanage, teaching a few words of English to children for an hour, or helping build a well in an afternoon will unfortunately have little real positive impact on the population, yet the tourist leaves with many photos and the impression of having done something good.

For many unscrupulous organizations, volunteering has become a goldmine. In Cambodia, as elsewhere, there are countless organizations offering day trips or week-long volunteer tours to help schools or villages. Tourists eager for good deeds are easily tempted by these weeks of charitable action. Unfortunately, behind all this lies simply a race for profit. The consequence? Children do not continue their schooling and cannot retain what they learn without consistent follow-up, wells built for villages are generally defective, and the local population has begun complaining about being turned into something of a spectacle. Donations given by travelers are rarely used for infrastructure—after all, who would donate to a school that has already raised enough money to build a proper classroom? Organizing an equitable volunteer trip requires planning and reflection to be truly beneficial.

A better solution would be to bring back in your luggage a few school supplies: pencils, paper, notebooks, for example. These kinds of donations will be far more useful to children for their education and development.

If you wish to go to Cambodia to help people in need, do not hesitate to contact us. We will guide you in building an equitable project and advise you on the steps to take and pitfalls to avoid.