Volunteer Cambodia Bunong Hill Tribe
| Duration | 1 to 12 weeks |
| Hours | Mon to Fri, 3-5hrs per day plus weekend activities |
| Activities | Assisting or teaching the English programme, sports and arts, assisting with village tours, teaching computers, field trips, manual labour |
| Location | Sen Monoron, Mondulkiri Province. Rural town |
| Accommodation | Private room, Hotel |
| Requirements | Aged 18+ |
| Start dates | Any Saturday arrival |
| Donation | From UK£360 / US$580 |
The Volunteer Bunong Community project is located in the remote mountain town of Sen Monoron in Mondulkiri province, the Eastern highland region of Cambodia which shares a border with Vietnam.
Mondulkiri province is traditionally one of the most inaccessible and isolated regions of Cambodia. It is the largest but also least populated region of Cambodia. Owing to its seclusion, a semi-nomadic hill tribe people known as the Bunong remain the dominant ethnic group of the region.
Globalteer is UK registered charity providing volunteer placements working with children in Cambodia. The project focuses on supporting the Bunong people through education and income generation also providing healthcare, decent living conditions and additional recreational activities such as sports, arts and field trips.
Project activities
Volunteers will divide their time over the following initiatives:
The Bunong Community Centre
High school students from outside Mondulkiri’s provincial capital of Sen Monoron often have to travel for prolonged periods to go to the regions only high school. Those who are fortunate enough to be selected from the hill tribes to complete school often have little option but to stay in the schools dormitory.
135 students from isolated, mainly Bunong towns and villages stay in the eight rooms of the boarding school. The Community Centre creates opportunities for the training, education and recreation of these young adults. Volunteers will be requested to support supplementary English lessons of classes no larger than twenty.
Volunteers will liaise with the local English teacher to improve pronunciation, develop educational resources and materials and provide tutorial lessons. Due to heavy demands on the students these classes are often informal and conversational so that the students may practice what has been learned that day.
English classes at the Community Centre are also provided for local development organisations and the children of the adjacent orphanage. In addition computer skills, recreational activities, civic and social classes are held in the community centre and volunteers with an interest in these areas may be of assistance. Volunteers, particularly in the summer months (July and August), may also be called on to organise field trips and days out to local tourist sights such as waterfalls, the Elephant project, Bunong villages and scenic points for students to enjoy during the break in their studies.
Middle of Somewhere - The Bunong Centre also operate a café and shop in the town centre known as the Middle of Somewhere. The cafe operates as an income generating social enterprise to create jobs and support traditional crafts. The Centre serves as a crucial outlet for quality local crafts, generating both encouragement and significant supplementary income for villagers struggling to keep traditional skills alive.
The venture is also a contact point for tourists to arrange visits to Bunong villages and the many waterfalls in the locality. The staff, artisans and guides of the Middle of Somewhere are recruited from among the Bunong community and are dependant on the growing tourism industry for their livelihood. Volunteers are encouraged to teach daily English classes with the staff of the initiative. In addition, volunteers are sought to accompany Bunong guides on the tours and work on streamlining the excursion to a Western audience.
The Bunong Resource Centre - A growing amount of Bunong villagers are finding themselves dispossessed of their traditional land as development comes at an unfortunate cost to these indigenous people. Volunteers may be called on to record testimony from dispossessed Bunong which may then be made available to advocacy and human rights organisations active in Cambodian indigenous affairs.
It is expected that Bunong society will be assimilated into the greater Khmer culture within a generation. Therefore, efforts are underway at the Bunong Centre to document the Bunong way of life to preserve its rich cultural heritage. Interested volunteers are required for gathering and digitizing material, web design and mapping.
Volunteers with a background in photography, video-recording or multi-media may be interested in special projects and/or creative workshops with village children. Graphic designers, designers and artists may also contribute to the produce of the shop. Anthropology or sociology students are eagerly required to perform investigations and research into the effects of globalization on the Bunong. This may take the form of university research and suitable candidates should contact Globalteer.
The Bunong of Cambodia
In recent years the Bunong have found their way of life increasingly under threat. Bunong language, culture and traditions face an uncertain future as Mondulkiri becomes more easily accessible to the outside world. Deforestation, land-grabbing and the introduction of a cash-based economy have undermined the Bunong livelihood. Without urgent action to defend the basic rights of these indigenous people, their way of life will soon disappear.
The Bunong people are also often regarded as an uncivilized and ignorant people by the rest of Khmer society and are subject to frequent discrimination, intolerance and neglect. Due to inadequate infrastructure the school completion rates among the Bunong are the lowest in the country. The 33,000 residents of Mondulkiri province have access to only one upper secondary school. The Bunong Centre promotes the education, training and employment of the children and young adults of this region.
A Bunong Chief visited the children studying in Sen Monoron to give them this shocking advice - "Take your studies seriously children... you will not be coming home". The Chief had realised that the Bunong would no longer have their traditional lands and the children's only option for their future was through education.
Why the project needs your help?
The Bunong language is founded on oral tradition and until recently had no written form. Bunong students working within the Cambodian education system found they were at an even greater disadvantage to native Cambodians in first having to learn and gain literacy in a second language. Mondulkiri has the lowest rate of upper secondary school enrolment in Cambodia standing at a mere five percent of males and three percent of females.
Heroic efforts are needed to defend Bunong rights from the threats associated with the contemporary world. Bunong students are eager to be at the forefront of protecting their way of life. Bunong students at Sen Monoron high school frequently aspire to become lawyers to represent their people and work with NGO's to defend their constitutional rights. Volunteers are essential in educating students and motivating Bunong youth by displaying an interest in their traditional way of life and providing recreational opportunities to students who study up to twelve hours a day. To complement this, your volunteer donation will be used to support the students study.
Funds are used to:
Your donation will support the food, medical care, hygiene supplies, recreational expenses, electricity and educational costs for the 135 students in the dormitory. Construction is underway for additional student accommodation which will be completed in the near future.
Volunteer donations will be needed to purchase beds, furniture, lockers, mosquito nets and other essentials for the bedrooms and dining hall. Subject to a sustained volunteer interest in the Bunong Centre it may be feasible to extend volunteer donations to a scholarship fund so that Bunong students finishing their high school education may get the opportunity to enter further education.
The location
The Bunong Centre is located in Sen Monoron, the provincial capital of Mondulkiri province, Cambodia. The topography is high grasslands that feature a more temperate climate when compared to the rest of Cambodia. Sen Monoron is a small town that was only connected to the electricity grid as recently as November 2008.
Due to its inaccessibility, the town does not have many of the comforts of the western world, however, limited western food, mobile phone connections, internet, cable TV, laundry and other facilities are now available. Those looking for fast food chains or a developed nightlife will be left wanting. Volunteers with a sense of adventure, eager to meet new people, comfortable experiencing a different culture or those keen to escape the ‘rat-race’ will enjoy the experience of Sen Monoron.
Accommodation
Volunteers will stay in a clean and comfortable hotel at the centre of the provincial capital of Sen Monoron. Rooms are single occupancy and can be shared by volunteers who are traveling together. The rooms have hot showers and a private toilet. The rooms have fans but can be upgraded to air conditioning for an additional charge. Cable TV is available in all rooms with some channels in English. There is no restaurant on site however as the town is quite small and local services are only a short walk away.
Extra activities
Modulkiri is renowned for its village visits and some of the largest waterfalls in Cambodia. Volunteers are welcome to participate in tours organised by the Middle of Somewhere initiative. Trekking forms the backbone of tourist activities in Sen Menoron. In addition, Globalteer volunteers will be welcome to visit our partner project at the Elephant Valley subject to availability and may even take students there as a day trip.
Volunteers who play soccer or volleyball will have many offers of games with the students in the evenings and during the summer months. There are also a number of restaurants and bars where tourists and the small but growing ex-pat community hang out for those looking to make new friends.
Daily schedule
Volunteers will assist with English classes at the Middle of Somewhere craft shop and assist with the conversational English and recreational activities at the Bunong centre. The mornings may be spent preparing for lessons, assisting with the cataloging of the resource centre, accompanying a guide on their tour or simply enjoying the tranquility of Sen Monoron. This is a very varied and dynamic project and volunteers skills will be used to the best of their abilities to support the project. Sometimes the dormitory may need a lick of paint or it may be time to plant the student's vegatable garden, please ensure you complete your application fully for us to be able to utilise your skills to the maximum.
Weekends can be spent with the children playing sports, on visits or relaxing in the town. Due to unpredictable nature of the weather, the seasonal tourism industry and school holidays volunteers may find their timetable subject to change without much notice. This is an unavoidable reality in the remote provinces. During the school holidays in July and August there is much more time available for education and recreation but the rain can put a dampener on things! Those who are flexible and able to adapt to a rapidly changing work environment will be a great asset to the Bunong centre.
Required donation
The required donation to the project is stated in UK £pounds and US $dollars.
Why is a donation required to volunteer?
*1 week will be
£360
$580
*2 weeks will be
£425
$680
*3 weeks will be
£490
$780
*4 weeks will be
£555
$890
*5 weeks will be
£630
$1010
*6 weeks will be
£705
$1130
*7 weeks will be
£780
$1250
*8 weeks will be
£855
$1370
*9 weeks will be
£930
$1490
*10 weeks will be
£1005
$1610
*11 weeks will be
£1080
$1730
*12 weeks will be
£1155
$1850
Longer term volunteers (those greater than one month) should be advised that Sen Monoron is a quiet location and the working day often no more than 6hrs. Family groups are welcome and returning volunteers are subject to a reduced donation. Please indicate this on your application form. Extensions to booked placements can at times be arranged at the project but are subject to availability.
The donation includes -
Airport pick up from Phnom Penh international airport.
First night accommodation in Phnom Penh.
Sunday transfer to the remote province of Mondulkiri.
Hotel accommodation in Sen Monoron for the duration of your placement.
Full in country support from the project staff.
Comprehensive information brochure.
Assistance and advice for travelling to Cambodia.
Saturday transfer back to Phnom Penh.
The donation does not include flights, visas or insurance although we can provide information as required. Air conditioning and extra nights are not included. The volunteers are required to pay for their own food for the duration of their placement.
Local expenses
The official currency is the Riel although $US dollars are widely used in many transactions.
4000 Riel = $1 US dollar.
A meal at the local market usually costs US$1 while a meal in restaurant costs US$2 to $10. Cambodian sim cards are widely available for US$5. Market stalls sell a wide range of goods but be warned that bargaining is expected. Recognised craft shops will sell traditional Bunong materials for very reasonable prices however be advised that some market stalls pass off Vietnamese factory produce as traditional Bunong goods.
Further information
Click on the links below for further reading…
Bunong Fact File
The Bunong People of Cambodia
Frequently Asked Questions
Gallery
Application process & requirements
The minimum age for volunteering is 18 years old at the time of commencement of the placement. Families are welcome at this project. No previous experience or qualifications are necessary as we have placements for all skills. Please complete your application as fully as possible to ensure we utilise your skills in the most effective way. Volunteers are required to be respectful and open minded to the cultural differences they will encounter in Cambodia.
- Click on the link below to fill out an application form.
- Add "@globalteer.org" to your E-mail safe list to ensure that you receive a response.
- Your application will be reviewed and if accepted you will be notified via E-mail within one week.
- Pay your deposit to secure your placement within one week of acceptance.
- Research your destination, book your flight, inoculations and ask us any questions you may have.
- Full amount is to be paid 10 weeks before the start of your project.
- A comprehensive information pack will be sent to you with useful information including a packing list, Cambodian cultural differences, Buddhist Monk etiquette, useful Khmer language phrases, project rules, useful phone contacts and full project information.
A background check of applicants may be carried out. This is solely to ensure the safety of the children. Volunteers are also required to read and sign Globalteer's Child Protection Policy before working with the children.