Cambodia previous volunteers

Here are a sample of experiences from previous volunteers at the Cambodia project.
(names of children have been changed for their protection).

Messenger Deputy Editor KARA PHILLIPS spent two weeks teaching English to poverty stricken children in Cambodia. This is her story:

CHILDREN grin from ear-to-ear as they play chasey and fly kites made from twigs and discarded plastic bags.

One little boy hits a balloon in the air, dust flying as he chases it across the paddock, squealing with laughter when it falls to the ground.

A group of teenage girls pull their bikes into the schoolyard, gossiping and giggling among themselves.

This is the school in Mondul 3, a village which lies between the bustle of Siem Reap and the wonder of the ancient Angkor Wat temples in Cambodia.

The scene appears happy enough, until you look closer and realise starved bodies, bloated, malnourished bellies, threadbare T-shirts and tired eyes are these children’s uniforms. Most children have just one parent or none at all, with fathers killed while serving in the army and mothers dead through sickness and disease. They have no money for books or uniforms and many are needed at home to run households while parents or older siblings work.

Until the project opened in December 2007, there was no school, so most residents have no formal education or vocational skills. Instead, more than 300 girls in the village make a living as 'Karaoke' entertainers. These girls, many no older than 14, gather in groups on the dusk-lit roadside in front of their Karaoke bars, applying make-up and brushing their hair, preparing for the dark night ahead. I watch them as my tuk tuk - a motorbike with seated carriage on the back - chugs down the pot-holed dirt road after my first day as a volunteer English teacher.

I had decided to volunteer in the hope of making a positive change to our global community. I chose Cambodia a place I had long wanted to visit.

 

'I have an education, a family that I can feed I want to give other people that chance' the director says. So he opened the project, a two roomed grass hut offering free language education to locals of all ages.

I have been here just a few days and already I have witnessed a mother, tears streaming down her face, begging the project staff to take her tiny newborn because she is unable to feed him. I have met a one-year-old who will likely not live to see his fourth birthday as he has HIV and TB. I have watched an elderly man lying, waiting to die the hepatitis so bad his skin and eyes are a bright yellow.

And that afternoon I meet Srey’s father, smelling of alcohol and slurring his words, demanding his son back so he can sell him and, with the profits, search for the wife who abandoned them.
Srey clutches a hand: 'I don’t want to go, he hits me.'
A monk calms the man down and convinces him to leave.

But my time as a volunteer has been far from gloomy.

I have seen these children squeal with genuine delight at the most simplest of life’s little pleasures. One day a group of us go out to the village armed with Aussie toy-tattoos and stickers and are quickly surrounded by a hoard of giggling children shouting 'Aussie, aussie, aussie, oi, oi, oi!’.'

I have seen the mothers, who get up at 4am every day and work through until midnight just to put food on the table, who are thankful for even the smallest of opportunities to turn their lives around.

At the end of each class I teach, several students, palms pressed together, bow their heads and say: 'Thank you 'cher (teacher), see you tomorrow'. Others run and wrap their arm arms around me: 'I love you `cher!'

I start to understand what Kerry means: How could anyone see this and not help?

Last month, the project provided 95 families with 1550kg of rice, soy sauce, seasoning and fish sauce. This may be the only food these families eat for an entire month. About 15 babies, whose mums can’t produce breast milk, were also given formula. 'It’s hard, we have to make choices every day about who gets on the rice list, which children get taken to hospital,' the director tells me. 'It’s a choice between the sick and starving and the more sick and starving.'

The project also gave away four bicycles, allowing families to collect rubbish to sell for income, ride to school and to reach the local markets.

'This is why we want to build sustainable projects, such as a fish farm to provide income to support the community and thus enable families to start their own micro-businesses for long term security.'

'The rice list is simply to stop people from dying, or selling their kids into the sex trade. But our real vision is for long-term sustainable projects.'

On my second to last day in Cambodia, Tim Siv, 30, a volunteer who was born in Siem Reap but fled with his family to Adelaide in 1980, takes me out into the village one last time. 'This could easily have been my fate,' he says. 'Now it’s my turn to give something back, to give these people the chance they deserve.' We are both in a sombre mood. Srey has had blood tests to see whether he, like both his parents, has HIV. The results arrive tomorrow. Until then we must wait.

Tim takes me to meet Srey, 24, and her newborn baby Srey Mon, who is just four weeks old. Srey’s parents were murdered during the Civil War. She lived on the streets until she eventually found her way to a public orphanage in Siem Reap. At the age of 20 and with no education, Srey left the confines of the orphanage to wait tables seven days a week, until she met who she thought was the 'love of her life'. He promised to look after her and marry her but, when she told him she was expecting his baby, he beat her and abandoned her.

She wandered the streets of Siem Reap with no money, food or water, until a security guard from Mondul 3 took her home to his family. Srey now resides in the old school building and the project has employed Art, a sprightly but homeless grandmother, to help the family. Srey will attend English and vocational classes and now has regular food and shelter, thanks to sponsorship by an Adelaide couple.

The following evening Tim brings me news of Srey’s test results: 'He’s negative for HIV, for hepatitis, for everything. Nak didn’t know what all the fuss was about, he just smiled quietly, not really understanding.'

But for those who volunteer their time and their hearts to those in Mondul 3, this news is a precious gift.

The gift of hope.
Kara Phillips - Messenger Deputy Editor

 

Volunteering with globalteer was an experience that will never leave me. From living with volunteers from all over the world to interacting with the amazing people of Cambodia was a wonderful priviledge. I enjoyed two fantastic weeks of fun, laughter and many other emotions...... I look forward to the day I can return and experience more of Globalteer and its great projects
Sona, UK

I had a fantastic time volunteering with Globalteer at the community project. I met some truly inspiring people (not least the children) and seen how even a little can go a long way if you try. I've witnessed some beautiful but also emotional sights and made some great friends. I can also now cook a great Amok. Cambodia challenges your senses and
it's an experience that I will not forget. As soon as I left I wanted to go back.
Andrea, UK

I spent 7 weeks at the globalteer house in Siem reap and i was working on the G.C.D.C project and i have to say i had the most amazing time of my life and hoping to return in November. The project itself is a first for globalteer and I'm very proud to have been there during this exciting time, my time that i spent at the house was made so much better because of the staff and the support they offered, you are never on your own with globalteer, the volunteer coordinator Andres was very helpful in showing me around town and organising events for the volunteers, the charity itself i can safely is 100% bona fide they are committed to providing local charities with funding and volunteers.
David, Ireland

As soon as I got off the plane, I had a great feeling about Siem Reap.  Then I was told I was going to be volunteering for the Giant Puppet Project.  I couldn't believe my luck, I always wanted to do art with kids. We had 350 kids who don't speak too much English make 8 giant puppets and have a parade.  It was definitely one of the most amazing experiences of my life.  The kids had a blast.  I've returned home inspired to volunteer and make art.  Thank you!
Jessica, USA

Arriving at the project, one is swamped by lively, boisterous enthusiastically welcoming children. Playing games is fun and teaching English was a real treat. I had never taught English before but I jumped right in and enjoyed it. The enthusiasm of these kids to learn is inspiring. Their energy and personalities are heart warming. The pictures they draw for you are just beautiful and the sweet things they say, their smiles, just melt your heart. They are boisterous and some have behavioural difficulties, and often they play fight with each other, as they have had bad experiences and some a difficult home life and not the best role models. This is why the Day Centre is such a great place, a safe haven away from this and a chance to learn and have positive, fun experiences.
I also taught in the evenings at the Poverty Development school run by monks. The volunteer teachers that the school relys upon to teach English are always sought after and sometimes there are not enough teachers for all the classes. I was priveliged to teach the older teenagers and advanced classes and it was really enjoyable. These kids are intelligent and eager to learn and also have warm hearts, great sense of humour and it was really insightful to talk to them and learn about their life. Some of these students have finished public education and now want to learn English while others study at public school during the day and then come to the school to study more in the evening. Other students can't afford public school, which requires a small daily fee. On the second last day I was sung to by some of the sweet students in my class and it was very moving. Making a connection with people and giving students a chance to improve their English was a wonderful experience.
Rachel, Australia

I love the orphanage and have every intention of returning within the year. It was a little slow starting but nothing a little patience and initiative can't manage, but I did like the flexibility. The classes were fun to teach, the library had all the resources I needed, all the kids are great, and despite being an "English teacher" I was able to do so much more. Towards the end we were going to the center everyday instead of the originally scheduled 4 because we loved it there that much.
Angie, USA

I retired from teaching Dec. 2005 after having taught at Mt.Martha primary for the last 24 years. When I arrived in Siem Reap I taught at the day centre in the mornings, and then I’d teach from 5-00p.m -7-00p.m. at the ‘School for Poverty Children’ run by the Monks. They have 500 children through each day. 1 hr. lessons. One grade had 56 Children in it. All so eager to learn English.
Rem met me at the airport with his Tuk-Tuk and I knew straight away that it was going to work. The children at the day centre stole my heart. Especially the toddlers who wander in without a stitch on and stay playing all morning. Not a parent in sight. The kids arrive at school whenever their parents allow them time off from begging. They shower, wash their hair, change into their T.shirts, then wash their own clothes. Time to play. Have a hug. English classes, a hot lunch, then back out onto the streets. "The sad reality is that these children, as young as 5 yrs. old, are often the primary breadwinners for their families. Their living conditions are desperate, either living in very poor housing or no housing at all." I actually saw one family sleeping on the footpath in town, open to abuse and disease. I had collected an extra donation to the project that I raised from my golf club back home. I hadn’t mentioned our donations to Rem until I was sure the money would be used wisely. When I saw Rem with an enormous bunch of bananas to share, and a bag of rice for each child to take home each Friday, I knew it was O.K. The money also bought a class set of text books, school uniforms and books for the children who were allowed time off from begging to attend their own local Khmer school. We also paid the $10 annual school fees for some of these children. Food for lunches. Rent and helping this struggling young couple to make a difference.
June, Australia

 

"My experience with helping the day centre project was one i was proud to be a part of. So many tourists come to Ankor Wat without seeing the real cambodia, when its so easy to help out, even for just a few hours. Because these beautiful children don't offen get the chance to learn or play they are so happy and well behaved its amazing. The great thing about doing volenteer work through globalteer is it allows you to make a difference and have fun at the same time! If you feel compelled to do something good for others, you will be so glad you helped to put a smile on these kids faces- anyone with a heart would! Throughout my travels, this was the best thing i did to help a third world country and it was positive. I have great memories of teaching english to children who are so excited to learn and to see me. Somethings stay with you forever and the look on a kids face when they have a teacher today, a meal to eat, someone to giggle with, is more precious than anything i could buy or spend the day doing."
Holly, Australia

I was quite apprehensive about going to Cambodia at first…. I am at an age where I can remember Vietnam, the Khmer rouge and pol pot. But, I was also at an age where I knew there was more important things I needed to do with my life… so I left my comfort zone and volunteered to help out in Cambodia. I had not taught before nor even worked with kids but that didn’t matter…. The kids were so desperate to learn English to help improve their own lives. At the day centre for the street kids, they were so happy for attention and just wanted to have the chance to play. Teaching the younger classes was so much fun…. They really want to understand how words are pronounced and to have 30 kids shout back everything you say on command was always humorous to me. As for the street kids, well, quite simply these kids are deprived of a childhood - and for 3 hours a day… the kids are allowed to play and act like kids again. They spend the rest of their lives working as they are the bread winner in their family. It is such a worthwhile project, that I am now saving to go back… I miss the kids and I feel so much more confident and worthy in this world now that I have done my small part to make a difference.
Duncan, UK

On my last day, a little girl held my hand whilst I was kicking a football with the older children. Her small hand wrapped perfectly around my little finger. Every time I moved from one side or another she faithfully followed. Every once in a while I’d look down at the top of her little head, dirty from playing in the dust, and she’d look back up at me and smile.
When it is finally time for me to leave, I say good-bye to all the kids and pull my finger gently from my little friend’s palm. She followed me outside for a while, and I wonder if she’ll cry as I walk away. But she just waves goodbye and grins wide with a that smile... you know, the kind of smile that makes smiling back the only thing I want to do in the whole world.
Mat, Hong Kong

A fantastic life changing experience. I particularly enjoyed playing with the kids at the day centre, they were so loving and happy, their smiling faces will stay with me always. Whilst teaching at the school, I was first struck by the respect the children showed me, standing as I walked into the class and saying “hello teacher” and all individually thanking me as they left. These kids wouldn’t have the opportunity of an education if the school didn’t exist. I truly felt the importance of what I was doing whilst volunteer teaching. The Cambodian people were all very grateful for the help of the volunteers, they see so many tourist visit this extremely poor country and so few stop to help them find a way out their desperate circumstances. I have travelled the world extensively and Cambodia remains my favourite country because of the people, they are so friendly and courteous, it is always a pleasure to be there.
James, UK