Monthly Games Night at our GlobalHub café!
The first Wednesday of every month, we have been holding a Games Night at the GlobalHub cafe, our social enterprise café in Cambodia. It has been providing support to responsible and sustainable projects since May 2019. The Globalhub itself is a nice place where you can check emails, work, write, read or play games while having a cup of cold refreshing tea or enjoy one of the delicious sandwiches.
The GlobalHub Cafe: a café with a cause
We aim to spread awareness about causes supported by different organisations doing great work in Cambodia. These organizations are working on education, supplying clean water and improving animal welfare. Here are some examples of non-profits doing this great work the cafe helps to support:
- Helping Hands Cambodia: A Globalteer initiative started in 2006. This programme has English & Khmer classes Monday to Friday to improve kids' access to education. They also provide nutritious breakfasts, healthcare and social care.
- ABC’s and Rice: an NGO providing free education, nutrition and healthcare to children in the countryside villages around Siem Reap.
- Animal Rescue Cambodia: a non-profit organization caring for rescued street cats & dogs in Phnom Penh. They are providing care, treatments and helping to find stray animals new homes. They are also trying to tackle the over-population problem through neutering programs, as well as trying to improve the overall quality of veterinary care in Cambodia.
- KKO (Khmer for Khmer Organization): an NGO exclusively led by locals. KKO support two social enterprises; “OFF TRACK TOUR” and “OFF TRACK ACCESSORIES” with the aim to provide free education in the Siem Reap countryside. This is through profits made by these two enterprises which go directly to the education programmes.
- Free to Shine: an NGO providing education in order to empower girls and fight against child sex trafficking. They've built 20 homes that welcome the most vulnerable girls to keep them safe. The NGO is working directly with the beneficiaries (girls and families) to achieve common goals for the community as a whole.
- ODA (Opportunities of Development Thru Art): an NGO that provides English classes in villages and central schools with the aim to ensure students have success in future employment.
Games Night
Our Games Night is a social event hosted by Globalteer’s team to encourage people to support local projects by socialising and having a good time! It’s a great way to get to know new people over a friendly game and delicious cocktails, while supporting a good cause.
Everyone can participate, whether they’re local, expats or just stopping by Siem Reap. Plenty of games are displayed across the tables. People can share a Monopoly party, Uno, Jenga, “What do you Meme?”, and many others. There’s something for everyone!
Additionally, dinner is served all evening by local staff from HAVEN restaurant. A special Games Night Cocktail Menu has been designed especially for the event too!
How Does the Games Night Help?
Our games night is a great way for locals, expats & tourists to get out and socialise. Everyone enjoys a fun night together, meeting new people, reuniting with friends and creating great memories. But it's not just about the fun. Games Night helps us to raise awareness and spread support for some great local NGOs. Our team is always ready to answer any questions people may have about the projects. In addition, some items and accessories are also displayed to help support partner’s organizations. For instance, they can find KKO’s handmade products, Animal Rescue Cambodia's adorable bags or Krama Kids' cute handmade puppets.
This event is a good way to connect with international and local people in order to reach a wider audience and bring further support for the projects. Globalteer encourages everyone who's interested to take part in the projects if they want to.
Additionally, Games Night is an opportunity to talk about Globalteer’s work in Cambodia and other countries, where we are also running and supporting various sustainable projects!
What do our Participants think about Games Night?
“I heard about Globalteer after the Water Festival as they were organizing a clean-up walk and went there. I’ve been told about the Games Night through friends, then I found the event on social networks and I decided to go and have a look. I’ve been there twice already and I really enjoyed it each time. As the first time was great and fun, I came back and brought some friends with me! I think that organizing an event like this one is a great idea for people to meet and interact with each other. It is something difficult to find here.” - Léa, 21 from France. Currently working as an English Assistant in a local NGO.
“I discovered the Games Night through my work and on social networks. I liked the idea of playing games and meeting new people. The event was great; the staff greeted us warmly and helped us feel like home.” - Arnell, local volunteer.
The GlobalHub Philosophy - Think Global, Act local
The project not only helps spread the word of Globalteer and other great local projects, it is also encouraging people to be more responsible regarding the environment. To help, we have “Refill not Landfill” reusable bottles at the café. As plastic is a major issue in Cambodia, those reusable bottles are a great alternative to single use plastic bottles. We believe these little solutions are a great step forward in tackling Cambodia's plastic problem. And using one of these reusable bottles can inspire people to do the same!
Change starts with one’s action
Whenever a customer stops by the GlobalHub to have some scrambled eggs or a drink, they are not only supporting the café, they support the NGO directly. Gandhi once said “be the change you want to see in the world”. When customers stop by the café, they choose to support a cause; they choose to make a change and take a part in the improvement of other people’s lives. Everyone can help, bringing their own contributions and being a part of the process. That’s how making a difference starts. It is all about choices, awareness, sharing and giving back.
If you are visiting Siem Reap make sure to stop by and keep up to date on the GlobalHub Facebook page to see when the next event is being held, so you can come join the fun!