Empowering Young Minds in Cambodia
Creating a sustainable education system for rural communities that empowers children, families, and future generations
Helping Hands Cambodia
Empowering Rural Cambodia Through Education and Community CareHelping Hands Cambodia is a community-led children’s charity in Siem Reap supporting rural children. In addition, we provide volunteer opportunities in Cambodia and empower children. We do this through education, care, and long-term partnership. For more than 20 years, our non-profit organisation in Cambodia has worked to ensure that poverty does not determine a child’s future. By combining education, nutrition, sport, and social care, Helping Hands supports children. This helps them to stay in school, build confidence, and grow into empowered adults. The programme is rooted in local leadership, ethical practice, and long-term commitment.
Our Impact at a Glance
20+ Years of Community Trust
A long-standing Siem Reap community charity working since 2006.
2,800+ Children Supported
Across seven schools & villages in rural Siem Reap.
30,000+ Lives Impacted
Children, families, and communities supported over time.
Ethical & Community-Led
Local staff, safeguarding systems, and transparent practices.
Our Mission, Vision, and Values
Our Mission
Our mission is to support rural Cambodian children and the community. We aim to break the cycle of poverty through education, care, and community partnership.
Our Vision
Our vision is a community where every child feels safe, supported, and confident to learn.
Our Values
Our values centre on respect, transparency, sustainability, and long-term collaboration with local families.
These values guide all volunteer work in Cambodia connected to Helping Hands. They also shape how donations are used and how progress is measured.
Why Education & Community Support Matter in Rural Cambodia?
In rural Cambodia, however, many children face serious learning gaps from an early age. According to UNICEF, at the primary level, almost one in four Grade 3 students cannot write a single word in a simple dictation test.
Additionally, early learning challenges are also common. Only 27% of children aged 3-5 years are developing basic literacy and numeracy skills at the expected level. As a result, many struggle to keep up in school.
Over time, consequently, these challenges grow. Therefore, voluntary work in Cambodia plays a vital role in supporting children. Education and community-based support ensures that children stay in school and build a better future.
Therefore, Helping Hands, as a Cambodia child poverty NGO, addresses learning gaps caused by poverty. We run long-term charity projects in Cambodia.
Helping Hands Cambodia: 6 Key Focus Points
We focus on literacy, numeracy, and building confidence. To reduce the school dropout rate, we provide educational support in English and Khmer. This supports governemnet school education and provides additional classes.
Through the Child Protection Program, we teach children how they can keep themselves safe. We ensure children feel safe while growing and learning.
Our sports project reaches over 2,000 children, providing safe, structured activities that promote physical health, teamwork, confidence, and inclusion. Through regular training sessions, games, and community events, children develop essential life skills.
Importantly, a key part of our program is that we align our breakfast club with the World Food Program's guidelines. The breakfast contains fresh vegetables grown at our organic garden.
The relationship between children, parents, and our staff is of great importance. Our staff build strong relationships with students and their families. Eventually, as a result, this helps to improve school attendance.
We provide university scholarships to graduating students from our school who have demonstrated commitment, potential, and resilience. These scholarships help remove financial barriers to higher education.
Impact and Success Stories from the Programme
Acting as a trusted NGO project in Siem Reap, Helping Hands is a non-profit NGO in Cambodia that works directly with families and schools. It was founded in 2006 as a charity school in Cambodia. Since then, it has relied on donors and volunteers to support children and their families. The power of donors’ generosity can be seen in the stories of children from the Helping Hands School..
Mai Mod, Grade 6
Mod lives with his aunt after his parents separated. He balances public school and Helping Hands each day. With support, his confidence and academic performance have grown. He dreams of becoming a sports coach.
Nhorn Kimyong, Grade 5
Kimyong has 6 siblings and her parents are labourers. She returned to school after getting family counselling and educational guidance. With the help of Helping Hands, Kimyong improved her studies. She wants to be a primary school teacher.
La Lorm, Grade 9
Lorm attends Bayon High School. He also goes to Helping Hands School for additional learning assistance. Balancing school and family labour, Lorm receives encouragement from teachers and social workers. He dreams of becoming a police officer to protect others.
Khon Sreyleak, Grade 9
Sreyleak is a high school student at Bayon. In addition to her studies, she is a caregiver for her younger sister at home. With steady guidance, Sreyleak is improving academically and building confidence. Her love for history inspires her to create positive change.
Ways to Support Helping Hands Cambodia
Your donation helps keep children in school when life gets in the way of learning. It helps us maintain classrooms, pay teachers, provide learning materials and daily support. And, crucially, it provides continuity for kids who need stability to do well. The support of today helps ensure stronger, future communities.
The power of small donations is high. For instance,
- $5 helps provide a child’s breakfast for one month
- $75 supports one month of university education
You can make a one-time donation to Helping Hands, give monthly or fundraise. Regular giving also brings continuity to the lives of children who depend on this care.
Volunteer With Helping Hands Cambodia
Choose ethical volunteering with Helping Hands Cambodia. You can join through Globalteer’s Cambodia projects. Volunteers help children in Cambodia in teaching, sports, and with daily childcare.
Volunteer jobs are perfect if you’re interested in
Safeguarding policies are adhered to by all of our volunteers.
Discover more about these options. Apply through Globalteer’s Cambodia projects. You can choose volunteer work such as community work, teaching, farming or clean water programs.
From Support to Leadership: Long-Term Impact
Children grow into confident leaders with donor support. Ethical volunteering also supports the underprivileged kids.
Reaksmey
Reaksmey found sports to be game-changing for her. She gained confidence and leadership skills through it. Today, he dreams of becoming a coach so that he can train other children and build the same confidence.
Dara
Dara used to be a Helping Hands student and has now joined the teaching team while on university break. She mentors younger students. Along with this, she also supports classroom learning.
Kong
Kong, a former Helping Hands student, now graduated as a qualified social worker. She now visits families and provides counselling services. She also helps to reduce school dropout rates.
Changing Lives
Helping Hands Cambodia shows how education and community care can truly change lives. In addition, the programme helps children grow through learning and safety. Importantly, it focuses on solutions led by the local community.
For donors, it offers a clear and ethical way to support long-term change. Likewise, for volunteers, it provides meaningful opportunities. They can make a real difference in Cambodia.
Indeed, education and community partnership are the ways we transform children’s lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Helping Hands provides children with education, health and family engagement. The program is geared toward long-term learning support and community partnership.
Helping Hands is a community based project managed in partnership with Globalteer and adheres to ethical guidelines and good safeguarding practices. Helping Hands is a registered local NGO in Cambodia and Globalteer is a UK Registered Charity.
Your money goes towards learning resources, daily activities, safe spaces to learn and also long term continuity of the program. Funds are well disbursed and aligned with local needs.
Yes. The program centers on long-term education support and continued presence as opposed to short-term assistance.
Yes. Volunteers support learning and childcare activities through Globalteer’s Cambodia volunteer programs. Roles follow ethical volunteering guidelines.
Volunteering for children means you are investing in future. It supports learning, care, and ensure a positive change. It It can also play a role in building confidence, routine and social skills.
Pick an organization that is locally connected, abides by safeguarding rules and operates transparently. Ethical projects always help, not replace, local staff.
The majority of volunteers enter on a regular tourist (T-class) visa on arrival. Longer term volunteers and interns can get an Ordinary (E-visa) on arrival and extend once in Cambodia.
Volunteering with kids is helping in school, games and daily life. Volunteers support local staff, not replace them.