Cambodia

Situated in the heart of Indochina, Cambodia has emerged from the results of years of civil war in the 1980s and early 1990s. It is a beautiful, peaceful land with few roads and low industrial development. Fishing and rice cultivation are the main activities of the overwhelmingly rural population. The land is verdant and tropical with rich green paddy fields amongst the tall palm trees. Gap year and career break volunteers in Cambodia are warmly welcomed.

Please click here to read our Cambodia Blog

"From the palm tree festooned fields of the countryside to the heady two-wheeled traffic of Phnom Penh, Cambodia is intangibly special..."

Polly Botsford, Volunteer in Cambodia

The thousands of Buddhist temples and orange-robed monks in towns and villages give the country a great sense of gentleness and serenity. Big black water buffalo wallow in cool ponds and rivers among the lotus flowers. However, the towns are emerging as centres of activity and energy, particularly Phnom Penh the capital. Here businesses operate next to charming restaurants set in streets with French colonial buildings and splendid royal palaces. Buddhists worship in ancient temples overgrown with plants, while the streets are a hive of activity from morning to dusk. Phnom Penh is built on the banks of the mighty Mekong river, which weaves its way from Burma, along the border of Laos and Thailand, through Cambodia and then into the South China sea through Vietnam.

Hundreds of new businesses are stimulating the economy in a country that has effectively been closed to the outside world during the turbulent years of civil conflict.

General Information

• 	Cambodia volunteers will speak English on their projects. We will however provide you with a CD course in the UK which will help you learn Khmer. This will teach you the basics of the language. Cambodian / Khmer lessons and a cultural orientation are provided for the first week by a private tutor. Extra Khmer lessons can also be given once you have started your project.

  Language Training

• 	Rithy Chandara (Dara), the Cambodia co-ordinator, is keen that volunteers should see more of the country during or at the end of your stay. With his contacts, he is able to advise on where to go and what to see for your own expeditions or travel options. Cambodia is famous for its 10th century temples at Angkor Wat. Boat trips can be taken up the Mekong river, the coastline is undeveloped and beautiful and the countryside boasts a mass of fascinating towns and villages. Travel in Cambodia is easy and inexpensive, with a bus network and cheap taxis covering the whole country. A weekend trip will be organised as part of the Outreach International package during the volunteers' stay and will be covered by the project costs. This might be to the rather crumbling old French colonial town of Kep on the coast or the deserted hill resort of Bokor, overlooking the South China Sea. As an Outreach International volunteer, you will receive good discounts at our recommended travel agents.

  Travel & Expeditions

• 	There are no rules about time off, but in most cases weekends are free and many volunteers choose to travel after their projects have finished. You are however expected to be completely committed to your project and only take time off with the permission of your manager. Cambodia boasts more national holidays than any other country in South East Asia. All Cambodia volunteer projects are linked to initiatives involving Cambodian staff, so you will quickly adapt to the Khmer style of working. The key here is to be flexible and to use initiative. Outreach International demands a serious commitment from all volunteers, but at the same time recognises that the nature of voluntary work demands a flexible approach, and we definitely want you to have an enjoyable as well as a rewarding time. With Outreach International's focus on one particular area of Cambodia, you will in most cases have regular contact with other Outreach International volunteers. Often the closest bonds are made with fellow volunteers, and in most cases you are placed in pairs to give each other support. Meetings will be arranged to bring volunteers together and to take time out together during your stay.

  Time Off & Volunteer Interaction

• 	Parents and partners of volunteers can always have immediate contact with both the UK Head Office and the Cambodia Field Office. Rithy Chandara (Dara) is the Cambodian coordinator. We have known him for many years and he goes out of his way to making sure you are safe and comfortable. You will be given a comprehensive briefing in the UK a few weeks prior to your departure. Dara will also give you a detailed in-country brief and orientation shortly after arrival. "Upon arriving at Phnom Penh airport I was greeted by Dara, who had waited there for my redirected flight for several hours and yet was still full of bags of enthusiasm about Cambodia and especially about my project. The level of input which Outreach had into my experience could not have been pitched better. They were there to organise any administrative problems, yet they did not try to impose their own version of Cambodia upon me, which I would have hated!" Chris Darrel. Cambodia gap year art project volunteer. The Cambodia Field Office will know where each volunteer is at any time and will visit your project at key times. Outreach International attaches great importance to back up and support. We recognise that for gap year volunteers in particular this is an important time of independence and adaptation, and we want to give you the freedom to develop your own role in the project. At the end of your placements you can request official certification from Outreach International acknowledging your contribution to the project. Outreach International will also be able to provide future employers with references for volunteers who successfully complete their project placement. Our projects are also all recognised by the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. From the beginning I was impressed by the method which Outreach use to select their volunteers. The interview process and numerous follow up phone calls reassured me that not only were Outreach ensuring that the people they placed on projects were competent and responsible, but also that they were making an assessment of whether the project was right for the person. As a lawyer I had initially applied for the 'Legal support for women and children' position. After chatting to James however, it became clear in my head that I really needed to be wherever my skills were most needed. The final decision was KDFO, and I am so glad it was!" Rebecca Fitchett. Gap Year Lawyer. Street Children Project Cambodia

  Support from Outreach International

• 	Cambodia volunteers will normally live in the large Outreach International house in Phnom Penh. This is located in a safe, pleasant part of town. You will normally share a spacious bedroom and bathroom with another volunteer. There is a well equipped kitchen and sitting room. Sitting on one of the balconies watching life on the streets as the sun go down is a great way of finishing each day. There is an internet connection in the house. The accommodation is of a high standard. Outreach International recognise that if volunteers are comfortable you are likely to stay fit and healthy throughout your stay. Our maid will clean the communal areas and do your laundry. She is also an excellent cook and will provide you with breakfast and a communal evening meal. She also teaches Khmer cooking! The food is a mix of Vietnamese, Thai and Cambodian. There are, however, many outlets for western food as well as the various international restaurants offering Italian, French, and American food. Volunteers who want to be completely immersed in Khmer culture have the option of living with a wonderful Cambodian family. There is normally the option of having your own room if you request it in advance. There is however a surcharge for this. "The Outreach house is wonderful. Many happy hours were spent sitting on the balcony writing diary notes and listening to the world go by. It was also fantastic to have a kitchen to cook in." "The Outreach house is wonderful. Many happy hours were spent sitting on the balcony writing diary notes and listening to the world go by. It was also fantastic to have a kitchen to cook in. " Samantha Bell. Career break volunteer in Cambodia

  Food & Accommodation

• 	All Cambodia volunteers travelling and working with Outreach International will have full insurance to cover personal accident, medical and emergency travel expenses and personal liability during volunteer project activities. Our policy is very comprehensive. It gives you unlimited medical cover, public liability cover and baggage cover. Insurance is included in the overall project cost. Once in Cambodia, the Outreach International field office will assist volunteers with any health or accident problems that may arise. The UK office will inform volunteers as part of their preparation package of what immunisations and medication are needed for their stay in Cambodia.

  Health & Insurance

• 	Outreach International will organise and book your flights but they must be paid for separately. We will organise all volunteer project related travel. You will be given a 30-day, working visa when you arrive in Cambodia which can then be renewed for a further six months. Extending this is straightforward. You will be met at the airport by Outreach International staff and taken to the volunteer house in Phnom Penh. All travel directly associated with the volunteer project placement will be covered by your overall project cost and given to you by our co-ordinator. Recreational and post-placement travel is additional to the overall project cost. Flights are usually arranged by Wexas Travel, who are both ABTA and ATOL bonded. For details, see: www.wexas.com. However you are more than welcome to book your own flight providing it arrives at a time that is agreed with Outreach International.

  Flights, Visas & Project-related Travel

• 	An important part of the UK office support is to advise Cambodia volunteers how to raise money. You will be invited to a fund raising awareness day in Somerset and be provided with an information pack full of ideas about fundraising activities. The cost of a placement is £2,400 for three months. Every subsequent month is £385. Please refer to our costs page. The costs include full health, baggage and public liability insurance, project related travel, accommodation, weekend trip, comprehensive in-country support by Dara, support and documentation for your visa application (volunteers staying longer than three months may be asked to pay a visa extension charge,) Khmer language CD course and Khmer language course on arrival. It also covers the cost of UK training, briefing, fund-raising advice and administration. It does NOT include the cost of international flights. You will need personal spending money for weekend trips and we recommend something in the region of £150 - £175 per month. Volunteers normally share a room in the Outreach International house. These are large and spacious and most have their own private bathroom. If you would like your own private room we can organise this but there will be a surcharge.

  Spending Money & Cost