Join VFRCC – Volunteer for Rural Children of Cambodia NGO

Hello!

I want to invite people to join this project in a rural school in Cambodia, near Siem Raep.

 It´s a very nice project which is lead by a cambodian teacher, Puthy, and Spanish girl called Cristina.

Mission

VFRCC (Volunteer for Rural Children of Cambodia) is a non-profit NGO near Siem Reap, Cambodia offering free English classes to children and adolescents.

Accommodation

Accommodation could be a little bit tough because everybody leaves in the same house and there are kids the whole day, but it is a nice opportunity to help (where is most needed) and know the real cambodian life.

    We are a young non-profit organisation that works with the community and the local schools in Bakong District (16km from Siem Reap) to provide English classes for underprivileged children. Our goal is to provide the children with skills to speak and write in English to give them more possibilities and opportunities in the future.

We depend on volunteers at all levels of the organization.

We are in need of volunteers to help with MAINLY English teaching but there are also opportunities for those who would like to help with construction, fundraising, website content, photography, IT skills, and anything else you’d like to assist with. Your creativity is much welcomed, and we are happy for your suggestions on how we can improve our organisation!

For english teaching we currently work with one public school in Bakong district and at our own school. We have several classes over the day, starting from 8am in the morning. Between the lessons we have freetime and the weekends are free.

We have a lesson plan for the classes that should be followed to make sure the student’s level improves. You are free to bring in new ideas but it is necessary that you follow the syllabus while teaching. There are always teachers around that can help you plan the lessons!

Of course we provide you with materials and books. We also have a copy machine and a printer.

 Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

Working and interacting with Cambodians and volunteers from all around the world allows you to not only build personal relationships, but also to learn about other cultures.

Working and living in a new country and within an unfamiliar culture provides a great experience for our volunteers. Cultural exchange often involves adapting and learning about a new environment, and this flexibility is a helpful skill for our participants before, during and after the volunteer experience with us.

You will make new friendships and relationships, and you will learn how to talk and interact with people from other cultures. One of the best features of cultural exchange programs it is the chance to make new friends for a lifetime, both inside and outside the project. Whether you are working side-by-side or meeting a new friend while traveling in the South East Asia, volunteer projects allow international volunteers to make lifelong friendships 🙂

English, Khmer

The accommodation and schools are located in the Bakong district, a 30 minute tuk-tuk ride from the very tourist friendly Siem Reap.

In the English school in Bakong we have a big house for the volunteers to stay and live. There are two rooms with a double bed and a big room with four beds in total. The big shared rooms has curtains around each bed, so you have enough privacy.

Therefore our maximum capacity at the moment is 10 volunteers.

We have two bathrooms with squat toilets and a normal shower. There is still no hot water :). Sheets, mosquito nets, electric fans, and pillows are all provided, but you might want to bring a light sleeping bag or a blanket. There is electricity, and you can easily charge all electronic devices.

We have full wifi-access. It sometimes it will go out for a couple of hours, but overall there is wifi access at all times. Volunteers only need to worry about a SIM card if they want to use data outside of Cristina School.

The house we live in is RENTED by Puthy (the founder); It really is a unique experience to live in the village and with the locals. There are often children and at the moment we share the grounds with our four cats, several hens, and a puppy.

We have fresh food from the local market everyday and two warm meals are provided by our wonderful Cambodian cooker Soklea.
Breakfast is international: baguette and coffee/tea and lunch and dinner are hot and can be vegetarian or not (depending on your wishes). Drinking water as well as fresh fruit are provided all day long.

Transportation

Transportation to and from the schools/projects is also provided. And we have bikes to use at any time. Please be aware that tourist activities are not included in the contribution. Puthy works very hard and is 100% of the time involved in the project. He can not afford to pay for volunteer’s expenses.

Living in the volunteer house is a great way to authentically experience Cambodia and makes life long friends!

Ps. We do not smoke inside, but you are allowed to smoke outside – as long as you make sure to put the butts in the ashtray 🙂

At the weekends, volunteers often go to Siem Reap town to get a hot shower, swim in the pool and visit the town. At the weekends it is also possible to go to sights in the area such as the famous Angkor Wat or to do a weekend trip to Battambang (3hours by bus). Our local area features the Bakong Temples, which are definitely also worth visiting!

BE AWARE: If you want to do these kind of activities in your free time, don’t expect that Puthy will be your tourist guide. Puthy will be happy to drive you places but please, ask him in advance if it’s OK with him, and you will have to pay for gasoline or food.

We sometimes do trips together with the children on the weekends, renting a mini van and having some fun together.

When we’re not teaching or planning lesson we spend our time chilling in the hammocks, talking, playing cards, listening to music or having a beer.

Hours expected

Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Contact details

e-mail: vfrcc@hotmail.com 

https://www.vfrcc.com/ (This is the school website)
https://borderlessjourney.com/VfRCC-Volunteer-for-Rural-Children-of-Cambodia (This is an article where I explain a little bit more about it)