WHAT DOES THE PROJECT DO?
This project allows you to decide how you would like to help the people and wildlife of this poor yet beautiful country. Poverty, and the lack of education that results from it, traps the children of Cambodia in a cycle of deprivation that causes many problems in their lives including becoming vulnerable to child labour markets where they can be forced to work hazardous jobs, or even be sold into prostitution.
Poverty also results in malnourishment, homelessness, and lack of access to healthcare and sanitation. With nearly one in three of Cambodia's 7-14 year olds unable to attend school, the prospect of escaping this 'poverty cycle' is bleak indeed. The situation is all the worse for those children who have been orphaned and who lack even the love and care of a parent.
You can bring hope to these impoverished children by giving them the education, attention and affection that they have been denied for much of their lives. You can chose to teach children in Phonom Penh or Siem Reap or help care for the orphans of Phnom Penh. Literacy is key to education and future jobs for these children, so you will be helping them to move beyond subsistence farming. Illiterate children have few educational options, and your presence will give them the gift of English, the language of commerce, allowing them access to more stable and secure jobs, and potentially even high-school and college scholarships.
Cambodia's wildlife is also suffering. The rate of forest destruction here is the third highest in the world and the animals and birds that depend on this habitat are vanishing rapidly. We are working in the forests of northern Cambodia to research and protect some of the country's most endangered species. This project gives you the chance to spend part of your time helping with that vital work.
WHAT WILL I BE DOING?
This depends on which options you select. You can chose one or more of the following, and you can decide which order to do them in:
Help in an orphanage in Phnom Penh (minimum 1 week)
You will be helping in an orphanage at the heart of the Phnom Penh community, where you will have the freedom to be creative and inspiring with your work and your teaching and caring. The children you will be caring for and teaching are extremely poor but are fun, energetic and enthusiastic. They will be incredibly responsive to your presence and appreciative of your help.
Teaching these children English is a powerful way to enable them to access opportunities that would otherwise be entirely denied to them, and is also an enjoyable way to build up your own skill base and independence with practical TEFL experience, whilst embracing the exotic and friendly culture of this spellbinding pocket of Asia.
Teaching in a school in Siem Reap or Phnom Penh (minimum 1 week)
You will be a teaching assistant helping to support teaching in a local school at the heart of the either the Siem Reap or Phnom Penh community. Siem Reap is a captivating location that is known as the 'gateway' to the millennium-old ruins of the Khmer empire. It encompasses the awe inspiring temple complex of Angkor Wat, an ancient and world famous monument that is yet untarnished by development. Phnom Penh is the vibrant and cosmopolitan capital of Cambodia. We recommend that volunteers stay for four weeks to maximise the benefit of your presence within the classroom. Those volunteers staying for less that four weeks may not have the opportunity to teach English to their own class but will play a key part with kindergarten, organic gardening and arts and crafts exercises.
Wildlife conservation in the rainforest (minimum 1 week)
Cambodia's threatened tropical forests harbour many of the world's most endangered species, including the Asian Elephant, Tiger, Sun Bear, Dhole and Gibbon. Frontier volunteers are conducting pioneering exploration of some of the most uncharted of these tropical forests. On the Frontier-Cambodia Tropical Forest Project you will trek through dense tropical jungles searching for signs of elusive and enigmatic wildlife and discover more about their fascinating ecology and pristine habitats.
You'll live and work with other enthusiastic and energetic volunteers in a remote rainforest camp where you'll carry out crucial surveys that will be used to protect endangered species and threatened habitats. This is a little-explored area and there is great potential for many new species to be discovered. The journey to the field camp takes two days, so bear in mind that if you choose this option for only a week then your time on camp will be limited.
Beach relaxation (3 days to 1 week)
Cambodia’s coastal paradise is home to some of the most spectacular marine life and gorgeous beaches in the world. The coral reefs support a dazzling array of tropical reef fish and seahorses and provide rich feeding grounds for turtles, manta rays and a wealth of other marine creatures. The deep blue offshore waters support reef sharks and majestic whale sharks, as well as vast shoals of cruising pelagics. You will stay in the Frontier beach camp alongside local, coastal communities and spend time soaking up the sun or swimming in the dazzling blue waters.
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