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Host rating
100 %
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Details
Description
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.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Teaching
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Babysitting and creative play
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
UN sustainablity goals this host is trying to achieve
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 :)
A MINIMUM stay of 4 WEEKS is REQUIRED.Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
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. We are open to your creativity, and we are happy and thankful for your suggestions for how we can make our organisation even better!
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.
A MINIMUM stay of 4 WEEKS is REQUIRED.Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Khmer: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.Accommodation
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. We have a big shared open space that has curtains around each bed, so you have enough privacy.
Therefore our maximum capacity at the moment is 12 volunteers. We have one bathroom with squat toilet and bucket shower. There is still no hot water :). Mosquito nets, electric fans, and pillows are all provided, but you might want to bring a light sleeping bag, a bed sheet 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 the project's contributions; 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 Sok Niap (Rathana's aunt).
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 is provided all day long.
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. Rathana and the local family work very hard and is 100% of the time involved in the project. They 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 the school gates - as long as you make sure to put the butts in the ashtray :)What else ...
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 the team will be your tourist guide. They will be happy to drive you places but please, ask them in advance if it's OK with them, and you will have to pay for gasoline and 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.
Hope to see you soon :)A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Fundraising, video editing, social media posts, photo editing, newsletter, networking.
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
This host has been visited by a member of the Workaway team
"I had a chance to visit a local school in Cambodia. It is located at a rural village near Siem Reap. It took around 30-40 minutes to reach there.
There are 8 workawayers currently volunteering there and all of them seemed enjoying so much from teaching and having fun with the kids. They sing and dance together. I’m really impressed the singing time in the playground before class everyday. All of us held hands together and formed a big circle. The kids seem to be thankful for the workawayers to teach and also be with them.
A post student from this school became the manager of the school. I can feel the change from her life and I’m so happy for her.
The workawayers all enjoy a lot from this stay and they are really impacting the kids’ lives. Their big smiles and laughters are all around the school.
It is a big honour for us to give out bags and stationery for them to make their school life more fruitful.
I’m so glad that I can grab this chance to make a visit to this school. " - Dionne from the Workaway team, October 2019
Feedback (64)
The whole team is dedicated, attentive, and extremely nice. The onboarding process works very well, and you receive a lot of information before starting the project. The boarding process is also… read more
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(4.8)
The whole team is dedicated, attentive, and extremely nice. The onboarding process works very well, and you receive a lot of information before starting the project. The boarding process is also… read more
Why you should join this project ?
1- Because this NGO is just doing the best for the locals. The project is well managed, with good hearts. They are always trying to do the best for the children, for the locals and for the… read more
I had a great experience, I was welcomed from 2 little girls and it was like they know me… read more
When I arrived at Cristina School I expected to teach english, help people who needed it the most and get to know the culture but I gave much more than that & got back even more.
LOCAL PEOPLE
I had the chance to get to know the… read more
The contact with the childrens, the volunteers and the locals gave me the impression to integrate a big family.
I will remember a long time all the amazing moments i lived here : play (a lot !!!) and have class with the childrens, discover the… read more
This was by far the most fulfilling experience of our lives. We learnt way more from the kids than we taught them. Never we would have thought that we would live an… read more
I spent one AMAZING month in Cristina’s School ! I want to be a teacher so teaching these lovely kids everyday was just a DREAM for me. Indeed, the students of this school are always motivated to learn more and more, particularly with games and songs ! Every single kids have a great… read more
First, the kids. You will be amazed and very surprised of how much they are willing to learn and practice English. The get very excited when you’re trying to do some… read more
Thank you very much for your time. It was so great to having you with us. You did such a great job, being involved with the students from minute 0 and always bringing your best attitude, motivation and positive vibes to the school.
We will miss you!
Thank you for everything and we hope to see you again in the future!
We were a bit scared about not having the required English level or others skills to be part of the teacher team but we finally felt very at ease there. Cristina and Puthy (the founder) are always doing everything to make the daily life pleasant at the School and… read more
Working with kids is really great, they are so fun and undearing ! Of course, they remain kids and it… read more
You are the kind of a volunteer we are looking for, your heart is gold and we are going to miss you deeply!
We hope to see you again in the future and we wish you good luck in your… read more
I came to school with intent. This was my first WorkAway experience and I was expecting a lot. In the end, I got a lot, a lot more.
From the first day I felt only happiness and satisfaction. Kids are incredible. They will give you a lot of joy… read more
You have time four yourself and time to explore Siem Reap,… read more
I have spend a total of 3.5 weeks, and if I was able I would have loved to spend… read more
I had my wonderful experience in here,i only spent my 3 weeks in here but in this 3 weeks i had experience so much good thing.At the beginning i was a bit afraid of what should i do in here because i have no experience at all but after a few days everything is getting… read more
I managed to teach across three schools… read more
Puthy and Navi really do care about you and the students and just want the best. (I was sick two times and Puthy was helping me a lot, which I really appreciated) We volunteers often bought… read more
Thank you very much Puthy and Navy to host us :D
The hosts Puthy and Navi are now part of my family. I went to this school to teach English but at the end I realized that I learned more than the English I taught. I learned about friendship, simplicity, love, share and compromise.
It's a quite new NGO so I… read more
Its a so beautiful human experience , the kids are amazing , the host are amazing, i… read more
Puthy is such a nice person, he is a founder of the school. Navy ( Puthy's wife) is a very cheerfull woman, you will see her smilling all the time and she cooks such a tasty food ! :)
We lived like locals in their… read more
I deeply believe that education is the best ways to fight the poverty and every child has a right to get it... so I hope that I also gave my small contributiin to that idea. I say "small" as I only had one week on the project but I'm going home with heart full of emotions and with a lot of nice… read more
They are doing everything so you feel happy and home. Puthy would get all kind of fruits that most of you probably never heard of and let you try. I loved Mama's cooking. It was basic but delicious.
I had my own room for the time in Bakong. Big bed with fan and… read more
Thank you for everything!