Education Volunteering in Siem Reap, Cambodia

This is my second time volunteering via IVHQ. The first time was teaching English in Thailand and just now it was teaching English in Cambodia. The application process is very straightforward. IVHQ provides a good level of information to set you up. The volunteering was satisfying and I hope my little time helps makes an accumulative difference. The Cambodian people are so friendly and the country is great to visit.

I volunteered in Cambodia with IVHQ and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. From the beginning, IVHQ supported me every step of the way. They gave me clear info, helped me prepare everything, and answered all my questions super fast. I felt safe and ready before even arriving. When I got to Cambodia, the local team welcomed me so warmly. They really cared and made sure I was okay throughout the whole time. I worked at a school with children from difficult backgrounds and some with special needs – and I’ve rarely felt so much love in one place. I was assigned to different classes, from kindergarten to grade 4. My tasks were varied: sometimes I supported the local teachers, other times I led short lessons myself. Often there was a bit of time to prepare, but a lot of the work required improvisation and creativity – whether through games, songs or simple exercises. But don’t worry: there’s always someone around to support you, and your efforts are truly appreciated. The accommodation was simple, but it had everything I needed. I had my own private room, which was a big plus – and I’d definitely recommend the AC upgrade, especially because Cambodia can get really hot! The food was another highlight: three delicious meals a day, always fresh, local and full of flavour. Every day brought something new. Some days were tough, but I learned so much – about the world, about others, and about myself. Thank you IVHQ and thank you to the amazing team in Cambodia. I’ll never forget this time and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a real and heartwarming volunteer experience.

I initially chose to volunteer with IVHQ because they are a certified B Corporation, which resonated deeply with me, especially since I work for a B Corp myself. Being part of a B Corp, I understand first-hand the commitment required to meet the high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. B Corporations prioritize people and the planet alongside profit, and I knew that IVHQ would not only have a meaningful impact on the communities they serve but also operate with the highest level of integrity and responsibility. From August to September 2023, I had the incredible opportunity to spend five weeks volunteering with a local NGO in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It was an unforgettable experience. My primary role was assisting the organization in developing a proposal for the ‘KIX-call for proposals.’ The work was both challenging and immensely rewarding, providing me with invaluable insight into proposal writing and the NGO's mission. Throughout those five weeks, I gained much more than technical skills. I learned about Cambodian culture, the daily challenges faced by the NGO, and the resilience and strength of the communities they support. The project was highly collaborative, and I truly appreciated how my input was welcomed and valued at every stage of the process. Seeing our collective efforts come together, knowing that it could potentially secure much-needed funding for future initiatives, was incredibly fulfilling. Beyond the professional experience, Phnom Penh is a vibrant city full of life. The warmth and friendliness of the people, the incredible food, and the rich cultural heritage made every moment outside of work just as memorable. I highly recommend this volunteering opportunity to anyone looking to make a meaningful impact while gaining valuable experience. It was an eye-opening journey that left me with a deep appreciation for the critical work being done in Cambodia, as well as lifelong memories and friendships.

The training and the meeting pre-departure were really helpful and gave me great confidence to hop on the trip without worry. Everything was clear and very informative! After staying 7 weeks at the school, I had strong ties with the students and the teachers. Everyone was crying when I left and I wished I could have stayed longer, but sadly, I also have my life to continue... I believe I made a great impact and helped the students a lot! They were all very happy with my teaching approach, the activities I organized and the support I provided. As a 19 years old volunteer, I taught 16-18 years old students. Beyond teaching them English, I also had the opportunity to teach them more life skills such as public speaking, confidence, effective study habits and more. As a university student studying International Development and Philosophy, I gained profound insights. From studying the inequalities in the Western world and in the world of development, I came to appreciate learning directly at the source. It was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. The people I met were so kind, caring, and friendly to me that I still can't believe it. I learned to listen more, to be more tolerant, and to approach situations without judgment, with a fresh perspective. If I had advice to give to future volunteers, it would be to stay, at minimum, more than a month in one place to get to know people in depth and form strong bonds. They should go with an open mind, without judgment, and without trying to find what they are used to at home. They should challenge their norms and conventions, come with a clear slate to write a new story, immerse themselves fully, and learn from others because we have much more to learn than to teach.

I had ample guidance and preparation resources that allowed the trip to go smoothly, and I travelled to Cambodia with confidence due to the help I received prior to departing. The local team was a friendly and knowledgeable group. They all made sure that we were happy and taught us many things about the local culture and were very time oriented. This opportunity has made me realize that so much joy comes from volunteering and helping those around you. I will most likely be volunteering with IVHQ again in the future. I gained confidence, new friends, a better resume, a connection with the students and school, and so much more. If someone is feeling hesitant about joining, they should follow their instincts and think about why they are looking into volunteering abroad. This route is affordable and safe. Traveling abroad this way allows you to have connections with the locals that can speak the language and help you in any situation.

The Program Guide is very thorough. It was easy to return to sections to double check details. I definitely gained an awareness of the reality for teachers in a third world country. They worked extremely hard with so few resources. I discovered that the Cambodian people with whom I worked with are so very resilient and well intentioned. Their circumstances are so very different from our first world circumstances they have no frame of reference, but were very eager to learn. I benefited tremendously from the experience, more than I anticipated. While I was there to help, which I believe I did, I received much in return.

I gained gratitude for my own life, as well as feelings of amazement for this country’s resilience, respect for their culture, self confidence, excitement for the potential far reaching impact my work will have in changing lives, self pride around my independence, adaptability, resilience and resourcefulness.

The website is super well set up so following the steps to preparing for the trip was super easy and straight forward. I think I have gained personal skills, thanks to my placement, that I would otherwise never have, as well as a greater understanding of foreign cultures. The greatest element of my experience is how connected to the local community you feel and that is why I would recommend volunteering over vacation to anyone considering.

Great communication and guidance throughout the entire process. Raksmey and his team was phenomenal. He was present and informative in every capacity imaginable. When not physically present, he would stay in constant contact and provide consistent updates concerning matters related to the program or guesthouse. On a scale of 1-10 I would rate the local team a 100. The food was great throughout my time in Cambodia. The cook at the Phnom Penh guesthouse was phenomenal. Very kind and understanding. I have never had as much fun as I experienced during the 4 months I spent in Cambodia.

The preparation resources were very good. All of the documents including the help with Visa and passport photos made my travel and arrival very easy. The local team was fantastic and helped me in every way possible. I loved meeting the kids and witnessing what a Khmer life for a young kid was like was a life-changing experience. By volunteering abroad, there's nothing to lose! It's an amazing program with the kindest people who are happy to have you there. I learnt about Khmer culture and history. Understanding the values and daily life of Cambodian people was incredible.

Despite applying to an IVHQ program only around a month before the starting date, IVHQ constantly kept in touch with me to guide me through the preparation process and made me feel quite well-prepared for the trip! This experience helped me grow as a person (I feel more confident about stepping out of my comfort zone), as well as grow in my career (I was reminded once again of why I decided to become a teacher, and the experiences & challenges I faced during placement contributed to my career development as a teacher!). The science topic I taught my grade 1 class was 'plants'. We had an outdoor lesson where the students roamed around the school yard to find the different parts of plants (leaves, stem, roots, flowers, etc.). Seeing the students so engaged in their learning during this lesson was my favourite moment! The students all brought me different parts of plants to show me what they found with huge smiles on their faces :) Getting to work with teachers at the school I was placed in had the greatest impact on me. The passion and care the teachers had for their students, despite the lack of resources and facilities at school, really inspired me. This program motivated me to become a better teacher myself, and I am so excited to bring this passion into my own classrooms and with every student I will encounter in my career! This volunteer experience is so worth it! It can definitely feel scary and overwhelming, but the people you will meet during your volunteering trip will support you and guide you whenever you need. It is an amazing opportunity to be able to experience different cultures and explore another part of the world! It helped me grow a lot as an individual, as well as in my career development.

Very happy with information posted on the the IVHQ website. I really enjoyed staying at the volunteer accommodation in Siem Reap and the food I received was wonderful. The local team were a wonderful host. Helpful and knowledgeable. I felt part of the school teaching team and thoroughly enjoyed all of the teaching experience. I got on very well with the existing teaching team. I really enjoyed taking lead roles with the teaching.

There was an abundance of information provided by IVHQ about volunteering and the destination. The support team in Cambodia were great! I liked that a packed lunch was prepared daily so I didn't have to buy food outside. IVHQ is safe and always on hand to help.

As some who needed a year off between high school and college, Carpe Diem was the best fit for me. As part of the Southeast Asia gap year program one of my favorite things was our partners and host families. At Punpun, a greenhouse building and seed saving organization, I’ve never felt more exhausted, but loved. The people there were so kind and caring as well as invested in educational and experiential learning. While there, I met people with similar interests who showed me that I can do exactly what I want to do in life.

If you’re thinking of taking a gap year, this gap year semester is amazing! I really got to develop as a person and had incredible experiences (and food). I also met really kind and down to earth people on this program, made such great memories, and friends! You really get the best of both worlds on this program - rugged nature adventures and city life activities, which I didn’t know about prior. My favorite part of the trip was going to IWP, which was a Buddhist feminist retreat. 10/10, would recommend this trip.

Carpe Diem is 100% an experience I would recommend to others. The mix of volunteer service work with explorative more touristy activities was excellent. A highlight of my trip was our experience at Pun Pun farm in northern Thailand. We spent a day helping build mud bricks for a community member’s house. The work was tiring but extremely rewarding. Tiring but very rewarding sums up the whole of my semester perfectly. I now have built great friendships with my fellow group members and wonderfully relationships with our various host families and organizations.

The biggest impact my volunteering trip had on me was that it gave me a perspective on a life and culture that I would never have gained had I not gone. The little details and worries that you have before going to the country disappear once you step off that plane!

I had the absolute best time in Cambodia. I have only been outside of Europe once before this in my life and Cambodia was definitely the best choice. I loved all of the other volunteers and all the kids at the school were amazing. We had really good staff there that really cared about the well-being of us volunteers. Truly the best trip of my life.

The staff and team there were amazing and always so welcoming and kind. The food was amazing and always something different. The cook was also very friendly and accommodating. The experience I gained from taking part in this volunteering has been invaluable to me. It has shown me that where I want to work is within the charity sector in order to make a real impact to peoples lives. It has also shown me that I want to live for part of my life in Asia as I have always loved the culture but living in Cambodia for almost 2 months showed me I could really live long-term there. By the end of my time there I could measurably see the difference I had made for the local NGO and the gratefulness of my colleagues for the help I was able to provide gave me real motivation to continue to do work like this in the future. It's a daunting process to start off with, but also one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had and I have no regrets about deciding to do this experience and would highly recommend to anyone.

My week spent in Cambodia was a hugely eye opening experience and allowed me to gain a real life insight into how clothes are made on a fast fashion and slow fashion scale. As a consumer, it has further encouraged me to make more conscious decisions about buying clothes after seeing for myself the conditions factory workers live in and having conversations with them about their work environment. I would recommend this to anyone - it is a great way to educate yourself and others on sustainable fashion.