Support an Orphanage as a Drama or Music Teacher

  Cambodia

Phnom Penh

Durations of Program: 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks

Description: The orphanage providing the volunteer position is located in Pursat near the Tonle Sap Lake in the north of Cambodia. The organization does a great job by supporting the orphans in this region. The children living with the organizations are between 1 and 20 years old, their parents having died as a result of either poverty or AIDS.

Working with orphans as a volunteer you will help to give the children power and energy to return to a satisfied life and to create self-confidence and hope. In the orphanage the children have found a safe and secure home environment.

Highlights: Cambodia was an ancient empire, populated by Khmers. It reached its peak between the 11th and 15th century. After that period, Cambodia fell into decline and became a French colony from the latter part of the 19th century until the 1950s. Toward the end of 1960s, Cambodia was confronted with political disorder and conflicts due to economic turmoil, threats from communists in Vietnam, and air strikes by the United States and South Vietnamese forces in the final stages of the Vietnam War. In 1970, Lon Nol launched a successful coup d etat and deposed Sihanouk as the head of state. In April 1975, the Khmer Rouge (KR) expelled Lon Nol and installed the Democratic Kampuchea regime. In less than four years of rule, all institutions in Cambodia were destroyed and more than a million Cambodians were killed. The fundamental Cambodia institutions of family, community, and religion were all viewed as existing solely to support a corrupt status quo. The Khmer Rouge set out to cleanse this inherently corrupt Cambodia in order to build their Utopian state. Their utopia of genocide and aggressive stance against the Vietnamese resulted in the Vietnamese army invading in 1979 and essentially occupying the Nation for the next decade. Insurgencies raged on however and Cambodia remained as volatile and dangerous as before.

Qualifications: A special qualification is not necessary, but development work experience is highly appreciated. The volunteer should be at least 18 years old. The staff of the orphanage speaks Khmer, some persons speak English or French, communication gaps are a problem the volunteer has to cope with. The kids learn English at school. All are very keen to improve their English skills and, at the same time, are very happy to teach you some basic Khmer phrases.

The volunteer should have a real interest to work with children and to support them in the working area of drama or music as a teacher.

The volunteer should be genuinely interested in and committed to the Cambodian people, the Cambodian country and the Cambodian culture.

Cost in US$: depends on the length of stay (4 weeks 200 USD)

The fee for the VAC program per month is 200 USD (excluding accommodation and food).
The volunteer will be supported in finding a good and reasonable accommodation in a guest house or with a host family.
Responsibilities of the VAC program are:

* Helping to find a host family or a Guesthouse
* Pick up at the airport
* Welcome dinner
* Organization of the transfer to the NGO
* a presentation about the volunteer program Introduction to the partner organization
* Transfer to the airport
* To provide a contact, in case of problems
* To provide the volunteer with all necessary

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: VAC program invites international students and graduates from all over the world to work with local organizations. The volunteers are curious and respectful of other culture, open minded and flexible.

Age Range: 18-60 years

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Cambodia Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Written Application

STAR Kampuchea's Mission Statement: STAR Kampuchea is a Cambodian non-profit and non-partisan organization. It was established in August 1997 and is dedicated to building democracy by strengthening civil society. Since it was founded, STAR Kampuchea has become a well-known and respected organization with a solid reputation among civil society organizations, government bodies and donors. Thousands of people and hundreds of NGOs have benefited from its activities. STAR Kampuchea's keyword is advocacy, the organized efforts and actions that use the instruments of democracy to establish and implement laws and policies that will create a just and equitable society (Definition of the Advocacy Institute, Washington, D.C.). Advocacy activities should strengthen democracy, the respect for human rights and civil society on the basis of the rule of law. To achieve its objectives, STAR Kampuchea currently runs three programs: the Advocacy Action Program (AAP), the Advocacy Capacity Action Program (ACP) and a new program to establish the STAR Kampuchea Foundation (SKF). The VAC program is part of the third program.

Year Founded: 1997