Local Cambodian NGO Project

  Cambodia

Phnom Penh

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

Description: During the last 10 years, committed Cambodians have set up Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to aid the rebuilding and development of Cambodian society. VAC program cooperates with a network organization including 41+ local organizations in Phnom Penh and the provinces that focuses on community and rural development, democracy development and gender issues. The organizations do a great job by supporting the poorest of the poor and those who have become landless, offering capacity building opportunities and organizing advocacy for the reconstruction of the country.

The local NGOs themselves usually have only limited (if any) financial resources. They often struggle to run their programs and to raise funds from international donors. Many staff members are volunteers receiving no salary. Often the organizations lack skills and resources to become powerful players at the local level. They urgently need support, for example, in fundraising and proposal writing, organizational development, administration and community development.

Internships are offered in the following fields:

Community development, Health, HIV/Aids awareness, prevention and rehabilitation, Conservation, Women and Child issues, Advocacy and Human Rights Issues.

Highlights: For all organizations, especially on the countryside, it is a great honour to host a foreign volunteer. He/she is warmly welcomed and will be included in all daily activities of the organization and the staff.

The idea is to bring foreign interns to Cambodia to exchange cultural and work experience and to contribute new impulses and fresh ideas to both Cambodian and the interns' home society. The responsibility of the intern depends on his/her skills and interests. For example:

* A law student supports a community to apply for their land rights.
* An intern with skills in development work supports an organization to write proposals for fundraising and reports.
* Another intern supports an organization to organize a program to generate income for the poorest of the poor and a saving program for a community.
* An art student supports an organization to develop handicraft products made from recycled paper.
* An English teacher developed a curriculum for the English classes of a child organization.
* A psychology student advised a child centre about how to improve psychological support for the children.
* A graphic designer drafted and edited brochures and posters for an organization working with disabled persons.

To be involved in these projects, a minimum stay of 4 weeks is required. At the beginning, the intern gets an overview of the organization and its activities. He/she studies the specific Cambodian background and conditions of the project before he/she starts the activities. The intern is supervised by the director of the organization or the coordinator of the specific program.

Qualifications: The Cambodian language is difficult to learn, even if the staff of the organization is glad to teach the volunteer some basic Khmer phrases. In each host organization, some staff members speak a little English and all communication with the international donors is in English. Nevertheless, communication gaps are one of the main problems that the intern has to cope with. The intern should be genuinely interested in and committed to the Cambodian country and culture. He/she should have basic skills in the field he/she wants to be placed. A special qualification is not necessary. The volunteer should be at least 18 years old.

Cost in US$: 200 USD per month. please contact us for service details

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
* To provide a contact, in case of problems
* To provide the volunteer with all necessary informations

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: We get volunteer of every fields as there are so many different organisations. Just tell us a little bit about your interest and your educational background and we will find an interesting place for you.

Age Range: 20-60 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