Overview

Volunteer in Cambodia – eOcambo Volunteers

eOcambo Volunteer Programs is based in Siem Reap, Cambodia and is part of a dedicated hospitality group which also has a Foundation to assist breaking the barriers to education. We have close ties to community organizations who assist underprivileged people. These organisations are specialists in their field and provide sustainable, on-going benefits to the Cambodian community.

Our role is to bridge the gap between those who need help and those who wish to generously give their time to provide assistance in Siem Reap. We connect people with projects. While you are helping out Cambodians, we look after you.

There are many generous people from all over the world who gain great satisfaction from helping the less fortunate. One of the best ways to do this is to give your time and expertise. Cambodia still suffers from a skills gap, and you can help close that.

Cambodia was decimated by the Pol Pot regime which exterminated people with any form of knowledge or education. As a result, victims included teachers, doctors, dentists, engineers and architects, or anyone with an education. It then suffered a decade of occupation by their traditional enemies, and the Khmer Rouge did not disband until 1999. This means there was little professional education available for most Cambodians until the new millennium. The terrible legacy, although diminishing still lives on today.

Cambodians want to help themselves re-build, as they have a past full of talent, innovation and skill. Teaching your skills to Cambodians provides an effective, long term solution to some of the issues the country still faces.

What We Do:

We help you to help others. We provide all the on the ground organization here in Cambodia before you arrive.

We pick you up from the airport or bus station, provide accommodation in our hotels or private Tropical Garden House. Then you have 24 hour support while you are volunteering, we provide transportation to and from the volunteering placement, and comfortable relaxing accommodation where you can relax and indulge after hours.

We have optional extras you may want to explore, such as an orientation tour, sim card, cultural tips and we can provide a professional presentation on the history of Cambodia which puts the current situation into context and helps explain why Cambodia still faces enormous challenges.

What We Don’t Do:

eOcambo Volunteer Programs focus is on helping Cambodian people directly by connecting Volunteers with community projects that need people to help on the ground in the villages and communities.

eOcambo Volunteer Programs is NOT a tour company that provides people with vacations or holidays that include a small volunteering element. Rather, our aim is to connect Volunteers to Community Programs that need on the ground help.

We are NOT based or owned in a Western country with multiple projects all over the World. Our only focus is on the Siem Reap area, as this is our hometown, and despite the money tourism brings in, Siem Reap Province is still one of the poorest provinces in the country.

eOcambo Volunteers is NOT an NGO or charity. We work closely with our partner organizations. Our main role is to assist NGO’s in developing their community projects. Through our efforts, we find international volunteers who wish to help without paying high agent or project fees.

eOcambo Volunteers was formed to address the following issues:

To ensure that volunteers were not exploited and their money wasted. Although most unscrupulous operators have been shut down, new ones spring up occasionally. These operators will take volunteers time and money, but they do not benefit the community. For example, one organization was claiming that it was building houses for disadvantage rural people. Volunteers would pay for the house and help construct it, but as soon as they left the country, the house would be dismantled for rebuilding by the next group of volunteers. That organization no longer exists.
To ensure Cambodians are not exploited. As with above, many “Orphanages” were opened just for the volunteer dollar. The children were not orphans, most had at least one parent alive. The children were kidnapped, or rural and remote parents in small villages were told their child would get a good education and a better life. Of course, this did not happen and these ‘Orphanages” kept children in very bad conditions and hungry so that tourists and volunteers would donate more money.
Taking jobs from Cambodians. All the organizations we work with employ Cambodians as the majority of their staff. Their activities provide work for Cambodians rather than take it away.
Exorbitant Volunteering Fees. eOcambo does not charge any fees to volunteer through us. Fees payable to the volunteering organization go directly to them, eOcambo does not touch that money. The fees charged by these organizations are there to help them carry out their essential activities and continue working. eOcambo is reimbursed by people staying in our hotels or private home while they are volunteering.
Kickbacks and corrupt practices. eOcambo is not paid or given any benefits by the organizations we work with. In fact, we send some of our partners a percentage of the profits made when their volunteers stay with us.
We do not do orphanages. This is to ensure that eOcambo does not inadvertently encourage the breakup of families or exploitation of children.