After getting over the initial shock of being in a completely different country/culture/climate than I though i'd be in, I became really excited.
Program Details;
Magna is a Slovakian NGO that works with children with HIV/Aids. Many of
the children it supports are either orphaned or unable to live at home, so
the organisation has set up a home just outside the capital Phnom Penh to
house them. You will live and work in the group home, getting involved in a
wide variety of activities at the project. You could be involved in giving basic
English lessons to children ranging from 2 up to 16 years old, working at the
NGO’s office or doing administrative work at the Magna hospital ward. A
lot of time is spent just playing with and supporting the children as well as assisting the Cambodian caregivers run the home.
There is also a more medical aspect to the project. The children are all on anti-retroviral medication, the drug that inhibits the development of HIV into Aids, and it needs to be monitored to ensure that they are being taken correctly. Some children who come into the home are very weak and the volunteers have to pay particular care for them, ensuring that they eat correctly, monitoring their weight, behavior and taking them to the clinic for their assessments. The volunteers attend an educational meeting every week to discuss the progress of each child.
This project requires a lot of initiative, looking at the routine of the children and seeing what you can do to help or to enhance the children’s daily lives. You will also be involved in running PSHE lessons, running arts and crafts activities and play therapy sessions with a deaf and blind child who requires particular attention.
Accommodation
You will share a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom in the group home which is located in Takhmau, about half an hour from the centre of Phnom Penh. The room is next to the children’s and caregivers’ rooms yet allows
you to have your own space. Food is basic and is cooked for everyone in the home, including the volunteers, by local staff so you will rapidly get used to a Cambodian diet.
lot of time is spent just playing with and supporting the children as well as assisting the Cambodian caregivers run the home.
There is also a more medical aspect to the project. The children are all on anti-retroviral medication, the drug that inhibits the development of HIV into Aids, and it needs to be monitored to ensure that they are being taken correctly. Some children who come into the home are very weak and the volunteers have to pay particular care for them, ensuring that they eat correctly, monitoring their weight, behavior and taking them to the clinic for their assessments. The volunteers attend an educational meeting every week to discuss the progress of each child.
This project requires a lot of initiative, looking at the routine of the children and seeing what you can do to help or to enhance the children’s daily lives. You will also be involved in running PSHE lessons, running arts and crafts activities and play therapy sessions with a deaf and blind child who requires particular attention.
Accommodation
You will share a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom in the group home which is located in Takhmau, about half an hour from the centre of Phnom Penh. The room is next to the children’s and caregivers’ rooms yet allows
you to have your own space. Food is basic and is cooked for everyone in the home, including the volunteers, by local staff so you will rapidly get used to a Cambodian diet.
Life in Cambodia
Cambodia is a country with a rich history. The Khmer people of the
region have developed a sophisticated society, which at its prime
resulted in the building of the incredible temples and palaces of Angkor
Wat. This has become a huge tourist trap but you don’t have to go far
to get away from the milling hordes and discover a Cambodia that
is virtually untouched. It is, however, one of the poorest countries
in SE Asia and is still dealing with the effects of a long period of war and political instability. The Vietnam War had a huge impact, not only because of its indirect involvement but also the political developments it spawned, which resulted in the notorious Pol Pot regime. This led to political and economic isolation and appalling human rights abuses.
in SE Asia and is still dealing with the effects of a long period of war and political instability. The Vietnam War had a huge impact, not only because of its indirect involvement but also the political developments it spawned, which resulted in the notorious Pol Pot regime. This led to political and economic isolation and appalling human rights abuses.
A shadow still hangs over Cambodia but it is becoming a player in the
economic development of SE Asia once again. Cambodia faces many
challenges ahead, as rural poverty affects a large percentage of the
population, resulting in many living at subsistence level with low life
expectancy and limited educational and economic opportunities.
Corruption is also a major problem.
Having been a part of French-Indo China from 1887 until its
independence in 1953, there is a strong French influence, particularly
in Phnom Penh with its French architecture and restaurants. French is spoken by some of the older generation but it is English that is rapidly becoming the foreign language of preference, albeit only spoken in the capital and main tourist areas. In terms of travel Cambodia has much to offer, from the ancient temples of Angkor Wat to the exotic islands and beaches in the South - you will have plenty opportunity during your year to explore this fascinating country.
in Phnom Penh with its French architecture and restaurants. French is spoken by some of the older generation but it is English that is rapidly becoming the foreign language of preference, albeit only spoken in the capital and main tourist areas. In terms of travel Cambodia has much to offer, from the ancient temples of Angkor Wat to the exotic islands and beaches in the South - you will have plenty opportunity during your year to explore this fascinating country.
Next up is training on the 3-7th december held up in Coll. Meaning the actual dates i'll be away are the 1-8th December.
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| My Facebook post in our PT selection group. Where my partner and I accidentally bumped into each other! (Sorry PT!) |
