5 steps to responsible volunteering

By Luka D’Amato

Children are being helped by a social worker to study their text books. The children used to live in residential care institutions (orphanages) but now live with a foster family in Battambang province who are providing them with loving care and support, through a community-based alternative care initiative. The family is supported by NGO social worker through regular visits.

©UNICEF Cambodia/2015/Antoine Raab

Volunteering abroad is a great opportunity to help others and gain experience. Yet, many are unaware that some forms of volunteering, especially in the form of voluntourism, can negatively impact children and families. In the context of vulnerable children, this issue is even greater. To help you make a positive impact for communities through volunteering, here’s a list of ways to ensure that you are volunteering responsibly.

The untold story of children left behind by migrant parents

By Frederick Howard

Bunloeum and Phanet eat at home with their grandmother Souy.
©UNICEF Cambodia/2017/Bona Khoy

Siem Reap Province, Cambodia, September 2017 – It’s an overcast morning in this north-western province, with the sky consumed by a dark grey cloud.

Pradak School is located in rural Siem Reap. Its facilities are basic; with one classroom being no more than an open-sided barn containing desks and a whiteboard. The surrounding land has no playground for the children and the site lacks suitable toilet facilities and running water.

Impact of migration on children left behind by parents

By Frederick Howard

Four-year-old Bopha and her six-year-old brother Sopheak

 walk to school in Siem Reap province.©UNICEF Cambodia/2017/Bona Khoy

Siem Reap Province, Cambodia, September 2017 – Mok Pen commune is located in rural Siem Reap, where the resorts and attractions of the provincial capital are replaced by rice fields.

It is home to a family whose lives have been dramatically changed by migration. Four-year-old Bopha and her six-year-old brother Sopheak play on the land surrounding their traditional Khmer home – a small, wooden building, consisting of an open kitchen and a living space that doubles up as a bedroom.

From a troubled past to a beautician-in-training

By Mith Samlanh

Davin during a beautician training session
©Mith Samlanh/2017 

Phnom Penh, September 2017 — Davin* is a 22-year-old young woman training to be a beautician at Mith Samlanh, a UNICEF partner. Growing up in a notorious drug-infested slum in Phnom Penh, she lived with her parents and two sisters in a one-room, wooden shack with a metal roof. Her mother sold second-hand clothes at a nearby market, and her father worked in construction. Together, they earned approximately 15,000 Riel – 20,000 Riel (US$4 – US$5) a day, just enough to send their children to school and cope with their daily expenses.

How high quality evaluations are helping to improve the lives of school children in Cambodia

By Monique Rao

©UNICEF Cambodia/2014/Isabelle Lesser

Phnom Penh, Cambodia, September 2017: In June this year, the UNICEF Office of Evaluation at Head Quarters in New York announced the organization’s 15 Best Evaluations of 2016. Out of 101 evaluations completed globally, UNICEF Cambodia’s Evaluation on Child-Friendly School Policy was selected as one of the top 15 across the entire organization. This recognition shows UNICEF Cambodia’s commitment to transparency, accountability and improvement, and illustrates how the outcomes of high quality evaluations can positively impact the lives of children here and around the world.

Not just numbers: Better data helps ease school drop-out in Cambodia

By Shruti Gogia and Sovannarem Ngoy

Eight-year-old Chanle finishes his Grade 1 classwork at
Sre Krasaing Primary School, Stung Treng; 

©UNICEF Cambodia/2017/Sovannarem Ngoy

Stung Treng, Cambodia, September 2017: At a primary school located in a village in the remote northern province of Stung Treng, a group of Grade 1 students recites poems about morality and ethics. It’s part of their daily routine at Sre Krasaing Primary School, where the student body numbers 290 children, including 138 girls.

Chanle Hua, a shy eight year old, reads a piece about respecting elders and keeping the surroundings clean. His school exudes a welcoming appearance, with rows of small plants potted in recycled bottles and flyers, charts and drawings made by students covering the building’s walls.

ការដាក់វិន័យបែបវិជ្ជមាន នាំមកនូវការផ្លាស់ប្តូរនៅតាមសាលារៀននៅកម្ពុជា

To read this post in English, click here

ដោយ Miho Yoshikawa 

© UNICEF Cambodia/2016/Fani Llaurado

កុមារី នុយ វិសិទ្ធ រង្សី អង្គុយនៅតុរបស់នាងក្នុងសាលាបឋមសិក្សាវត្តស្ទឹង ក្នុងខេត្តកំពត

  ខេត្តកំពត ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា ខែកញ្ញា ឆ្នាំ២០១៧ - ក្នុងវ័យ៩ឆ្នាំ កុមារី នុយ វិសិទ្ធរង្សី គឺជាឧទាហរណ៍ដ៏ល្អបំផុត អំពីកុមាររីករាយ ដែលចម្រើនពេញវ័យនៅក្នុងភូមិករដ៏សែនស្រស់បំព្រង។ រង្សី រស់នៅក្នុងភូមិតូចមួយគឺភូមិឈើទាល ក្នុងខេត្តកំពត ដែលហ៊ុំព័ទ្ធដោយវាលស្រែស្រស់បំព្រង សម្បូរដើមដូង និងមានភ្នំរដិបរដុបជាច្រើន។