Community development, Aid/humanitarian work - Cambodia

Product Details

Outreach International have community development projects in Cambodia and Ecuador. In Cambodia the KDFO project supports 180 children who live on the city rubbish dump. Accommodation is provided for the orphans and volunteers are need to help provide a basic education, healthcare and offer stimulating activities for the neglected children. In Ecuador the Zambiza project provides similar support for 30 children who live on the Quito rubbish dump.

KDFO, Cambodia

A volunteer is needed to help this grass root organisation in a variety of areas. The children and their families are from the poorest of backgrounds and earn money by reclying rubbish from the city dump. The staff and children need large amounts of support with their English. This would come in the form of conversation, proposal writing and report writing. The reports would form an essential base to fundraising proposals. The children currently study English for an hour each day; having a native English speaker work with them during this time would be highly beneficial for the development of their language. The children need love, care and adult attention. Some of them are orphans and sleep at KDFO. They need help with basic healthcare and would love volunteres who could put on activities to stimulte them. Volunteers placed here would be able to develop their own structured schedule relevant to which areas of work interest them. You would need to be level-headed and highly organised to sort out a timetable with only basic facilities. You would also be asked to assess the needs of the centre in terms of food, health, support, educational needs and the host of other requirements associated with running a centre for 180 gorgeous, lively, ragged children.

ZAMBIZA, Ecuador

Objectives of the project

The project was set up to provide a safe and clean environment for up to 45 children while their parents work on the dump. Before the centre was built they would be carried on the backs of their parents, as is the custom of the indigenous people of Ecuador. This in turn allows the parents to get more work done.

Volunteers are needed...

- To increase the cleanliness of the children by bathing them, cleaning their teeth, cutting fingernails and basic first aid. In addition to this, keeping the children away from the constant contact with rubbish reduces illnesses such as dysentery.

- To teach the children basic skills such as washing, playing with puzzles, social skills and pre school education. At the moment they are behind in their educational skills so this objective will be invaluable in providing a start that they otherwise may not have had.

- To provide the children with a substantial meal a day, as well as a fruit snack and nutritional drinks.

Volunteer responsibilities

- Helping with the feeding of the babies and younger children
- Showing love and affection
- Changing dirty nappies and clothes, washing and cutting fingernails
- Playing games with the children
- Designing craft activities and games for the older children
- Educating the children through games, puzzles and play

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Our users say...

"The kids are all in one room so it is very noisy; this makes it seem a bit chaotic but it is also part of its charm. You really feel part of the group and part of the community. It can be quite stressful to start with as the younger children find it very difficult to be separated from their parents. The daycare centre is open from 10am-5pm, and volunteers are needed all the time. I mean all the time" - Lizi Mortimore.

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