Volunteering
Volunteers are the lifeblood of CESHEO and the organisation has had more than a thousand people from all over the world come and volunteer for a few weeks or even a few months. We offer a number of opportunities for volunteers such as teaching English or general maintenance work like gardening or building. We also invite volunteers to fund raise or help promote the school so that we can receive donations. CESHEO is a not for profit, non government organisation and continues to survive purely from donations and the hard work and compassion of volunteers.
It's up to the imagination and wits of individual volunteers to bring what skills they have to the table. Teamwork and communication is vital between volunteers when spending time at the school. Be prepared to be friendly, have an open mind and connect with the other volunteers along the experience.
The children love to explore new things. Bring imagination, creativity & fun!
Our Volunteer Advice section is the most up-to-date and complete guide for those looking for volunteering information.
Anyone is welcome to volunteer, you don't have to be a native English speaker and if you aren't comfortable teaching there are a number of different things you can do to help such as campaigning & fundraising, social networking, painting, building or maintenance (depending what projects are on the go).
CESHEO has hosted more than 1000 volunteers from over 50 different countries.
We only ask that volunteers stay at least 2 weeks so that the children have time to get to know you and that you can settle into your volunteering role. If you can stay for longer periods of time this will help make a bigger difference.
A typical day volunteering is around 6 hours of teaching or working time, this varies depending on which school volunteers help at, and which tasks they are doing. There is usually a break in the middle of the day to rest through the hottest part of the day, usually in the chill time area.
On the weekend volunteers are free to do whatever they wish. Please bring extra funding for your stay in Siem Reap on the weekends. Volunteers can see the nearby temples, take cooking classes with the host family or go visit markets and restaurants with their fellow volunteers. There is the main strip called "Pub Street" where volunteers like to hang around night markets, have dinner and socialize in bars etc. There are also spas at a 5-star hotels which is a popular option for volunteers to cool off in a pool or maybe get a massage. By the end of a whole week of volunteering you will definitely deserve to let your hair down, relax and enjoy what Siem Reap has to offer.
At the school, volunteers will stay in accommodation, there are eight simple, small rooms available with bedding on the floor, mosquito net and fan. Each rooms can sleep two people. There are often Khmer family, friends and relatives coming and going who are happy to chat to the volunteers. There are friendly animals such as dogs, cats and chickens that can roam around.
The volunteers who stay will see a different, more authentic side of Khmer people and their lifestyle than those who come to Cambodia as tourists. For more information about the accommodation please visit the accommodation page.
If you have any questions about accommodation or anything else you have read on the site please do not hesitate to contact us. If you aren't up for volunteering, but would like to help out donations & fund raising are greatly appreciated. To read testimonies from previous volunteers, please click here.
Volunteers please get in touch via Facebook
Share photos, videos, blogs or stories you have of your experiences!
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Currently volunteers all stay in a volunteer house at CESHE no.3 School located 35km away fro Siem Reap in a small rural village. For the latest information on the volunteering, please contact us through the CESHEO Facebook page or send a direct message to Rady. Or email Rady: cesheofounder@gmail.com
For the latest contact information, please see the contact page. If you would like to clarify or confirm anything, send an email and we'll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
The Advice section tells you much of what you need to know about volunteering at CESHEO and Cambodia. Anyone who is thinking about volunteering should read this section very carefully. In the meantime, you can email us if you have any specific questions.
Volunteer Costs
In developing countries, hosts, especially charities, cannot afford to provide accommodation and food as part of the exchange and will usually ask for a small contribution each week to help with this. Likewise we ask that you contribute towards your weekly living costs and in return will provide volunteer accommodation, meals and daily transport to the school locations. It is important to note that your accommodation fee pays for your living expenses only, and does not include a donation to the schools. You will find our accommodation prices are very reasonable and often cheaper than many other projects of the same nature. We always try our best to make it our goal to keep the costs as low as possible for our volunteers as you are already giving up your time and energy to come and help out.
Unlike other organizations, we charge no application fees, admin fees or volunteering fees which also helps to keep the costs down for the volunteer. There are no hidden costs - you only need to pay for your living costs, which we provide at a lower rate than if you were to stay in the city center. or elsewhere in Siem Reap. The accommodation rates as of this writing start at just $60 per week (5 days)
These costs are per person and are inclusive of a complimentary pickup upon arrival, clean drinking water, 3 meals a day of Khmer food, electricity and transport to and from the schools.
You are no doubt aware that there is a lot of scamming and exploitation of the volunteering industry in South East Asia. With this in mind we would like to be as transparent and straightforward as we can regarding how volunteer money is spent. Please refer to the volunteering handbook.
We charge $60 per week (5 days) which includes accommodation, transport to and from the school (weekends) and 3 meals per day when volunteering at the school.
CESHEO usually works out as a much cheaper option for the backpackers on a budget, Rady can speak English and can answer questions you may have, so you won’t get scammed or ripped off by anyone in the city.
We believe volunteers are already giving up their time and energy to come and help and we shouldn’t charge them too much to do so. We are proud to still be one of the cheapest volunteer options in South East Asia and unlike some other organisations, make no profit from volunteers staying with us. Funds generated go towards supporting the school.
Other Expenses
The cost of $60 for 5 days also covers the following costs:
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Airport pickup when you arrive, police checks prior to arrival and internet & website hosting costs.
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School equipment, whiteboard ink, pens, books, etc.
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Rent of the school property
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The schools electricity fees (Generator)
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Drinking water for the students
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School Maintenance or any other school construction
Many other small expenses often arise. We often have to take students to the hospital or provide the families with food. We can't always afford this but the welfare of our students is always our number 1 priority.
Please No Bartering
We understand that some volunteers may be on a tight budget, but please remember we are a charity, please do not try and barter with us as we already make a loss on volunteers. Volunteering at CESHEO is about what you can do to help impoverished Cambodian children, not the other way around. Volunteers of a charitable mindset will have a more enjoyable time volunteering at CESHEO.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why is your program so cheap? Are there any hidden costs?
No! Unlike other organizations, we charge no admin fees, no application fees and no volunteering fees. The money you are paying simply covers your accommodation and living expenses.
Somebody told me that paying to volunteer is a bad thing. Is this a scam?
You are not paying to volunteer with us. We charge no volunteer fees. You are only paying for your accommodation, food and living expenses.
You appear to be hosting volunteers at a substantial loss each month.
How do you make up for these losses and why do you not raise your prices?
Since we started in 2010, we have kept it our aim to keep volunteer costs as low as possible. Volunteers are already kind enough to give up their time to come and help. Furthermore, we need a lot of volunteers as we have a lot of students and classes, so don't want to put people off with high costs. The school director and some other people who work closely with the school have jobs outside of the organization and use a percentage of their salary to counteract these losses.
How much of my money goes towards the schools?
Your are only paying for your accommodation and living expenses. If you'd like to donate money to the school, you can use the donate button on our website homepage.
I have another question that is not listed. How can I contact you?
Please visit the contact us section of our website if you have any further questions.
Fundraising & Campaigning
Classroom and art supplies always need to be purchased as they are consumed quickly. We encourage future and current volunteers to fund raise either before or during their stay.
This is great way of supporting and developing the school and your own personal teaching experience at CESHE School. You may use the funding you have generated to purchase classroom/art supplies, books to assist in your methods of teaching, educational posters, games for the children.
You may also wish to create solo projects or team up with other volunteers to campaign on bigger social or creative development projects. There is always something that could be changed for the more positive when people out their minds together.
We also encourage volunteers not to end their stay once they leave, we hope that volunteers will have a life changing experience while at CESHEO and continue to fundraise, donate and share our story so that we can continue helping the children of Cambodia.
Living Expenses Price Comparison
Based on Agoda Prices, and experience living in Siem Reap, a budget backpacker would usually spend a lot more than this to stay in Cambodia for a month. Even based on the cheapest fan dorm room available in Siem Reap, CESHEO still provides accommodation at a lower cost.