Give blood, dine for a cause, do volunteer work, shop responsibly, donate to an NGO, support a disadvantaged child...there are many ways to that you can help disadvantaged Cambodians and contribute to the development of the country. The projects and places listed below are but a few of those available in Cambodia.

Canby Publications does not endorse or mean to imply endorsement of any of the following charitable organizations or NGOs by way of inclusion in the following list. While many NGOs and charities provide valuable services and assistance, not all are honest and scrupulous. We have attempted to chose reputable organizations for inclusion in the following list, but we do not have the resources or capacity to properly evaluate each organization.

There is an on-going debate about the value, draw-backs and ethics of 'volunteerism,' orphanage and poverty tours and other trends within this growing sub-industry within the tourism industry. The Lessons Learned blog contains many valuable and thoughtful articles on the issue. Also see this rather raw blog entry on The Pity Industry. Also see Friends-International's article: When Children Become Tourist Attractions

Canby Publications strongly recommends that tourists avoid 'orphanage tours' and other such activities which contribute to the exploitation of children.

Siem Reap

Angkor Hospital for Children

The Angkor Hospital for Children (AHC), is a charitable organization, was founded by renowned Japanese photographer Kenro Izu in 1999. The hospital provides treatment and care to local children as well as children from neighboring provinces. The hospital is recognized by Cambodian’s Ministry of Health as an official teaching hospital and AHC’s Medical Education Center serves as a training site for health professionals from all over Cambodia. Our Capacity Building and Health Education Program works to strengthen the capacity and improve the quality of local health practices. The Friends Center at Angkor Hospital for Children gives visitors the unique opportunity to visit the hospital and learn more about its programs. Designed for environmental sustainability with the purpose of educating about the hospital the Friends Center also displays prints donated by Kenro Izu and hosts rotating art and photography exhibitions. The donation of money and blood are much appreciated!
Tel: +(855)(0)63-963409
Fax: +(855)(0)63-760452

Email: ahcpr@angkorhospital.org  / fc@angkorhospital.org 
Website: www.angkorhospital.org

Beatocello and Jayavarman VII Hospital Dr. Beat Richner plays Bach on the cello and speaks about the activities of his children’s hospitals (Jayavarman VII in Siem Reap, Kantha Bopha 1 and 2 in Phnom Penh) every Friday and Saturday evening at 7:15PM. Performances are held at the Jayavarman VII Hospital, located on the road to Angkor Wat. Dr. Richner provides an entertaining and worthy Saturday evening. The hospital welcomes both monetary and blood donations.
Website: www.beatocello.com

Catholic Church There are five Catholic communities in Siem Reap province, the largest in Siem Reap city, made up of more than 500 Catholics. In addition to usual church services, the Church also runs learning centers and an experimental farm and agricultural training center. Through the learning centers the church offers educational programs to poor children including pre-school, nutrition programs, language, dance, computer skills and values. The church welcomes individuals and groups who want exposure to the programs on to volunteer, available on both short and long-term bases.

Contact Fr. Stepanus Winarto, SJ at 092-820528.
E-mail: stepanusw@gmail.com 

The Global Child The Global Child is a nonprofit school based in Siem Reap, Cambodia that nurtures, educates and mentors gifted but impoverished and/or orphaned street-children. The Global Child provides a bright, enthusiastic, hungry for an education and a wholesome future, the opportunity to pursue a progressive and rigorous course of study in a nurturing and empowering environment as well as life skills, a cultural understanding of their country and its traditions, and training for employment and citizenship.
Website: www.theglobalchild.org

Haven Restaurant “Training restaurant by HAVEN. HAVEN is a sanctuary for young adult orphans who have to leave the orphanage and have nowhere to go. HAVEN reintegrates them into society, offers them accommodation, food, medical treatment as well as a place to work and a training in gastronomy. After they finish their training HAVEN will help them find a permanent position. Set up by the Swiss Association "Dragonfly", all measures for HAVEN are to become self-supporting within 2-3 years.” See listing in restaurant section for more.
Website: www.havencambodia.com

Singing Tree Cafe Vegetarian friendly curbside café serving signature home-style cooking. Situated at the entrance to Alley West, with a nice view of the Old Market area street scene. This establishment has been a long time supporter of projects around town and extra wall displays on a variety of subjects – from NGOs to environmental issues – complete the Slow Food (as opposed to Fast Food) experience. Opening hours 7am to 10pm daily.

Tel: 012-490265

Website: www.singingtreecafe.com

Responsible Touring Some tour companies specializing in tours outside the main park area make an extra effort toward minimizing the negative environmental/ social impact of tour activities, maximizing the benefit to the local communities and focusing on socially, culturally and environmentally responsible destinations and subjects. See Sam Veasna Center and Hidden Cambodia Adventure Tours.

Phnom Penh and near Phnom Penh

Pour un Sourire d'Enfant (PSE) is a non-political, non-profit and non-religious organization which supports underprivileged and non-educated children. PSE's vocational training center provides professional training skills oriented toward today's job market, including Home & Food Management, Auto Mechanics, Information Technology, Hairdressing, Beauty Care & Spa, Business, Hotel, Construction and Agriculture, etc. Visit and tour our school, vocational training center, the PSE boutique shop and the Lotus Blanc restaurant. Your generous support benefits our students and helps us to sustain our work

#402, Village Trea Stung Mean Chey.

Tel: +(855)(0)23-995994
Website: www.pse.asso.fr

You've got TALENT!

The International Christian Assembly brings ‘You’ve Got Talent’ to Phnom Penh. On the last Friday of every month new and undiscovered talent from Phnom Penh and around Cambodia provides a fun filled, family friendly evening of entertainment – singers, dancers, bands, artists and performers of every kind. And at the end of the evening the audience gets to vote for their favorite for prizes and an opportunity to perform at a ‘Best of the Best’ show. Held at 7PM on the last Friday of every month at the ICA International Church (Street 16, 300 meters off of Northbridge Street.) Free admission. See www.youvegottalent.org for details.

E-mail: info@youvegottalent.org

Website: www.youvegottalent.org 

Sihanoukville

M'Lop Tapang is a Sihanoukville-based Cambodian NGO offering support, protection, positive choices and hope to street children and their families. M'Lop Tapang aims to reintegrate street children back to education, their families and their community, allowing them to lead happy, independent lives.

M'Lop Tapang works with and provides services to over 600 children through the following channels: Extensive outreach program; Daytime education and recreational center; Safe nighttime shelter; 24 hours Drop In Center for youth wanting to quit drugs; Community shelters and playgrounds in the slums; formal and informal education, life skills education, protection from all forms of abuse, medical care and health promotion, public school reintegration and other services.

To support M'Lop Tapang, visit the M'Lop Tapang shop on Serendipity Beach where you can purchase goods as well as leave a donation. M'’Lop Tapang urges you to use ChildSafe motodups and guesthouses while you are in Sihanouk Ville.

Tel: +(855)(0)34-934072

E-mail: info@mloptapang.org

Website: www.mloptapang.org 

The Starfish Project is a unique grass roots organization that strives to assist poor Cambodians who fall between the helping hands of governmental channels or other NGO's. Starfish does this by facilitating access for Cambodian people in Sihanouk Ville and neighboring provinces to existing social services and resources, and providing direct person-to-person assistance when such assistance is not available through governmental or other non-governmental channels. Starfish activities include medical care, housing projects, water and sanitation as well as small business assistance.

Starfish was founded in Sihanouk Ville in 2000 as a community-based humanitarian organization and has since assisted thousands of families with emergency care and development initiatives. Starfish projects all have a beginning and an end in sight when they are undertaken. Projects that require sustenance, or in other ways discourage our clients' independence are not taken on. Assistance is given in many ways to ensure that initiated projects are locally viable and sustainable.

The Starfish Bakery & Café and related Starfish businesses cover all the project's administrative costs. All donations go directly to helping our clients. Stop by for a cup of coffee and we'll tell you more!

Tel: +(855)(0)12-952011
E-mail: info@starfishcambodia.org
Website: www.starfishcambodia.org

 

A message from M'Lop Tapang and ChildSafe...   When on the beaches of Sihanoukville you will meet many children. Please remember that buying from the children on the beaches or street keeps them on the beaches or street. As long as they make an income their parents will send them out to work. They are vulnerable to abuse and they are not safe. The hours they work prevent them from attending Khmer school. No formal education will perpetuate the cycle of poverty that most of their families are in. Instead please let Cambodian social workers do their job effectively by not encouraging children to stay on the beach by giving food, gifts, money or buying from them. If you see a child in danger, call the ChildSafe 24 hour hotline on 012-478100 managed by a team of English speaking Khmer social workers from M'Lop Tapang program for street children. Thanks for being a ChildSafe tourist!   Website: www.childsafe-cambodia.org

Kampot/Kep

For those interested in contributing some of their time to the community, Kampot has many volunteer opportunities with NGOs and other charitable organizations (teaching, assistance with children and disabled people, reconstruction projects, etc.) Contact Little Garden Bar, Blissful Guesthouse, Boddhi Village (Tel: 012-728884, Website: http://web.mac.com/houstonair/iweb/ ), Epic Arts Cafe (Tel: 011-376968) or check out the local advertiser the Kampot Dar-laing for more information about volunteer opportunities in the area. Also check out the Little Garden Bar volunteer page on their website.

Epic Arts Café Epic Arts encourages and helps change perception of disability with society. The café provides employment opportunities to the deaf and disabled members of the community communities. Serving teas, cakes, fruit shakes, lunch and snacks. Cakes to order.
Tel: +(855)(0)11-376968

Website: www.epicarts.org.uk

Battambang

Circus In partnership with Asian Trails, the Phare Ponleu Selpak NGO gives Cambodian children from poor and disabled families the opportunity to “have access to culture via different artistic activities” including music, drawing drama, dancing and circus. See traditional Cambodian circus acts daily beginning at 7:00PM or 8:00PM. US$6 admission. Contact Asian Trails (Tel/Fax: +(855)(0)53-730088 in Battambang, or +(855) (0)23-216555 in Phnom Penh), or the Phare Ponleu Selpak office (Tel: +(855)(0)53-952424, +(855)(0)12-890360) for the schedule.

Located on Route #5 about 1km west of town.

Website: www.phareps.org

Other

ActionAid Australia (formerly Austcare) "ActionAid is an international anti-poverty agency working in over 40 countries, taking sides with poor people to end poverty and injustice together. ActionAid began operating in Cambodia in 1999 and launched a full country program in 2004. ActionAid Australia launched its first child sponsorship program in Cambodia in June 2009. An important part of our work is helping poor people discover their rights and entitlements after years of oppression and poverty. We work with local NGOs to help strengthen rural grassroots organizations working on food security and land rights, women and health, rural and urban poverty, HIV & AIDS, and advocacy training. Rural women generally suffer very poor health and nutrition. ActionAid Cambodia is helping to train local women health volunteers so they can identify and treat reproductive problems. We also work with local organizations to assist women who are rescued after being trafficked into the sex trade with education and vocational training..."

Tel (Australia): +(61)(2)95659146 
Website: www.actionaid.org.au