Every Share Helps!

Southeast Asia is a unique region with beautiful scenery and a rich, ancient culture. With archeological wonders such as Angkor Wat, Wat Chaiwatthanaram, and other Buddhist and Hindu sights, countries such as Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines offer a look into the development of the ancient word.

Though these countries have a deep history and exquisite culture, many also suffer from extreme poverty, a lack of access to education and healthcare, and ecological concerns. Here is a list of four organizations that operate specifically in three of these countries. For more information on volunteer opportunities in Asia, click here.

Cambodia

Cambodian Children's House of Peace - Santepheap

The Cambodian Children’s House of Peace is an NGO operating in Siem Reap. CCHP services poor or orphaned children predominantly from the Siem Reap province, the poorest in Cambodia. The organization works to provide shelter, food, education, spiritual and cultural development, and health care, as well as fosters healthy relationships between parents and their children and prepares children to work and live independently.

Volunteers can work in many different areas to support these children. Volunteers work to teach children to speak, read, and write various languages, especially English, IT skills training, construct and maintain facilities including electrical, plumbing, carpentry, and building, assist in games and exercise lessons, and participating in involving the children in artistic projects.

The duration of the program can vary between 1 week and 1 year. It costs $10 a day, $50 a week, and $200 a month. For more information visit www.santepheap.org

Thailand

Asian Gap Year

A gap year is becoming a popular trend in the US after originating in Great Britain. The idea is that students will take a year off between educational endeavors to travel, relax, or volunteer. Asian Gap Year is a Thailand based company that works to offer these students an opportunity to use this desire to volunteer in the Thai community. Though this program is marketed to students, with the average age between 18 and 23, there is no upper age limit and anyone willing to take time off to volunteer is welcome to participate.

Volunteers are involved in a great variety of tasks in the Thai community. Some activities include teaching English to Thai students in schools and Buddhist temples, childcare and child therapy, general medical care and student nursing, wildlife rescue and elephant care, community building and so much more. Click here for more suggestions and opportunities.

Volunteers are placed all over Thailand and participate for a minimum of one month. For more information visit www.asiangapyear.com.

Blue Star of Hope

Unlike Asian Gap Year, Blue Star of Hope is a program exclusively for students ages 14 and up. Blue Star of Hope is located in Thailand and works to provide student volunteers a unique service learning opportunity in hopes that they will help foster intercultural understanding, learn about ecological sustainability and global issues, build and develop peacekeeping and leadership skills. Student volunteers will get a unique opportunity to learn about the Thai culture while helping the community.

There are two main opportunities for student volunteers through Blue Star of Hope. Students spend seven days volunteering at Elephant Nature Park, feeding and cleaning the Elephants and maintaining the facilities. Volunteers also travel to various schools to help teach English and engage students in games, songs, and art projects.

This two week Thai program is a unique way for students as young as 14 to volunteer and learn about a unique and amazing culture. For more information, visit www.bluestarofhope.org.

Vietnam

Children of Vietnam

Children of Vietnam is a non-profit formed in 1998 that works to provide substantive care to children living in poverty. The organization works to provide good nutrition, vital health care, safe housing, and access to education for the children in need. COV works hard to provide the opportunities necessary to help families escape the cycle of poverty.

COV works to provide children with transportation to schools, constructs kindergartens in rural areas, provides afterschool tutoring, provide families with clean, safe homes that can also be handicap accessible, connects children and with necessary medical facilities, equipment, and professionals, and helps fight malnourishment through distributing food and livestock. For more information about how you can get involved go to childrenofvietnam.org.