1

Hi smurffrog,

I live in Siem Reap and have done for a some time. Never heard of Sao Sary but that does not mean they are no good. There are hundreds of NGOs in Siem Reap now and most of them I wouldn't trust whether Cambodian run or Western run.

How long do you intend on volunteering for will depend on the best place to contact. You might want to try Googling ConCERT which is an NGO who finds "legit" NGO's for people to volunteer at.

2

Agree. Concert are reliable.

Stay away from other NGOs until they are registered under the future NGO law.

Right now they're fighting it claw and tooth because they don't want to register and they don't want to submit annual reports. Seems to me they're against more transparency.

3

Thank you both for your advice. Yeah, I've heard some stories about volunteer work...not all of them great. Definitely will check out Concert. I can volunteer for up to six months, but, unfortunately, not more. Thank you again!

4

Hello !

I live in Phnom Penh and I am from Kandal Province,
Now I work at Diamond guest house in Phnom Penh , and I always recommend tourist to visit my small village where I was grew up there.
The village is so small it has no name. It is referred to as the village on corner number 1 and is home to 52 families in total. and 78 children . During the week some of the children go to school, some how ever do not as they are needed by their family to help in the household . School it free for the children to attend but due to the poverty they experience, they are often unable to take advantage of the education on offer. I use to ask the book for the children from tourist .
Please click that line for see some photo from the village by facebook :

http://www.facebook.com/pages/See-the-Real-Cambodia/206944329362843

That is the page that i made for help and support the children at my village and people .
and the line below is the village that you can see in google earth

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=11.430977%2C105.072024&spn=0.002671%2C0.003288&t=h&z=18&vpsrc=6&lci=com.panoramio.all

if you click on and go and go on the village way you will fine other village are same same my village.

Thank You very much.

Samet Meng .

5

Previous poster is a prime ample of voluntourim that should be avoided. His posts have been deleted frequently.

6

"Seems to me they're against more transparency" Don't think so HW, I think they're against government control. And since when has the Cambodian government been staunch bastion of transparency?

7

Hi there,

I'm an Aussie actually just back from spending some time with Sao Sary Foundation and I found it to be really worthwhile - and they are certainly legit. They are a registered NGO under the current regime and are a grass roots organisation specific to the Kampong Speu province - it takes about an hour to get there from Phnom Penh. They are currently working on their new website so it should be up and running soon and you can also see them on facebook.

If you would be happy teaching English at the Protection Centre or even better, if you have hospitality skills - they are currently setting up a training centre with a guesthouse and restaurant or some other specific skills (eg medical) - you could really be of assistance and I would be pretty confident you would find that you get a lot out of the experience.

Let me know if you are still interested and I can put you in contact with the current long-term volunteer who is there so you can get a first hand account / tee up whether you would like to go.