Volunteer Experiences
We welcome volunteers to share their engagement experience with us and are happy to share these with our readers. A few of them are as follows:
“My name is Karin and I am 19 years old. I was born and raised in a small town in Sweden called Lund, where I just recently graduated from high school. Before continuing my education at university, I wanted to do something completely different from what I’ve done before and that’s when I decided to travel to Cambodia. I was in Cambodia in 2015-2016, I was 12 at the time, but I wanted to come back and experience it again in a different light, which has been possible thanks to BLCP. I was connected to the organization by a friend and volunteered for almost three months.
My friend Anna and I have gotten a, from our perspective, unique chance to experience and learn about the Cambodian people, the culture, the issues many people are facing, the reality of poverty and poor education and most importantly, the goodwill and dedication that the people of this country possess. With the help from our friends at BLCP, I have gained experiences in completely new fields, which have given me more perspective on life in general. My most valuable experience must be visiting schools and also working at the community school in the afternoons. It has been very eye-opening to see an education system so different from what I’m used to, try to understand it and then find my own way through teaching children that speak a language I cannot understand. It was a huge challenge for me, trying to understand so many things I had never seen before, the barriers and difficulties when trying to communicate and finding myself in the middle of a culture I know too little about. However, the three months in Kampot have taught me so much. I’m very thankful for this opportunity and I truly believe I will have much use of these experiences in the future.”
- Karin
YourAid and BLCP very much appreciates Karin’s time with us in Cambodia. She was the first of our volunteers with the reopening after Covid. We hope that the experience she has gained with us will help her realise her fullest potential and that she will return to visit us.
Karin, Student from Sweden
My name is Anna and I’m 19 years old. I just finished high school this summer in Sweden. At the end of high school my friend Karin asked me if I wanted to join her working as a volunteer English teacher in Cambodia. I was very happy about this and said yes. So in the beginning of September 2022 we traveled to Kampot.
We got in contact with the BLCP through our friend Dararoth. When we arrived I knew almost nothing about Cambodia and the culture here, and it was a big adjustment for both of us. We got to join in on a few different projects with the BLCP, through which we met lots of very nice people who taught us more about the country. This was very helpful to us in getting to know the culture.
So what have we done here? A few days a week we have been working as English teachers at Anlungkuki Village School. It was really nice to get to know all of the students and people working there. We learned a lot about the school system in general, how it works and what challenges students and teachers face. Of course it was a bit difficult to adjust to working in this environment, which is completely different from Sweden. At the same time it has been very rewarding and we are very grateful that we got to work at this school.
We were also able to go with the BLCP and visit other schools and families in the countryside. It was nice to meet more people and hear their stories, as well as see new parts of Kampot province. Going around the countryside was also very eye opening for me, seeing poverty in a more real and personal way than I have ever done before.
Thanks to BLCP I have during my three months here gotten many great and educational experiences, and new perspectives on life that I will bring with me for the rest of my life. I shall treasure the memories of the singing, dancing and playing with the lovely children.”
- Anna
Both YourAid and BLCP are happy that we have been to provide Anna with a unique life experience that we hope will give her an insight as to how to make the world a better place for all.
Anna, Student from Sweden
“I am fortunate that in my volunteer work as a computer instructor I am able to help a child to not only gain technological skills but also open up another world of learning. I had a most positive life experience when I witnessed the children’s enthusiasm and improvement during my time with BLCP. I strongly believe that with my experience of being a volunteer with BLCP has forged me to become a better person than before”
- Anna
Anna continues to help guide BLCP by providing guidance and other valuable inputs as a director with YourAid.
Anna, IT specialist from Poland/Australia
Mark has been supporting BLCP in its various programs including teaching, water tanks and other improvements for a number of years.
“It has been such a rewarding experience to have volunteered with BLCP. I was able to interact with the students who were ever so curious to learn English, asking me all types of questions and always wanting to know more. They were never satisfied with my answers! As I am a technical person involved in structural design, I was also able to contribute ideas and work alongside the WASH team in helping build water tanks. “
- Mark
Mark’s connection with BLCP did not end with his return to Australia. Mark is now a board member of YourAid and actively guides the implementation of projects.
Mark, designer architect from Australia
Jasmine has been supporting BLCP education projects, especially our mobile libraries with her group CLUB 500 for a number of years.
“I have so many memorable moments as a result of my involvement with BLCP. Traveling for hours in tuk-tuks on red dirt roads wondering where on earth we could be going only to arrive at remote schools and villages in places that you most certainly would not find on a map. Making lifelong friends, who I affectionately refer to as my Cambodian family and sharing my Cambodian experiences with family and friends. I organised a group to visit Kampot with me and see first-hand the difference that we can make by all working together, are a few of the things I did to be mentioned. Above all, BLCP has an amazing staff in Cambodia who works tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of the children”
- Jasmine
Jasmine’s connection with BLCP did not end with her return to Australia. Jasmine and her friends formed Club 500 to continue their journey of giving. The Group’s support and funds have enabled a number of initiatives to be completed including – handwash and tooth brushing facilities at remote schools, secondhand laptop donations, building a preschool in a remote province, mobile computer classes, new houses for poor families, reading glasses for students, and gifts of bicycles and food parcels.
Jasmine
Lyn volunteered to provide training to our English teachers
“I was really glad to share my knowledge and experience in teaching English to BLCP’s group of teachers. During the workshop I found the teachers to be very keen in wanting to gain skills on how to improve their classroom delivery and to learn of ways to motivate their students. The people in BLCP are so dedicated and are doing excellent work to help the children to have better general knowledge and education to improve their future. I hope that there will be more international teacher instructors who can volunteer their time to help the teachers and students in Cambodia. I hope to come back next year”
- Lyn
Lyn and her partner, John continue to be involved with BLCP and are regular visitors to Cambodia to help improve the lives of children there. They make monthly contributions through YourAid to help fund the expenses of Anglungkuki Community School and provide guidance to the principal, Sok in managing the school.
