Build homes in Siem Reap Cambodia - from just £300 - 100% non profit
Programme facts and Information
Don't expect a holiday as you'll be involved in every aspect of the building process. Our volunteers help to cultivate the land and work alongside our skilled Khmer team to construct the houses, you'll also spend time interacting with the families and work with them towards an achievable goal a new home and a positive future. And if your with us at the end of the build you'll get the chance to attend the traditional blessing.
Location = Siem Reap, Cambodia
Future builds
- May 2012
- June 2012
- July 2012
- August 2012
- October 2012
- November 2012
- December 2012
* Building programmes are subject to change
Get a copy of our Cambodia volunteer guide
Costs
- 1 week = £300
- 2 weeks = £500
- 4 weeks = £700
- 6 weeks = £900
- 8 weeks = £1000
- 12 weeks + = £1300
What's Included
- Your accommodation - Own room in a central guest house in Siem Reap
- Airport Pickup
- 24 hour in country support
- Daily transport to the project site
What's NOT Included
- Food
- Flights
- Visa
- Insurance
Suitable for Families - YES
Group Placements available - YES
The project site is 15 minutes from town
Minimum Age = 18 (unless part of a family group)
Will their be other volunteers? Yes we have up to 5 volunteers working on our house builds at any one time.
Does this work make any difference?
We work primarily with families in a rural Cambodian village near Siem Reap to build suitable housing and raise the families living standard above the poverty line. Volunteers are directly assisting in this process and physically seeing how their money is being spent to benefit families in need.
The programme is not simply a building initiative, we work with the families and the community to give them the opportunity to work towards a more comfortable life. The success we have so far seen has highlighted both the need of this program and its effectiveness in rebuilding the economic base of the community.
We do everything possible to ensure that when we step back the family has the means to provide for themselves by utilising their land. We also monitor their progress and provide further assistance if the situation is justified.
A bit more detail
VPO has been building traditional Khmer houses in Cambodia for a number of years so has the skills and experience required and we employ a team of 3 Khmer builders to work alongside our volunteers.
Our first priority is to provide safe and secure housing for the children who are at most risk.
The families will be identified by the Chief of Commune and Chief of Village. Meeting people's basic needs is of great importance and besides a home they need at very least access to clean water.
It is impractical to say we are able to build a well for every house but we do ensure that clean water is available without the need to worry.
All of our wells are professionally tested to ensure that the water is safe and free from pollution. 10,000 Cambodians a year die because of poor sanitation.
The houses are always made of sustainable materials and for every house built we try to ensure 20 trees are planted.
We encourage the families for whom we build to become self sufficient and in the past have planted crops and supplied seeds, given two pigs to breed (which happened to be two males at first attempt) or a small amount of money to start a business. Status goes with the house that you have and the simplest Khmer house has been the stepping stone for a husband and father to source work, to a single mother being accepted in the community.
Many of these families have previously been living underneath somebody's house. VPO always keep in touch with the families that houses have been built for to ensure their continued wellbeing and it is honest to say 99% have continued to thrive.