Since 1958 VSO has been sending volunteers to fight global poverty by sharing their skills and experience with people in developing countries. As a direct result of their work, there are now women and men able to make a living, children getting a quality education, AIDS orphans being looked after in their own community and disabled people
living full lives.

Sharing skills, changing lives

As I'm sure quite a few of you are aware I am about to embark on a 14 month trip to Cambodia on the Youth for Development Programme with the VSO.

I will be spending seven weeks in Phnom Penh learning the Khmer language before heading off to the remote Modulkiri Province in North East Cambodia, near the border with Vietnam.

Here I will be working with the Provincial Office of Education for twelve months aiding the progression of the education system in the region.

Currently, many children do not attend primary school and those who do rarely go on to secondary school. This is the result of many factors including language barriersc unspecified teaching, huge classes, parents not seeing school as neccessary and poor facilities and equipment.

Another key aspect of my role is the 'Child Friendly Schools' programme, helping to make schools a better place to be for children and teachers.

For example, the main technique used by teachers in the Mondulkiri province is learning by rote. This has proved to be as ineffective here, as it has in many Western countries. I will therefore be helping to create and implement interactive learning techniques, such as pictures, songs, games or even something as simple as using pebbles to learn how to count.

Another angle of this role is making the schools a more hygenic and safe place to be. Whether this is helping to raise funds or creating a community project to fix the school roof and walls or showing the children and teachers how and why to use the new toilet blocks.

I will be working with the schools, children and their parents to help improve the education system in the region by identifying key barriers and helping to break them down.

I will also be invovled in the 'Education for All' programme, working with those least likely to have access to education, for example girls and children with disabilities.

All the money I raise goes directly to VSO to fund their many projects around the globe.

Although this is an unpaid, voluntary role, the cost of training me and keeping me in Cambodia is over £15,000 so any contribution you can make will be well recieved!

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