Future Light Orphanage Project Description

1. How long has your project been in existence? It has been in existence since 1987.
2. How did it start?
   It got started with my experiences I had learnt from working with the Khmer People Depression Relief (KPDR) established in 1987 in Site II – Rithysen Refugee Camp on the Cambodian-Thai border, from which the Future Light Orphanage or FLO grew out now supporting 312 children who are mostly orphans.
3. Background: In 1993, I was repatriated to Cambodia from the above-said Cambodian-Thai border’s refugee camp with some 90 orphans (that have increased to now 285), with whom we set up a new facility at my present house located in Prey Lovear Village, Chom Chao Commune, Dangkor District, Phnom Penh City with money from Figaro Prize I earned from France. We registered the Future Light Orphanage (FLO) with the Royal Government of Cambodia (with its Ministry of Interior) as a non-organizational and non-political organization (Local NGO). It has organizational structure of its own by-laws, with expectation that we could move away from providing counseling services to mentally-ill patients or people to work exclusively with children. Instead of being able to shed some of its services, FLO wound up working with 165 families, 120 of whom are headed by widows without support.
4. 16 families who need counseling, five of them live within the compound, while the rest make do outside and all total 287 orphans. All of these families and children are overseen by some 10 FLO staff, who at the start and currently, receives no compensation other than room and board. These staffs provide counseling, do administrative duties and even teach the children. FLO also has benefited from international volunteers who helped teach while passing through or working in Cambodia.
   
   Is your project religious?
   No, it is not.
   
   What do you need volunteers to do? (It is important to have outlined duties for volunteers who come to your project).
   Volunteers are needed to help teach children English lessons in addition to their Cambodian teacher who teaches them everyday. A few volunteers are needed at a time. Kids are free for English classes from their public school hours mostly a bit late in the afternoon. However, English class schedules can be re-arranged to fit the volunteers’ available times.
   
   In terms of project, volunteers may be asked to help train project staff on how to do their work and assignments efficiently and effectively since there are always rooms for improvements.
5. Have you ever had volunteers at your project?
   Yes.
6. Do you currently receive volunteers through a program (ex. Peace Corps, Etc.)?
   No.
7. How many volunteers would you like and can handle at the same time?
   Only a few AT A TIME. ALL YEAR.
8. When could you receive your first volunteers?
   Any time of the year that the volunteers themselves are free to come.
9. What time of year (or year round) would you like volunteers?
   We would like volunteers to come all the time of year, especially at the time of their school vacation from August to October. The children study one hour English and one hour computer at the orphanage everyday, and the volunteers can help them in their class every workday. When the volunteer come at the school vacation time while the children are free school, they can catch much of English from the volunteer.
10. How long would you like volunteers to stay?
    One week or longer.
11. How much would you like volunteers to donate to the project?
    As per accommodation, meals, laundry, internet service, transportation. $25 student, and $35 others. This will greatly help fund our support of the children.
12. Would you accept a volunteer who cannot afford to donate or to donate the entire amount?
    A volunteer who cannot afford to donate, s/he has to pay for her/his own accommodation, food, transportation provided by and in the FLO, and else as s/he may have or use. A volunteer who cannot donate the entire amount, s/he can pay it a bit at a time (which means s/he can donate a small amount at a time s/he can).
13. What will you use the donations for?
    The donations will be used for covering the cost of accommodation, food, transportation and operational cost of the orphanage.
14. Would you provide the volunteer with simple food and accommodation?
    Yes.
15. Who can volunteer?
    Both (men and women who are able to speak English).
16. How far in advance will a volunteer have to contact you before they can come and volunteer at your project?
    At the volunteer’s convenient time or a month in advance.
17. Do you have any requirements as far as the age of the volunteers?
    A volunteer should be at LEAST 21 years old.
18. Do the volunteers need any special skills?
    Only be fluent in English and patient and loving with children. Teaching and computer experience will be beneficial.
19. Do you have any language requirements?
    English.
20. Does a volunteer need a driver's licence?
    International driver’s license is fine but not really needed.
21. Detailed directions to the project site from a major city (where an airport is located, etc.).
    Our project is located about 8 kilometers away from the capital city of Phnom Penh. The international airport is located about the same distance from this city. We are located very close to the international airport. If a volunteer needs to go to the project site directly from the international airport, s/he spends only USD5.00 on a taxi ride.
    
    When we come to an agreement with a volunteer who will come to our project, we will provide transportation for him/her from the international airport, fees for which will be included in his/her donation to the project.
22. What to bring?
    A volunteer should or can bring their own belongings as they like. We will have for them food, commodities, accommodation and transportation. In terms of educational materials and equipment, they can bring their own if they’d like to.
23. How much money would you recommend a volunteer to bring in order to cover living expenses?
    The amount that volunteers should bring above the $25 or $35 donation is up to them. They may want extra money to visit Phnom Penh for tourist activities or to buy gifts for themselves, friends or for the children in the orphanage.
    
    If they agree with the amount above, then calculation can be made based on how long or how many days a volunteer would like to stay. US Dollars are the common form of the currency in Cambodia and basic banking facilities are available in Phnom Penh, which is a 30-minute drive from the orphanage. The currency received from this program as well as the shared teaching skill is extremely helpful for the orphanage to be able to continue its work.
    
    As we may enclose or attach our brochure and photos upon request through go-mad.org, volunteers will see how and why we are doing our work