Les Enfants du Sourire Khmer

Description of the partner

Les Enfants du Sourire Khmer was set up in 2012. Its aim is to offer young people in the town of Kep, in the south of Cambodia, as well as disadvantaged children in other towns such as Phnom Penh, fun, educational and community activities to improve the living conditions of the local population and promote access to education for the most disadvantaged. The centre also enables families to get involved in the activities, and to benefit from the vegetables harvested in the garden or from poultry whenever possible.

The economic growth recorded in Cambodia in recent years has had only a limited impact on the poverty rate, and inequalities have even tended to increase. Today, 31% of the population lives on less than USD 1 a day, and although 80% of children under the age of 15 attend school, only 25% of them continue their education beyond the baccalaureate. Access to education for the most disadvantaged children would enable them to find better jobs and escape from their marginalisation.

It is against this backdrop that the association Les Enfants du Sourire Khmer has set up an educational centre. Every day, it welcomes children from the village of Kep, the rice fields, the fishing industry, the salt marshes and the shanty towns of Phnom Penh, who have free access to educational and recreational activities. The Enfants du Sourire Khmer centre helps to improve children’s access to education and enable them to strengthen their academic skills. The mission is to ensure that the centre is accessible to all children outside school hours. The CEK enables them to take part in activities that are usually out of their reach.

The mission

• Supporting the centre’s activities: Volunteers support the team in running the school. This involves helping to organise fun and educational activities for young people.
• Support for tutoring: Volunteers support the school’s staff in providing French and IT lessons.
• Support for the organisation of awareness-raising and leisure activities: Volunteers provide assistance with school support workshops, health awareness campaigns, manual workshops for young people, sports activities and the organisation of cultural and sports outings.
• Support for the management of sustainable projects with local stakeholders: Participation in the creation and management of various projects aimed at facilitating the association’s activities, such as a participative garden or composting.
• Helping Samarth Pov, the centre’s director, to manage the centre and its activities.

Candidate profile

All profiles are welcome! Above all, we’re looking for people who are motivated by the idea of taking part in a meaningful project and who have a great capacity for adaptation and initiative.

Experience of working with young people is a plus.

Accommodation

Single or shared twin rooms for volunteers, provided free of charge by the host organisation.