Cambodia Orphanage

Paul123 Active member

63POSTS

7 years ago

Anyone knows of any orphanage in Cambodia? We would like to visit and make donations.

Please post contact here or pm the contact.

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GuestPoster8404 Guest

0POSTS

7 years ago

Yes I too would be happy to help a REAL聽 ORPHANAGE, all I鈥檝e heard about is fake ones and I鈥檝e been here 3 years,

Paul123 Active member

63POSTS

7 years ago

Gosh! Thank for the heads up.

Talliethecat Member

21POSTS

7 years ago

Please Google orphanages in Cambodia and learn why, although done with good intention, this really isn't a good thing to do.

Paul123 Active member

63POSTS

7 years ago

Ok, thank you!

GuestPoster8404 Guest

0POSTS

7 years ago

Yes it a tough situation to know if and where your money is going, I send two small girls to school I know there mother and father , they cannot afford it, I also against many expats advice I give to a young girl I鈥檝e seen for three years begging with her little sister, she was a baby now she鈥檚 walking around, most expats say don鈥檛 give street kids money, but I鈥檓 pretty sure there not out there daily because it鈥檚 fun, if any goes to them for food I鈥檓 up to give her 5$ a week , so you have to be selective, it鈥檚 not as easy as it would seem, to give money to a worthy cause in this third world area , more scams than the real thing, but look around after a few weeks maybe months you will see a need , 鈥� you can鈥檛 help everyone, but you must help someone鈥�

cambol Member

15POSTS

7 years ago

Hi Paul,
I encourage you to Google 鈥渙rphanage Cambodia鈥� and judge what is best to do. However, I know a NGO organization that keeps contact with as many orphanages as possible in Cambodia and do their best to make sure the children are fine. You can send me a message if you want I find it for you. I have no personal interest to give you this info.
Louise

cambol Member

15POSTS

7 years ago

I know it is hard not giving money to kids that are begging but I have been told by Cambodian that the there is work now in Cambodia that parents can do. I believe kids鈥� place is the school not the street.

GuestPoster8404 Guest

0POSTS

7 years ago

Cambol, yes but I still have a few kids I help , for one reason or another they are not in school where they belong I agree , so I help , but basic advice is. Not to give money to the children on the street

JoeKhmer Cambodia Expert

2177POSTS

7 years ago

#10

As for begging kids, which is slightly off topic as they are not orphanage kids, I too, like Twinsguy, have been taking care of some kids, before in Sihanoukville and now in PP.

They are not begging and skip school, a misunderstanding. They go to school in the morning but in the afternoon and evening they stroll the streets in the tourist area to sell things like bracelets, shawls, wallets and more. So they are not beggars, they sell stuff.

I take care of a few girls, buy them shoes when they walk barefoot [they don't cheat me, they walk every day miles and miles so their cheap shoes don't last long], I buy them food. It's a little bit for me, but a great deal for them. It is personal, I know nobody gets the money I give them except the girls themselves.

Different are the girls that sell flowers at night. They work for some people and have to give the money of sold flowers to those people. I prefer to buy them food, they are still around after midnight and I use to go to a fish and chips place and buy chips, share with them. That way at least they have something in their stomach and they are happy.

This is about beggars [I don't give to women walking with a baby and just asking for money as most are scams] and girls selling stuff.

Orphanages is a grey area, there are good ones but how would a tourist or new expat know? I don't even know and I'm around quite some time now.

It would be a waste if people give money and it never does any good for the kids in orphanages. Buy a little thing from girls that offer it for sale, make them happy and know your money is well spent.

Joe

GuestPoster8404 Guest

0POSTS

7 years ago

#11

Exactly jo , after you have been here or in a area awhile, you see the聽 real needy ones , and you help, I know jo and he鈥檚 extremely generous and helps the聽 people he sees really needs it,

Paul123 Active member

63POSTS

7 years ago

#12

Actually, we operate religious charity with funds that has to utilize聽 specifically for orphanage or the disadvantaged.

If there鈥檚 no valid orphanage we prefer to start some form of Christian community outreach program for the disadvantaged to聽 pdispense vital help to the community.

Perhaps we can recruit/ convert trustworthy English speaking local helpers.

How difficult to register a Christian community base program in Cambodia?

GuestPoster8404 Guest

0POSTS

7 years ago

#13

Well Paul if there is a Christian based orphanage, then I definitely would not want to donate or be a part of this , I鈥檝e seen this all over the world, this is a beautiful Buddhist country, converting聽 it or trying to would be a nightmare for this country, this is just exactly the reason jo and聽 have the same perspective on this, just try to help where you can,

Talliethecat Member

21POSTS

7 years ago

#14

It is difficult to know what it is best to do. I have a Khmer teenager who lives with me and who I now consider to be my son. Previously he lived in a provincial orphanage off the tourist track and was clinically depressed and anorexic when I first met him.
聽聽 Children in this orphanage have the basic needs of food, shelter and education provided for them. Sadly about 80% of them have at least one parent alive and some do visit their families and receive limited financial assistance. However, in the main most of them get virtually nothing from their families and the only emotional support most of them receive is from their peers. I found that they are very short of essentials such as underwear and shoes and school uniforms.
聽聽 However, corruption among the staff in this orphanage is rife, from the top down. It is highly unlikely that much money, if any, given to the orphanage director et al will find its way to the children and items purchased for the children's use or enjoyment have been known to disappear, presumably sold. Usually this is done by the staff but meth addiction is rife, aided and abetted by a member of staff/dealer, and a resident recently sold the orphanage dog probably for meth money.
聽聽 I found the only way to help these children is by giving to them directly and buying them what they need. This is, of course, difficult because when there's between 60 and 70 residents, who do you support?

Johnocorvette Active member

56POSTS

7 years ago

#15

Your post is inspiring.聽 My partner and I will be living In SR next month and would like to help people聽 that have not had the privileged life that I have had. Once we are settled in we will look for a way we can help.

JoeKhmer Cambodia Expert

2177POSTS

7 years ago

#16

Johnocorvette wrote:
Your post is inspiring.聽 My partner and I will be living In SR next month and would like to help people聽 that have not had the privileged life that I have had. Once we are settled in we will look for a way we can help.

That's ok John and a good idea.

Just don't donate to organizations, whether they are orphanages, NGO's or whatever.

I remember to have donated money to a restaurant in Thailand, the owner then cooked meals for 250 kids in the local orphanage, a catholic one but with ties to a good school and even a chance for kids of 15 or older to start to have a job.
We then started to drive with all the meals to the orphanage, the staff and kids were already waiting for us and the whole eating festivity was great. We collected among us something like $2500 so we had a budget of $10 per kid. We were able to also donate underwear and hygienic products and the top of the day was ice cream. A well-spent day and money.

Do your best but investigate where the money goes, or even products you buy.

Cheers.

Joe

Johnocorvette Active member

56POSTS

7 years ago

#17

Hi, I'm an outdoor caterer in the UK at the moment so I am used to cooking for people in large groups. Maybe you have given me the idea I was looking for.
Many thanks.
John

cambol Member

15POSTS

7 years ago

#18

I believe it is better to give money to an organization that takes care of orphanage groups, not single orphanage.

Back to children that "work" to get money, I am afraid that parents that let their kids asking for money, either begging or selling something get happy with that and contemplate being a victim by not looking for a solution that won鈥檛 involve their offspring. This is not a role model that is best for them.

Children on the street are vulnerable to predators. It is scaring!

GuestPoster8404 Guest

0POSTS

7 years ago

#19

To each their own cambo, I personally like to see all of my money go to a person or persons , not聽 to a corporate expense account , although I鈥檓 sure there are good ones out there , I鈥檝e just yet to seen one yet

GuestPoster8404 Guest

0POSTS

7 years ago

#20

If your here for a few months , then you will see a need in 鈥� your own back yard鈥� so to speak , if your thinking globally then yes a reputable organization is your best choice, but on a local bases , don鈥檛 worry you won鈥檛 have to look far to see real need all around you , no need for a organization, just money food clothing, easy just the basics , some free English lessons , that would be a real need for children who cannot afford English school,聽 that would be a worthwhile organization!

JoeKhmer Cambodia Expert

2177POSTS

7 years ago

#21

Johnocorvette wrote:
Hi, I'm an outdoor caterer in the UK at the moment so I am used to cooking for people in large groups. Maybe you have given me the idea I was looking for.
Many thanks.
John

Would be great John!

Joe

JoeKhmer Cambodia Expert

2177POSTS

7 years ago

#22

cambol wrote:
I believe it is better to give money to an organization that takes care of orphanage groups, not single orphanage.

Back to children that "work" to get money, I am afraid that parents that let their kids asking for money, either begging or selling something get happy with that and contemplate being a victim by not looking for a solution that won鈥檛 involve their offspring. This is not a role model that is best for them.

Children on the street are vulnerable to predators. It is scaring!

It is this negative way of commenting that helps nobody. There is the fact that kids sells things on the streets, you and I will not be able to stop that. So accept it as reality and do something to help a few kids. If 500 expats would help 2 kids each, 1000 kids would have a slightly better life. At least something to eat, shoes on their feet, school education and the feeling someone cares for them.

I know two mothers of two girls I help, they are really poor but they work too, the girls selling things help the whole situation.

Girls on the streets at night is scary. The good thing is that they don't go with anyone and know the trustworthy foreigners to go to and talk. On top there is social security by mothers, tuktuk drivers and police so that no sick-minded guy can walk around with these girls. I don't say it's not risky but at least it is under control.

Cheers.

Joe