I went volunteering in Cambodia with IVHQ for 3 weeks and it was truly an amazing experience. I felt safe throughout the whole journey, since we always had support from the local team and IVHQ made the whole process simple and easy, so I would definitely recommend it!
My experience was in Siem Reap, which is a city that I loved and that has a lot you can visit and do, without having the chaos of the capital city, Phnom Pehn. The locals also make you feel safe, welcome and specially respected.
The volunteering house that I was in was great, the family that lived there gave me the freedom to do whatever you wanted without any curfew and the food there was really good!
The volunteering project itself, teaching English to children, was also fun and according to my expectations.
Overall, it is an experience that will allow you to grow massively and become more independent, as well as being in contact with a completely different culture.
To conclude, I have one recommendation which is try to get in touch with other volunteers before going, because in my case I was alone for a week and it is better, for me at least, to be in contact with other volunteers while you are having this experience.

For 2 weeks, I volunteered as a teacher at a school in Battambang through IVHQ. My experience in Battambang was overall very positive! I met lots of passionate teachers and enthusiastic students, and always felt very supported by the local team. I had lots of fun with the teachers and students and was able to fully immerse myself in the Khmer culture!

Battambang is a beautiful place - there are lots of farms around and is not as built up as Siem Reap, but still has a good-sized town centre with lots of restaurants and markets. On weekends, I got the chance to explore some areas of Battambang (bat cave, bamboo train) with the teachers that I met and eat delicious local foods as well!

This overseas volunteering experience allowed me to step out of my comfort zone, as well as continue my growth as a preservice teacher. I can say with confidence that I returned home with priceless experiences, and that I would love to do this again in the future!

After a few days in Siem Reap I headed to Phnom Penh for a 2 week Childcare placement at Joy Daycare Centre. The kids (aged 2-8) were funny, attentive and super engaged. The day started at 9. I would spend an hour in the morning teaching English, followed by a freestyle session where I would let the kids draw on the whiteboard and get them to describe in English their drawings. My Khmer wasn't great but with some creative miming the kids understood and we had loads of fun!

We would help feed the kids at lunch "more rice please teacher" still makes me smile. After lunch they would nap for 2 hours, then shower, followed by play time, songs music dance games or watch TV. They would go home at 3.30pm.

A couple of times we hitched a ride with the director of the centre when he took the kids home. Seeing the slums they lived in was heartbreaking, but they came from loving families, and even though they didn't have much they were happy, which was very humbling.

The whole trip was one big highlight reel!

Even though it was sad saying goodbye to the kids, I left with a full heart.

Travel is my jam. And this is a unique way to do it. To live like a local and give back. It's a cultural exchange like no other. I even tried deep fried crickets!

Phnom Penh is a crazy city! The noise, traffic, hardly any pavements. People don't walk you take tuk tuks everywhere. Download the Grab app to book yours, it's like Uber.

I loved hanging out on the riverfront. Head to Temple Bar & Bakery on 55th Street for the rooftop experience.

Siem Reap was a very interesting place to stay with visiting Ankor Wat very much a highlight. I stayed at the CVH Siem Reap Hostel which was located close to the night Market area of Siem Reap. The hostel hosts were brilliant, friendly and very helpful. I taught at Salariin Kampuchea (SK) learning centre for 4 weeks. This I thoroughly enjoyed. The kids were great to teach and I fitted in very well with the existing kampuchean teaching team. Overall my experience in Siem Reap was brilliant. I would highly recommend going there.

I loved this beautiful country!! I easily fell in love with the kind respectful people of Cambodia. Every bit of their culture was based around conscientious actions and it really was noticeable (coming from a western way of thinking). Another aspect of the Cambodian culture that I was really fond of was its attention to detail. Despite not having the best government-run trash/cleaning services, the streets were always maintained by the shop owners, it was always so clean!! I had so much fun teaching the children and want to go back soon!

My first volunteer experience. Took early retirement so was a little apprehensive. No need as the experience fulfilled all my hopes.
Excellent organising and information from IVHQ.
Loved Cambodia and the school I taught in . Plan to return.
Age was no barrier as fellow volunteers were very forward looking .All of us looking for new experiences.
Such a pleasure teaching students who genuinely want to learn.
So enamoured with the experience of IVHQ that I have just completed my second assignment in Sri Lanka and have booked India and Vietnam to follow.

I was crazy nervous at the beginning of my trip as I'm only 18 so was my first time ever travelling alone, but as soon as I arrived to the volunteer house in Phnom Penh I was relieved, the volunteers and the staff were so welcoming and nice and it had a real homely feel to it. So I was already off to a great start and then as soon as I saw the beautiful children at Le Restaurant des Enfants I knew I picked the right project! To anyone thinking of volunteering this organisation was amazing and it was honestly the most amazing and rewarding experience ive ever had working with children!!:)

Cambodia has everything you could ask for in a volunteer destination – great people, unique culture and awesome adventures! There is also a strong demand for people to help address the deep-rooted socio-economic issues facing Cambodia today. That is exactly where volunteers step in!

Volunteer programs are numerous and diverse, satisfying any skill set you have to offer or are looking to develop. I volunteered on a 6-month placement, volunteering with a development NGO in Phnom Penh. And guess what? They offered me a job and now I live here!

Whilst I loved (and still love) my placement, I greatly value the camaraderie within the volunteer house, offering support after a challenging day and encouragement exploring the street food scene! Grilled frog skewers anyone? If you plan to stay longer than a few weeks there is also a small but strong expat community. And plenty of delightful coffee shops when you’re looking for some quiet time (and air-conditioning!).

Opportunities for weekend trips are abundant, satisfying any and all travel experiences you could ask for! Whilst the tourism industry throughout the country is still largely in its infancy (outside of Siem Reap), locals are always very generous with their efforts to help – and knowing a little Khmer goes a long way! As does taking the time to learn and practice the social and cultural customs. Quick trips to neighboring Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos are also very do-able. Some journeys can take longer than expected but I have never felt unsafe, despite what I may have heard and read prior to departure.

I appreciate the opportunity of living abroad, even with all its ups and downs. Cambodia forces you to reevaluate your priorities and experience gratitude in profound ways. Especially when the power goes out!

I recommend volunteering in Cambodia and the team at IVHQ :)