Sustainable Cambodia- Pursat based NGO June 13, 2015We thought it best to let this fantastic organisation speak for themselves. So this is what they had to say… “Sustainable Cambodia works with the families of rural Cambodian villages to help them achieve sustainability and self-sufficiency through wells, irrigation systems, schools, training and empowerment. Cambodian village families have been slowly rebuilding their lives after the Khmer Rouge genocide, but Cambodia remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Rural areas of Cambodia still face severe poverty, lack of health care, and low levels of education, economic opportunity, and resources. Sustainable Cambodia works with YOU to make a huge difference in the lives of these deserving families. We are not an “aid” organization… We are an empowerment organization. We “teach a person to fish”, but we go one step further: Each village uses a “pass-it-on” element of community service, so the village families not only help themselves, but help neighboring villages. The result is sustainability within the villages, and replication of the model as village families volunteer to help surrounding villages. The work is comprehensive: We empower the village families to create a sustainable quality of life, helping them acquire fresh water, irrigation, schools, agriculture, skills and income generation. We employ ONLY native Cambodians as paid staff. ALL international officers, directors and consultants are volunteers who are unpaid. This allows us to keep our overhead and fundraising expenses under 3%, and funding from the founders pays more than this modest amount. So literally 100% of your funding goes into helping the rural village families. Since 2004, Sustainable Cambodia’s unique empowerment model has helped tens of thousands of Cambodian men, women and children to rebuild their shattered lives. YOU can make a huge difference. Any way you choose to help, 100% of your contribution will go directly to on-the-ground projects in rural Cambodia. Please join us and see what a difference you can make in a child’s life!” We were lucky enough to spend almost a full week with the team in Pursat. It didn’t take long however, to appreciate the approach that SC takes in providing opportunity to it’s community and neighbours. Detailed conversations with all members of staff and the international volunteers that were working there, some for up to a year, quickly put our minds at ease in regards to the integrity and efficiency of the organisation. We would have no hesitation in recommending others to donate or to investigate the opportunity of international volunteer work (with a minimum of four months). Details can be found on the website.