We promised the students of Little Po we would return on Monday. I reminded Andrew to wear his necklace that one of the girls gave him. We put images on a usb to get them printed in town, and then we found out the tuk-tuk was broken. I sighed at the lack of communication/general disorganization, and we made plans to join some other volunteers who were going to teach the monks at a pagoda close to the NFO volunteer center. There were five teachers, and eight students. We took turns teaching (ok, so maaaybe Andrew and I highjacked the adverb lesson) but it was nice, if not a bit excessive – especially considering how I’ve become used to teaching 40 students by myself in Korea while my co-teacher slept, checked her phone, or read a book in the back of the classroom. (I love you, Korea, but your co-teachers got me DOWN!)
After class, we biked to the orphanage, where again there was an overabundance of volunteers. Two new volunteers just arrived and were wandering around looking as lost and confused as I felt on our first day. Andrew assures me that we didn’t look that lost. He asked me what I was going to write about New Futures. And here goes: New Futures is a lovely organisation, but it is a little too lackadaisical for individual short term volunteers. It really needs an army of long term volunteers OR a shorter term army of volunteers with their own leader and specific project to work on while they are here. While New Futures gladly opens its doors to volunteers like Andrew and myself to come in for a week, both NFO and volunteers would benefit more from longer term volunteer stints or (as I have already stated) more. organization. If you’re interested in volunteering here, please do (for longer than a week, unlike our poor planning (or knowledge longer would be better), or with a group ready to rebuild classrooms, or lay down flooring, or cultivate a garden).
If you’re interested in sending toothbrushes, or pens (pencils, sharpeners, erasers or any additional school supplies) the children would benefit greatly. There are nearly 200 students at Little Po, and 50 kids currently living at the orphanage. If you’d like supplies to go to one or the other, specify “New Futures Orphanage” or “Little Po Village School C/o Teacher Teem.”
Supplies can be sent to:
New Futures Organisation
Road 110, Snor Village, Rokakhnong Commune, Daunkeo District
Takeo Town, Takeo Province, Cambodia
