Saturday, October 22, 2011

Post-flooding crisis response

There are so many amazing things happening in Cambodia right now!

I know that may seem strange to say considering that Cambodia has just been through some of the most severe flooding it's seen in nearly 50 years, wreaking incredible havoc across the country destroying homes, pagodas, schools and rice fields.

Most impressive are the efforts of a few of the local organizations who are teaming up with hotels and businesses to deliver much-needed food aid to communities severely affected by the recent flooding.

Here's a glimpse of just what's going on and how you can contribute to such worth endeavors. Your direct monetary donation or purchase of rice for them will go directly to the most needy.

Green Gecko Project with support from Hotel de la Paix, Heritage Suites, Golden Banana Resort, and Exotissimo. Just this weekend they delivered around 800 emergency food packs for needy villagers in Siem Reap communities, many of which have completely lost their homes.

Grace House Community Center with support from Raffles Grand Hotel has been providing emergency rice relief to many of its communities and others around.

MaD for Cambodia working in one of the poorest villages in Siem Reap province which is 50 kilometers from the nearest district town. They have been bringing emergency food packs in the $2o range, with top ups in the $12 range.

You can also read more on TravelFish about the situation and what is being done.

Learn why visiting an orphanage is harmful...here

Another incredible thing to come out this week was the release of the Friends International website campaign against orphanage tourism.

They offer an excellent resource to be shared about why visiting an orphanage is NOT the way to volunteer.

The information is from Friends International who developed the ChildSafe program within Cambodia to protect the rights and safety of children. It gives very clear reasons why volunteering in an orphanage can do more harm than good, no matter what you think otherwise.

I am SO excited for this information and am trying to spread it far and wide. PLEASE SHARE!

2 comments:

  1. Hi Nikki,

    I visit your website for the first time.
    I've seen your profile on CS.
    Thank you for opening my eyes about problems and social impacts of tourism in Cambodia. I've never heard about orphanage tourisme. For God's sake, I would never go for seeing misery intentionally...
    I plan to come in Cambodia during the winter and your website is an alternative way to discover the country before coming.

    Thank you for sharing :)

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  2. Hi Nikki,
    For a moment I feel guilty because I am reading your blog to know more about Cambodia since I am travelling on coming Sunday to Siem Reap under a volunteer assignment. Although the mission I am joining is under Singapore's SIF progamme - 'Water for Life'(think in Cambodia they call it 'Water for Cambodia'). I do hope my presence can help to make a little bit of help to the people there and not the other way round, reading your articles bring me quite a bit of enlightenment and I will take note to choose carefully on the type of volunteer assignments I should get myself involved.

    Thanks for sharing this important piece of information with us, I have re-post the link on Facebook to help spread the words.

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