Access to Education: Cambodia

Fly into Cambodia’s capital city where you’ll meet your Program Leaders before heading to the hotel for a short introduction and orientation.

Arun-sure-sdey! Start your program with visits to cultural and historical locations in Phnom Penh. Head to Tuol Sleng, a former school that was used as a prison and has since been converted into a museum to educate visitors about the country’s genocide, and visit the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek. Tour the Royal Palace and visit Olympic Stadium, where Cambodians gather before and after work to exercise and meet up with friends.

Head to Kampong Cham to the site of your service project and meet Rustic Pathways partner NGO, Buddhism for Social Development Action (BSDA), which works to empower and help women, children, and marginalized members of the Kampong Cham community in education, health, and income generation. Support Rustic’s work at a BSDA vocational training center and two drop-in centers that provide educational exchange activities to 200 children.

Contribute to a mixture of infrastructure projects and / or education exchange activities and one of BSDA’s education centers. Spend time each day engaging in a variety of team-building activities. Get ready for games and friendly competition, group debriefs, and purposeful time spent building and deepening friendships with your classmates.

• Customization example: Choose between assisting BSDA with infrastructure projects like gardening, building walls, repairing playgrounds, or leading education exchange activities with local children.
• Customization example: Spend up to a week working with BSDA.

Drive to Siem Reap where you’ll explore the famous night markets for some local souvenirs. Head to the Cambodian circus after dinner for an inspiring show of acrobatics performed by students from Phare Ponleu Selpak, an organization that educates disadvantaged youth through the power of the arts.

Visit the fascinating temple complex of Angkor Wat, an architectural marvel that dates to the Khmer Empire in the 12th century. Marvel at the intricate carvings of Angkor’s historic battle scenes and look out over the beautiful landscape from the top of the highest tower. Venture to see the huge, carved faces of Bayon and make your way to the shady temple of Ta Prohm, where massive trees have given this ruin a fairytale-like feel.

• Customization example: Skip Siem Reap and Angkor Wat and limit service to two days to make the trip as short as five days.

Say goodbye to your new friends and fly home from Siem Reap International Airport.