Savong School

Welcome to Savong School and the Village of Don Teav. Near Siem Reap, Cambodia . Three classrooms, 450 students,5 Cambodian teachers, 1 librarian and 1 cleaner. The project is directed by Svay Savong, aged 27. The objective is to give young rural students employment opportunities. The school is an example of the global village at work.

Angkor Wat is one of the wonders of the world, and nearby this group of amazing temples (each around 1000 years old,) is the tourist town of Siem Reap . Tourism is big here, and for the burgeoning number of school aged children (half of Cambodia is aged under 19,) the only work prospects outside of the fairly subsistence level family farm or business, is a job in tourism or hospitality. There are few other jobs going. To give rural students a chance to find employment, Svay Savong is a young man who has established a school to teach languages to children who cannot afford paid tuition. His school, a modest three classroom building built in 2005 in a small village East of Siem Reap, has met immediate success. Students don't have to attend here – they already go to the State School . But the State system doesn't teach languages such as English or Japanese, and so 450 children willingly attend Savong School. It is a good place for the students, a social hub, a place to learn and a place that gives opportunities. The teachers work hard to deliver quality education. Savong began the school because of his own experience, growing up in the years of poverty after the fall of Pol Pot. As he states it; “I don't want children to ever face what we had to face.” It is a worthwhile project, an example where people around the world have linked by email to a good person with a great project in the middle of Cambodia and, together, have turned the dream into reality. This is the global village at work! Do you have the time to help? We are always looking for volunteers to help with our classes, particularly if you are fluent in English or can play football,volleyball, hula-hoop. If you can commit to four hours a day for one week we would love to hear from you. Longer term volunteers are also very welcome, as it gives you time to get to know the students and help develop their lessons with ideas of your own, the current maximum volunteering period is three months.

We would also welcome any volunteers, who would consider donating a day or two of their time to helping some very needy and humble people. We had two teachers in November 2008, who were overwhelmed with their experience here. If you would like to volunteer please click on the link below to make an application. Then go the bottom of the page and click on the application form link. In your application please state that you want to volunteer at Savong School having seen this website.

Volunteer application

Even if you don't have the time to commit to a full week, you are most welcome to visit Savong School by appointment and spend an hour or two with the children.

Please contact Savong regarding visiting Savong School please by either telephone or e-mail on the details below:

Telephone: +855 (0) 12 53 10 37 +855(0)92 666 675 E-mail: savongschool@gmail.com svaysavong@gmail.com Website:www.savong.com