Week 5 - Time to face the final curtain

Highlights - Working at Tiny Toones, meeting the charity Mea Kea. Lowlights - Leaving Cambodia

It's taken me quite a long time to get round to writing my final post, as the last week in Cambodia flew by and jet lag and returning to work in the UK have provided a challenging first week back.  Still, I have the most fantastic memories that are going to spur me on to make a few changes to my life in the UK.

My final week in Cambodia was very busy as I had the opportunity to work with another NGO based in Phnom Penh- Tiny Toones.  This is a fantastic charity that works with street kids, providing education but more unusually teaching them breakdancing and rap.  I joined Rich, who'd been at the charity for 4 weeks, to pick up reviewing the policies and procedures document and over 2 days I restructured the document and started to update procedures.  The charity was a wonderful place to work, a constant buzz of energy and noise, with children practising dance routines and reciting their A,B,C's; it was a real joy to be part of the NGO.

I also had the opportunity to meet up with another NGO called Meakea, who provide education and community development to a province around 50kms outside of Phnom Penh.  It was great to learn about the NGO and I was able to get a good understanding of what their requirements were for a future volunteer.  I just wished that I wasn't leaving the next day and that I could've started trying to help the charity!!

So, on the return to the UK, several people have asked me if I felt like I made a difference.  The only answer I can give to this is that I hope so!  In terms of effort I gave a 110% to the charity - I met the main objectives set for me by CCAF, and shared as much of my knowledge as I could with Leakhena, the Senior Bookkeeper.  However, 5 weeks is such a short time that it's difficult not to feel frustrated and feel like more could be done. I think part of this was that the charity, for various reasons, had periods of time where I was unable to work with them and I found this disappointing. .  On the plus side, the NGO and Leakhena said that they benefited from the time I spent with them so I guess I shouldn't be too hard on myself!

I would do it all again in a heartbeat.  Cambodia is the most wonderful country, with the kindest, warmest people I have ever met.  The country definitely needs on going support to help it rebuild, after being shattered by the civil war, but  it has a real sense of hope and determination that will see it succeed.  I will continue to help the country through supporting the work of the NGO's that I have met and will, for sure, volunteer again.

So for now, I have to return to 'normality' but one day I will escape again to the sunshine, heat and noise of Phnom Penh and know that I have truly come home.