Volunteers Without Borders

March 19-26, 2005

Built upon experiences during the SIF-Asean Student Fellowship of the Singapore International Foundation (SIF) in Singapore and last year successful Clean Teeth Program, the 16 Cambodian SIF alumni set up the Paper Collection Exercise with the participation of some 30 volunteers from various universities in Phnom Penh. The purpose of the exercise is to raise fund by collecting used paper from non-governmental organizations, embassies and businesses for the Tsunami Affected Communities Fund (TAC Fund), which was set up by the SIF, and, in part, is to promote the spirit of volunteerism among Cambodian young people through community service.

On March 12, 2005, to begin the program, the working group of the Cambodian SIF alumni held a briefing session on the compound of the Olympic Stadium with some 20 student volunteers in order to give explanation about the Paper Collection Exercise including some background of the Cambodian SIF alumni, the objective of the program, and target groups. After the briefing, members of the working group and volunteers directed to their assigned targets to distribute requesting letters for used paper with an attached supporting letter from the SIF. The requesting letters were delivered to some 150 institutions. The distribution took four days to complete.

The paper collection exercise started in the morning of March 19, 2005 and finished on March 26, 2005. The working group and volunteers were divided into several groups to collect used paper. The first day of the collection was on Saturday which most of institutions were closed. We decided to extend the collection period to a few more working days. The paper collected was allowed to be kept at a storehouse at the Olympic Stadium until March 26, 2005 which was schedule for selling. In supporting the activity of young people, the Shell Company of Cambodia provided forty liters of gasoline for motorbikes while Fresh, a drinking water company, provided drinking water for the program, which is the significant encouragement to the voluntary work of young people.

Among more than one hundred institutions, there are 15 of them and some individual people contributed the used paper to the program. The contribution from each institution ranged from five kilograms to nearly one hundred kilogram of used paper and newspaper. Most of them said they did not have any paper to give. In total, the exercise made 72.45 USD from selling some 620 kilograms of paper including newspaper, used paper, magazines and books, and cash donation on March 26, 2005 at the Olympic Stadium. The Paper Collection Exercise was also covered by the Rasmei Kampuchea Daily on March 31, 2005.

The proceeds from the collected paper were given to the Singapore International Foundatio (SIF) during an SIF-Asean Student Fellowship Alumni Conference which was held in Singapore on April 7 . 10, 2005.

For more information about the conference that time, Channel News Asia has its report here http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/141935/1/.html

Published on the SIF website http://www.sif.org.sg/tsunamiaid/fundraise.html

Meeting up at the Independent Monument

gathering the paper

Lunch break inside the Olympic Stadium

On January 2, 2005, Volunteers Without Borders coordinated a visit of Youth Expedition Project (YEP)’s Journey of Knowledge project to Phnom Penh. VWB coordinated with Krousar Thmey Orphanage and Pediatric Hospital in Phnom Penh to schedule the visit. In addition, two volunteers from VWB helped with translation.

Journey of Knowledge consisted of some 20 Singaporean University Students. They conducted a main project in Sieam Reap province. Since VWB is in Phnom Penh, they extended their visit to see orphans and Pediatric Hospital in Phnom Penh.

with the participation of student volunteers, VWB conducted a clean teeth program at Krousar Thmey Orphanage Center in Phnom Penh. The purpose of the activity was to encourage youth participation in community volunteerism, demonstrate teeth cleaning to children and create a caring feeling, environment, and fun with them.

The program, which lasted about 3 hours, composed of ice-breaking activities, quiz on tooth health, games, and tooth cleaning. There are 15 volunteers from different universities participating in the activities to entertain and educate some 50 orphans aged from 7 to 13 years old.

Besides help from volunteers, we get other support and sponsor from a few companies. Uniliver donated 70 packs of toothpaste and tooth brushes, Tiger water provided 10 big bottles of pure drinking water, and Bun Pav Hotel donated two big boxes of biscuits and 50 plastic cup for the program.

 Group Pictures

Visiting KrourSa Thmey Centre

Visiting Pediatric Hospital

On June 20, 2004, with the participation of student volunteers, VWB conducted a clean teeth program at Thmey Orphanage Center in Phnom Penh. The purpose of the activity was to encourage youth participation in community volunteerism, demonstrate teeth cleaning to children and create a caring feeling, environment, and fun with them.

The program, which lasted about 3 hours, composed of ice-breaking activities, quiz on tooth health, games, and tooth cleaning. There are 15 volunteers from different universities participating in the activities to entertain and educate some 50 orphans aged from 7 to 13 years old.

Besides help from volunteers, we get other support and sponsor from a few companies. Uniliver donated 70 packs of toothpaste and tooth brushes, Tiger water provided 10 big bottles of pure drinking water, and Bun Pav Hotel donated two big boxes of biscuits and 50 plastic cup for the program.