Cambodia Service Learning Trip (Jan 2015)

This winter trip to Cambodia from January 8th to 14th was the eighth service learning trip to Cambodia since 2011. During this 7-day trip, participants visited Who Will Children's Village, Wat Opot Children's Community, Cambodian Children's Fund Centre, as well as One-2-One Centres. The aim of this trip was to demonstrate love and compassion to Cambodian Children through specific educational and cultural exchange programs according to their needs.

To ensure that the participants knew what to expect when they arrived at Cambodia, pre-trip workshops on introduction, team-building, presentation on research of Cambodia, activity design, and demonstration were conducted. These workshops also allowed the participants to have a better understanding of the needs of the Cambodian Children.

The team visited a local market on the first day of the trip to gather some materials as well as to get an insight into the local Cambodian culture and lifestyle. All of the lessons and session plans were successfully carried out with minor amendments and adjustments as the service trip progressed. The team went to the zoo with the children of the Wat Opot Community and conducted team activities including games and filling in interactive booklets with the children. The team also visited Who Will Children's Village and made handicrafts and paintings with around 160 children. On the final day, the HKUST team also made a trip to the Royal Palace and Genocide museum in order to gain a better understanding of the Cambodian Religion, culture, history, as well as society. It was a perfect way to end the 7-day service learning trip to Cambodia.

The 7-day service trip to Cambodia was definitely a life changing experience for everyone in the trip. Some participants had gleaned insightful know-how about what a service trip is all about; some had come to appreciate and treasure the chances and resources that are easily accessible to them; some had learned to venture out of their comfort zones and to explore other aspects of themselves; and others had discovered their strengths and weaknesses. Most importantly, everyone had gained a life-long memory and relationship with each other and the children of Cambodia through this trip.

The smiles on the children's face assured that the participants' efforts and volunteering had paid off. To ensure that the quality of the Cambodia Service Learning Trip will improve year by year, the participants were willing to share and pass on their service trip experiences to the participants of the next trip. In addition, the participants became more aware of the impacts NGOs have on a country and on the growth and development of the children. Even though the trip has finished, the enthusiasm, passion, and love experienced by the participants of the Cambodia trip would remain in their hearts forever.