Darron's Cambodia Fundraising Project

Almost 18 months ago I visited Siem Reap in Cambodia with a group of friends.  It was a last minute addition to a Thailand vacation we were in the process of planning out.  Immediately upon landing in Siem Reap something just resonated with me.  Everyone we interacted with were friendly, accommodating and polite.  The staff at our hotel went out of their way to make sure our stay there was amazing, which is was.  People working at the local coffee shops talked to us and wanted to get to know us.  Our tour guide became our friend.  Throughout our few days there I fell in love with the city, the people and the experience.  I left with an entirely different perspective on life that has stayed with me to this day.  I was amazed at how gracious, humble and lovely everyone there was and how they give so much but have so little.  It was a real eye opener for me in terms of what really matters in life, what doesn't and how you can find happiness in ways I never knew before that trip. 

Upon returning to the States I could not stop thinking about how much I wanted to return and do something to give back to that community after they were so generous and kind to my friends and I.  Around February of this year I finally found a wonderful organization called Globalteer that arranges volunteer opportunities in Siem Reap.  I knew the second I went to their website www.globalteer.org that this was the opportunity I was looking for that would allow me to give back!

I'm happy to share that I will be stepping away from my everyday life here (and my job!) for a full month and will be spending time in Siem Reap volunteering at a rural elementary school as a Teacher's Aide.  I will be assisting the teacher's with their lesson plans, with a focus on helping the children learn how to speak and write the English language.  It is so important for these kids to learn English as it affords them a chance to land a good job and reduce their chance of living a life in poverty.  I will also be assisting the teachers with their arts & crafts program at the school as well (send me some creative ideas, everyone!). 

I am doing some fundraising for this great organization as they are always in need of donations to help support their continued great work in Siem Reap as well as many other cities around the world.  I am hoping you can support me in this effort and make a donation of any amount.  Every penny will go to Globalteer!  And when I say any little amount helps, I really mean it.  To give you an idea of how far even the smallest donation will go, take a look below:

$5 USD feeds a student breakfast for ONE MONTH!

$12.50 USD pays for one student to receive the "Full Care Package" which includes supplemental education, supplies, health & hygiene education and social support for ONE MONTH!

 $15 USD pays for 8 new books for their English and Khmer library

$20 USD covers the cost for a student to access the Children's Hospital

$150 USD pays for breakfast, toothpaste & toothbrushes, basic first-aid and transportation to the free Children's Hospital for a CLASS OF 20 FOR A MONTH!

And that's just a few examples.  So as you can see, any donation will make a huge difference in someone's life and help Globalteer continue their great work.

I want to thank you in advance for anything you can do to support.  I leave Friday, 8/10 and report to the school on Monday, 8/13.  I will return home Saturday, 9/8.  I will raise money through this page until Sunday, 8/26.

I can't wait to share my experience over there with everyone!

Thank you for reading my story,

Darron