November marks the end of the European Union Aid Volunteers (EUAV) deployment after they have joined Phare team this past year. The volunteers arrived in November, January or June for a duration of six months, nine months, or one year. The 10 volunteers have offered professional support in several branches of Phare Ponleu Selpak, each contributing with their own personal touch to the big picture!

The European Union Aid Volunteers initiative they depend on offers European citizens the chance to express their solidarity in a concrete way by contributing to humanitarian projects around the world. It enables organizations to cover their specific human resource needs, by connecting professionals and organizations from different countries (in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America) to provide them practical support and help strengthen local capacities.

After several interviews, our volunteers had to complete an intensive 10-day training course on humanitarian and development work. Then they embarked on their Cambodian adventure, and quickly found their bearings in the Phare Ponleu Selpak family.

While working in our departments of communication, education, human resources, finance, and social support, they have gained a profound human experience. Their work has been thorough, often generous, and always benevolent! They came to bring their expertise, and they leave after having learned a lot from the teams and artists who make of Phare such a vibrant work place.

Here are some statements from four of the volunteers:

Francesco, Spain: “As a website developer, Phare gave me the opportunity to develop very creative projects. It is an inspiring place to work, full of artists and great people, I have shared their values since the very first day.”

Tamás, Hungary: “Working with the education management team got me involved with all the schools and departments, I loved the variety offered by my position!” 

Marianne, France: “My work as an employee engagement consultant has been a challenging experience for me, and I learned a lot about the culture.” 

Olga, Ukraine: “I’m a database management consultant. I had to understand the complex structure of Phare to set up a tool that would help people to achieve their daily tasks faster, easier and with more pleasure. It was an exciting job to do.”

Dear European volunteers, thanks for committing to Phare Ponleu Selpak and sharing this slice of life with us. It is with a pinch in the heart we see you leave. The show is over, but as we say here, “see you when you see me!!!”

Want to help change lives through the arts? Join Phare Ponleu Selpak as a volunteer and use your skills and expertise in transforming the lives of children and youth in Battambang, Cambodia.

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