On Sundays, JWOC holds their art class for local students at 2.30pm — a no-pressure class where anyone is invited to come and play games, sing songs and participate in a simple and rewarding art projects. Basically it is an afternoon designed to channel the creative spirits of our eager young learners.
A favourite volunteer opportunity for our Journeys Within guests, these art classes present a great chance to integrate, even for a short period, with the local community.
Final fishes!
Like art classes anywhere, the students are split up into groups where adult volunteers are tasked with helping the little ones with their scissor work or other tricky tasks while offering older students encouragement and an opportunity to practice their English.
A new perspective on fresh faces.
A fun experience at any age, these art classes are a great way for traveling families to see JWOC’s projects in action.
Guests to the class also have a chance to meet with our scholarship students and gain a greater understanding about the work we do within the greater community.
JWOC students showing off their inner expressionists!
For those looking to give back while on tour — or let their inner Picasso loose for an afternoon — the Sunday volunteer art class is the perfect addition to any trip to Cambodia.… Read more »
I can’t quite believe that we just celebrated Christmas and are now moving into a brand new year! Here at Journeys Within Our Community (JWOC) we have a lot to celebrate at the end of 2013 and so much to look forward to in 2014.
For me, one of the highlights of this year was having JWOC program managers, Somit and Vantha, and previous scholarship students, Narla and Makara, come to visit me in my new home in the US. These guys were such an amazing example of the power of JWOC and I was so proud to have them represent all JWOC’s projects to both new and old supporters alike.
If you haven’t read Somit’s review of his trip make sure to read it here, it’s a great reminder of how lucky we are to have travel in our lives and what an eye-opening experience this was, not just for the supporters they met, but for the guys themselves!
Hearing the JWOC team describe the various projects they run made me realize how far our sister organization has come since its humble beginnings over 8 years ago. Lives are impacted daily because of the work that these guys and the rest of our team do every day. I’m so proud that I was there at the start and so glad that I’m now able to watch JWOC truly impact communities in need while changing countless lives.
To continue to do this good work through 2014 we need your support. Help us bring clean water to more villages, schools, families, ensure that over 700 students continue to get the opportunity to study and be empowered through education. Help us continue to give small business loans to entrepreneurs that need a chance and to support our amazing scholarship students that create change everywhere they go through their volunteerism and the example they set for the younger generation.
To catch up on our latest activities, including a fond look back at some of our team’s favorite things of 2013 read our newsletter.
Help us celebrate 2013 by sending us forward into 2014 with your financial help. Remember, donating is also a great way to reduce your tax bill for 2013, so don’t delay and make a donation before the 1st to secure your tax deductions for this year.
Recently, members of the Journeys Within team were sent to the United States to share their stories on behalf of Journeys Within Our Community. Here, Makara, a three year employee of the Journeys Within Hotel, shares his impressions of their time abroad.
I had the opportunity to visit a few states and everything was different from one to another — and it is all totally different from Cambodia.
It was a fundraising trip, but I have some free time to see some things around too. It was great to see other country because I have never been out of my country before. I had a good time, but I just missing the local food sometime. I can eat everything burger, sandwich, Mexican and Italian foods, but I am not used to it yet, because we were only gone for a few weeks.
The boys bundle up for the lower temperatures in the United States.
I landed in San Francisco, California; and the first thing I noticed is the airport was so big and beautiful. We then drove three hours from airport to Truckee, along the way I could see that there were a lots of small houses, which was different from what I thought before arriving. The weather was cold and I needed to wear my jacket all the time – not what I am used to. Truckee is a mountain town with really great views, and as we drove along the hills I could feel my ears popping. The roads are big and they have highways, freeways and railways that connect state to state. The people in Truckee live on the mountains and in the forest, but they still have access to everything like clean water, power and internet everywhere, even though they live in the forest on the side of a mountain. It was amazing!
Somit, Andrea, Makara and Vantha in New York City.
New York was different from California — this state is very nice with a lot of tall and big buildings. The people all look so busy. They prefer to walk then take the car, because the road is so crowded. I went to see the subway — in there the people are just like go! go! go! They moved so quickly that sometimes I got push in to the train. I had to wonder what they are doing and where they are going. Time Square is so nice – here the billboard lights mean it is always day time. I went to see the Central Park, it was very nice place with green views. There are a lot of people go to visit and lay on the grass.
The boys hit the nation’s capital.
Washington DC is another beautiful state. But the traffic is crazy, not so many people are walking, because from one place to one place is far. I had a chance to see the Capital City Building, it was amazing. The people are friendlier than in New York.
One day we went to see Reno, Nevada; it is a state that has a lot of gambling. During the day it looks quiet, the road is not so busy, but I heard that in the night time it is so crowded.
For me, there was no disappointment at all. I wasn’t surprise with how different the living standard are compared to Cambodia, because I can see the difference in the level of education. I mean in the USA, the people know a lot more about how to live together and how to respond and support their country.
It was a big gift from Journeys Within Boutique Hotel, they gave me a great bonus as I have been along with them for about 3 years. This trip was a big gift from Journeys Within Tour, they arrange a great trip for me.
It was also a big gift from Journeys Within Our Community — they gave me a great experience and an opportunity to help them back as they helped me pay for my college for four years in 2007.
Again, thanks to Andrea, Brandon and the Journeys Within Team.
Rainy season is part of life in Southeast Asia, but this year flooding throughout Cambodia is putting those who are marginalized at further risk. Here, Journeys Within Our Community appeals to supporters for help with immediate flood relief.
Dear Supporters,
As you may have heard in recent news, Cambodia is experiencing severe flooding with the death toll currently over 100 and more than 60,000 people have been forced from their homes so far. There is growing concern over disease outbreak from water-borne diseases due to a lack of sanitation and hygiene in these extreme living circumstances. The flooding has seriously affected nearly all of Cambodia with Siem Reap Province, the communities Journeys Within Our Community (JWOC) works with, hit especially bad. The flooding is damaging homes, crops and causing harm to roads and infrastructure.
For those living off the main roads just getting out of the house means wading through dirty water that in places is well above knee height. In the rural parts of the Province villages are becoming cut off as roads are washed away. People in the communities JWOC works with are so far surviving but it’s an anxious time as the risk of water related and mosquito-borne diseases, such as Dengue Fever, is high and growing as the flooding is not receding.
As well as the large concern over the risk of disease there is also recovery to consider once the water goes down, with clean up and repairs to roads and houses needed. Many families are losing their crops as their rice fields and poultry are destroyed by the flooding, a source of both income and food for impoverished families.The longer- impact of the flooding is fear for food security with concerns over food shortages.
We are asking for you to donate towards JWOC’s Relief Fund during this difficult period to allow us to help with current emergencies, reduce risk of disease and to give us the ability to contribute to the recovery of the communities that mean so much to us.
With a donation of $15 you can help 10 families prevent and treat water related diseases they are contracting from living in flooded homes and drinking contaminated water. Each hygiene pack contains clear water purifying tablets, iodine antiseptic and soap.
Donating $50 can help 10 families stop their sleeping children from being at risk from fatal mosquito-borne diseases.
Donating $100 you would help provide food for 10 families for a week to help them through the food shortages and difficulty in securing food for their children.
To donate please go here. Please mark your donation Flood Relief.
Thank you and best wishes,
Sincerely,
Alex and the staff, volunteers and beneficiaries of JWOC… Read more »
Students from West Point Military Academy recently came to volunteer at JWOC. In their blog posts they explain about what they did and what they learned…
