About the Organization

Founded in 2003, Sovann Komar’s mission is to provide a safe and nurturing home where children can develop to their full potential – physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. The Sovann Komar Children’s Village provides orphaned and abandoned children with a single family home in a village environment where the children have: committed Cambodian parents, good housing and nutrition, quality education, and skilled health care. Most importantly, the children are surrounded by a loving community that teaches them good citizenship by modeling ethical thinking, participatory decision-making, non-violence, community service, and environmental protection. In addition to the 60 children who reside full time in the village, Sovann Komar benefits hundreds of additional children by providing scholarships to attend its on-site pre-school; providing continuing education to community-based school teachers; teaching health and sanitation to villagers and assisting local health clinics; donating clothing toys and school supplies to low-income children; and improving the environment in villages through tree planting, village clean-up, home repair, and releasing fish into ponds.

Golden Children operates the Sovann Komar’s Children’s Village in Cambodia, providing orphaned and abandoned children with a single family home in a village environment where the children have:
• Committed Cambodian parents
• Good housing and nutrition
• Quality education
• Skilled health care.

Most importantly, the children are surrounded by a loving community that teaches them good citizenship by modeling ethics, participatory decision-making, environmental protection, and community service. For more on Sovann Komar and their unique programs see their website.

Job Description

Interns may serve in a number of positions with Sovann Komar:

English as a Foreign Language (EFL)

The intern will develop and offer curriculum to teachers and staff of Sovann Komar, as well as teachers and staff drawn from other schools and organizations, training in effective methodologies for teaching EFL. In addition, the intern will hold EFL classes for older children at Sovann Komar, in partnership with a local teacher.

Fundraising

The intern will work with Sovann Komar senior staff and a local counterpart to implement its fundraising strategy. Depending on the timing of the internship, responsibilities may include updating the website for fundraising content, developing communication materials, researching and/or writing grant proposals, organizing special events, and participating in the development of a Sovann Komar product line based on children’s artwork. Depending on skill level, the fundraising intern may develop and offer a workshop on some aspect of fundraising for other NGOs in Cambodia.

Health Education

The intern will develop materials and develop and deliver curricula to help ensure the safety, health, and welfare of children living in the Sovann Komar village and residents of poor communities nearby. Depending on the length of the internship, the intern may develop programs in one or more of the following areas: water and sanitation, nutrition, accident prevention, alcohol and tobacco use, and sex education.

Library Sciences

The intern will be based at Sovann Komar’s Learning Center, which includes a library and computer lab. The intern will provide training to the librarian, teaching staff from the Learning Center, other schools, and NGOs to increase their skills in accessing information through the internet and other means. In addition, the intern will work with the librarian to develop a program of special events and exhibits and will work with school teachers and parents on strategies for developing early reading habits. The intern may be directly involved in storytelling with English-language books.

Physical Education

The intern will work with teachers at Sovann Komar’s school to develop and initiate a program of physical education and sports. In addition, the intern will work with teachers to identify other schools or organizations with which Sovann Komar can develop relationships aimed at involving its children in sports clubs. The intern also may provide swimming and water safety instruction to teachers and interested parents.

Special Education Teacher

The special education teacher will work with other teachers in Sovann Komar’s special education pre-school class, coaching and mentoring them in state-of-the-art teaching methods for developmentally delayed children. In addition, the Special Education Teacher will develop and deliver a training curriculum on supporting children with special needs that will be offered to all teachers at Sovann Komar’s schools and to staff of selected community organizations working with special needs children. Contents of the training will include: assessing the special needs child, developing an individualized learning plan; teaching tools and methods; and behavior management.

Read a well-written recent report of an intern's experience at Summer11internreport.forweb_.doc.

# of Positions per term

1 per internship description

Start Dates

Any

Duration of Internship

3-6 months

Academic Background

Education, training, and/or experience specific to the position of interest.

Skills/Experience

Experience with children, cross-cultural communication skills, and management or organization skills are preferred.

Language Ability

English. Knowledge of Khmer helpful but not necessary.

Other Requirements

Total costs vary depending on how long you plan to be abroad, where you will be living, your personal spending habits, and current exchange rates. The following estimates will give you a ballpark figure for this internship. Get help with the math from our handy Cost Calculator.
ALL ESTIMATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

IE₃ Program Fee

The IE₃ program fee is $3450 for the first term for both in-state and out-of-state students and $1000 for each additional term, regardless of credit earned. You do not pay tuition for the term(s) you are abroad. Visit your University's IE₃ page for details, costs for additional terms, and campus administrative fees.

Estimated One-Time Expenses

Expense Type	Price
International Travel	~$1200
Visa Fees	$75
Recommended Immunizations	$400-700

*See Additional Cost Information below.

Estimated Monthly Expenses

Expense Type	Price/month
Housing	$400-$600
Food	$100-$250
Local Transportation	$50-$100
Recreation	$50-$150
Personal Expenses	$50-$150

Compensation

None

Read a report of an IE3 intern's Summer 2011 experience on the education internship here: Summer11internreport.forweb_.doc.

Read a report from an IE3 Intern's Winter 2011 experience on the health education internship here: SovannKomarFinalreportWin11.docx

Visit the Sovann Komar website here.

Read the June 2011 quarterly progress report for updates on projects our interns have supported here.

Read a Wall Street Journal article on Sovann Komar and it's co-founder here.

An informative report on gender in the Cambodian contest was written by a Sovann Komar employee and can be read here: Gender_Report.doc.

Information on Cambodia:

Cambodia is a beautiful place with a proud culture and a troubled past. For foreigners, two very different aspects of its history seem to capture the most attention.

The unfading splendor of the Angkor Empire attracts millions of tourists every year. Many ancient temples of the empire survive in the forests and countryside surrounding Siem Reap. From the Angkor Wat, the largest religious complex on earth, to the intricate carvings of temples like Banteay Srei, visitors have to opportunity to see some of the most impressive structures ever created by human hands.

Diametrically opposed to the beauty of Angkor, the horror the Khmer Rouge genocide from 1975-1979 displayed just how brutal humans can be. The Khmer Rouge were ruthless in establishing their power and routinely executed innocent men, women and children. Throughout this period and the proceeding civil war, much of the existing infrastructure of the country was destroyed and most members of religious communities, citizens with ties to the previous government, and the intelligentsia were systematically exterminated. The Khmer Rouge maintained a firm presence in the country until as recently as the late ‘90s. Contemporary Cambodia is trying to rebound from this destruction, but many aspects of development are hindered by petty corruption.

Suggested websites on Angkor:

http://www.historyangkor.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor
http://www.travel-cambodia.com/cam-travel-info/history_angkor.htm

Suggested reading on Khmer Rouge: The Gate by Francois Bizot River of Time by Jon Swain

Suggested newspapers: The Cambodia Daily, The Phnom Penh Post

Field Notes Postings:

Lay Down Weapons, Fly Kites by Caitlin Summers: IE₃ Scholarship Recipient and Oregon State University student.