2COUNTRIES: THAILAND & CAMBODIA PROJECT GUIDE
PROJECT GUIDE This guide has been designed to provide you with more information about the projects you will be involved in during your tour. Please read through the details carefully so you know what to expect. In Thailand everyone will be involved with the elephant project. In Cambodia, you can choose to be involved with EITHER teaching English OR community development.
ELEPHANT VILLAGE PROJECT GUIDE
Volunteering To understand Thailand is to understand its relationship with Elephants. These majestic beauties have been synonymous with Thailand for thousands of generations and are revered across the Kingdom. Originally used as status symbols for the ruling powers in Siam, elephants were seen as symbols of great power and strength. In more recent history elephants were used for farming (much like an ox or bull) and in the arduous logging industry. Thankfully, logging was outlawed across Thailand in the mid 1980 s, however, these elephants became redundant putting pressure on their owners (known as mahouts) who were already struggling to feed their families with the meagre income earned by farmers. No mahout wanted to part with their elephant but in order to feed the gigantic amounts of food they needed daily they would have to resort to urban street-walking and begging from tourists in exchange for a photo opportunity. Many mahouts would rent their Elephants to zoos and parks who would force the elephants into working long hours trekking tourists through jungles in high temperatures wearing very heavy saddles.
In 2013 Bamboo launched an initiative known as 'Walk Amongst Them' to encourage tourists to enjoy time with the elephants without riding them. To say Bamboo and elephants go hand in trunk is an understatement. The co-founders vehemently support all efforts to create the best possible environment for domesticated elephants. The issue is, without a doubt, a sensitive one. Before action, we need to understand, before we understand we need to listen. The controversial topic of elephants in Thailand is at the forefront of our efforts to provide the best support, care, welfare and education. And you, our dearest volunteer, are at the 'cutting edge' of how we can revolutionise how domesticated elephants can survive in a happy and comfortable environment. The villages we support are home to a large number of domesticated elephants (not wild elephants that have been captured; our elephants and their ancestors have been living with humans for centuries and are very much part of the family) all with varying cheeky personalities but equally loved. Our aim is to ensure that these elephants can stay living with their owners and families. Without our financial support the majority of these mahouts would have to sell their elephants to circuses, riding camps and other exploitative activities. By signing up to this tour you are directly ensuring that these elephants can remain in a safe, loving and sustainable environment. Your contribution helps to secure regular health checks, the right amount of the best food, a safe environment and supports efforts to keep them away from those who may not have their best interests at heart.
Many of the elephants we support live on the land of the mahout. In order to ensure the safety of the community, local livelihoods and for the elephants own safety, much of the time the elephants are on chains. This is something that Bamboo is working on very closely with the community. In an ideal world, the elephants would all be free, but the sad reality is that in Thailand there is nowhere for a domesticated elephant to roam without injuring itself or people and property. Bamboo is committed to working with the community in order to find the right solution to accommodate the elephants within the community. Please enter their world with an open mind before passing judgement. As a part of this tour you ll live in these villages as a local. You ll experience just what it s like to live in a rural farming community basic accommodation, dusty roads, surrounded by fields of rice, kids playing outside and elephants! This is a real getting-your-hands-dirty project. You ll be cutting sugar cane, community development, cleaning up the community, washing the elephants and heaps more. Your hard work and commitment on this project will directly benefit the community and the elephants. It really is a once-ina-lifetime opportunity.
Elephants Probably the highlight of your time in Thailand, you will have the chance to walk alongside these friendly giants. Accompanied by the elephant's mahout, you will walk to the nearby riverside where you can make a splash with your new best friend, give them a good scrub and watch them play in the water before walking them back home for some well earned snacks. As well as spending time with the elephants themselves you will also receive an Elephant Education session so you can learn a little more about the background of our elephants and why we do what we do. Farming Now this is where the hard-work will happen. We will be helping the local farmers by cutting plants to feed the elephants, weeding the fields, fertilising the crops and planting more elephant food. This can be hard work, but not only are we helping feed the elephants, we are also supporting the farmers which makes it all worthwhile. Don't panic, your guide will be with you at all times to show you how it's done. You ll also have breaks throughout, so make sure you keep your fluids up and wear sunscreen! Community Development Community development is something Bamboo loves to support and such projects can include: building sustainable chicken farms, constructing pig pens, renovating roads through the villages or painting. Projects can change depending on a number of factors and we work on whatever is most needed at the time. Whichever project you re involved with, rest assured your hard work will make a difference to the people who really need it. That s just how we roll.
Poo Paper Centre A visit to the Poo Paper Center is not something everyone can tick off their list. During your time here we will show you how to make paper from the huge amounts of dung produced daily by these incredible beasts. You will have the chance to get involved with the making of the paper and help the local team create different crafts that are then sold to raise financial support for the local elephant center. At the same location you will also be able to visit the Elephant Temple, Elephant Graveyard and learn a little bit more about how much these animals mean to the people of this area and the village. Water Activities We can t have all work and no play! There will be a couple of opportunities to head down to the local river and experience some different water activities - from kayaking to tubing to swimming...the choice is yours! Keep in mind Thai people are quite conservative, so swim suits are not appropriate to wear on their own. You will need to either have shorts or a t-shirt on.
SIEM REAP PROJECT GUIDE
PROJECT GUIDE For the projects in Siem Reap, you will need to choose between getting involved in either teaching English or community development projects.
Volunteering You will be working in one of our free English schools for kids. Generally, children are aged between 5-15. Working as an assistant to the local Khmer teacher, you will be helping to confirm and correct pronunciation, occasionally working one-on-one with students that need extra attention, assisting the teacher with lesson planning, coming up with games, songs and activities, playing with the kids and, if needed, helping with school maintenance through small projects such as painting, decorating and organizing. SIEM REAP TEACHING Your working week is 4 days, teaching from 8am to 4pm, with a substantial break for lunch (this is typically between 2-3.5 hours). If the schools are closed due to public holidays, teachers will help with other projects around the school.
Volunteering During your time in Siem Reap you will assist local builders and contractors with the completion of a community development project. This could include building a house, toilet, water pump, classroom, recycling bins, water filters or doing improvement work around school grounds. Duties could include digging, brick laying, cement mixing, sanding, sawing, heavy lifting, plastering and hammering. You are also expected to assist in side projects upon completion of primary building project. This may include litter picking around site and community, school cleanup, or other small scale development projects within the community. You should be physically fit, willing and able to work outdoors in the possible sun and heat for up to 6 hours a day. SIEM REAP COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT