A Day in the Life of an NFO Volunteer

A Day in the Life of an NFO Volunteer

Before coming to NFO, the word ‘Orphanage’ conjured up sad, lonely images in my mind. Now it represents a place of hope, laughter and friendship.
I have spent 10 days at NFO and, every night, I got to bed with aching cheeks from smiling and giggling all day. The children are simply amazing, and in a matter of hours, they will have you mentally working out how you can stay in Takeo longer, or when you can come back. So consider yourself warned!

NFO is a relaxed place to volunteer, where we take time to get to know the children (good luck learning 50 Khmer names!) and then it is up to you to find your own niche, interests and activities.

The children wake up at 5am, and if you are feeling energetic, you are welcome to join them for morning exercises at this time – it’s worth the effort, but perhaps just the once. My day starts with a leisurely breakfast at the NFO centre (with other volunteers if they’re up), and then a 5min stroll down to the Orphanage. With many children at school from 7-11am, this is a good time to play games with the younger ones and perhaps have a tidy around the yard and classroom. Lunchtime, and the midday heat, is a good chance for a snooze and gossip with the older girls in their penthouse room. Warning: do not let yourself get talked into playing basketball at this time of day – with temperatures reaching high 30s, you’ll soon regret it! Happily the ice-cream man often appears and at roughly $4 for 50 ice lollies, it’s a lovely little treat for us all now and then.

Afternoons are what you make of them – a stroll into Takeo town to visit the ever-teeming market; hide and seek; colouring-in; helping with homework; sleep in a hammock: your day, and therefore the children’s, is what you make of it. There is also the chance to visit a rural school for English lessons with 130 children in one class – you will be in awe of the Teacher who controls and inspires with natural ease and ability. Come with your singing voice at the ready, and any new nursery rhymes to add to their repertoire will be gratefully received with a heart-wrenching chant of ‘thank you, we love you, Teacher’.

Back at the Orphanage, dusk is time for the older boys and volunteers to get serious about football/volleyball/basketball ... no rules apply! You’ll then need a cold shower before heading to the Centre for dinner and perhaps a movie or card games (with or without beer depending on the previous night’s antics). The volunteers stay in either one of the rooms in the Centre itself or in a large well-equipped guest house across the road – no complaints for $5 a night.
I have yet to go through the difficult task of saying goodbye to the children, perhaps the hardest part of coming to NFO.

Before arriving here, I was apprehensive, slightly nervous and excited about spending time here. I hadn’t booked a place here and so wasn’t sure if they would even be room for a random traveller turning up without any notice. However, I now know for sure that anyone is welcome anytime, and everyone will get something out of their time here. Whether it’s time well-spent as a human climbing-frame, the satisfaction of helping to improve a child’s English, or simply giving and receiving countless hugs, I think memories from here will stay with us forever. The children are clever and eager to learn, and impressively self-sufficient and generous. They may have troubled pasts, but thanks to NFO they have new and exciting futures ahead.

Helen Bridge 18 Feb 2010