Travel agent offers voluntourism

BANGKOK, 13 November 2012: Nutty Adventures recently introduced voluntourism programmes at seven sites in Thailand and Cambodia.

Nutty Adventures managing director, Nithi Subhongsang, said the venues for the programmes were carefully selected on the basis that they really needed support.

Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and undergo a screening process. It includes a background check that must be provided by local police 10 days before leaving their home country to join the programme. There is also a minimum requirement that they give two weeks of their time.

During the first and last three days, a tour guide will accompany the volunteers to help them to settle in, or to facilitate their departure. Volunteers are given a phone so that they can contact the company’s staff whenever needed during their stay.

Usually, volunteers help to teach English and IT skills and work from 0800 to 1700 with the weekends free.

Each programme begins on a Friday with an Ayutthaya dinner cruise and a tour around the ancient city on Saturday morning before they transfer to the volunteer programme sites in Thailand and Cambodia.

Voluntourism sites:

• Woraditwitthayaprasud School in Ang Thong Province, that provides a home and education for orphans;

• Ayutthaya Village School and Community in Ban Sai Noi, 20 kms from Ayutthaya town;

• Baan Mitratorn or Home for Caring Friends in Chiang Mai that offers shelter to HIV infected children, orphans and children from broken or abusive homes;

• Moo Baan Dek (Children’s Village) in Kanchanaburi, an alternative education community for orphans;

• Mae Hong Son Hill Tribe Volunteer project in Mae Hong Son;

• Cooperation for Social Services and Development in Cambodia specialising in groups are at risk of HIV infection, such as prostitutes, gay community and drug users;

• People Improvement Organisation in Cambodia providing education, vocational training and support to some of the poorest communities in Cambodia, with a focus on girls, orphans and street children.

Sourced: ttrweekly