CWF - Conversations With Foreigners - Phnom Penh

Conversations With Foreigners (CWF) is a popular English-language center for Cambodians in Phnom Penh, and is a socially ethical organization committed to a sustainable model of learning and cultural exchange. CWF’s Volunteer in Cambodia program offers a unique, free volunteer experience for international volunteers - our teaching program allows volunteers to pass on valuable English language skills whilst experiencing life in Cambodia’s capital city, Phnom Penh.

Our model benefits both our students and volunteers, and also enables us to provide a sustainable source of funding to our local partner NGO, the Cambodian Rural Development Team, whose work benefits some of the poorest rural communities in north-east Cambodia.

CWF was established in 2006, in conjunction with the  

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Cambodian Rural Development Team, which itself was formed in 2001 to undertake development projects which improve the living standards of subsistence communities in rural Cambodia. Their focus is improving livelihoods through sustainable agriculture, clean water and clean energy, reduce the communities reliance on fishing the Mekong, and creating market opportunities for livestock and agriculture to increase income.

Like many local NGOs, CRDT relies on project-by-project funding, which can be problematic in both securing funding and enabling consistency of projects year upon year. So, CWF was set up to offer affordable conversational English language courses for local students in Phnom Penh in order to help raise regular funding for the important work of this local NGO. This project is an attempt to create a more sustainable source of funding through an activity which contributes positively to the community. Our Board of Directors have set a donation policy so that 60% of our annual net profit after financial audit is donated directly to CRDT. We're a small but passionate team, and we've got a grander vision for the Conversations With Foreigners program so the remaining 40% is held to fund expansion of the school and program model over the next 5 years. We hope to own our own school building and suitable volunteer accommodation, and have at least one branch in provincial Cambodia to help even more Cambodians and give volunteers a very different living experience.

After our 2011 financial audit, we were able to donate US$28,563 to CRDT, bringing our total donation to CRDT since 2006 to more that US$60,000.

It is worth noting that in many other volunteer programs, volunteers are working directly with the poorest people. By teaching at CWF, this is not the case. The students here can at least afford money to study so are more fortunate than many (classes cost around $4 per week for five classes). Students who study at the school are aware that they are directly funding projects in the rural areas. Volunteers not only contribute directly to students in Phnom Penh, but also indirectly to the long-term sustainability of CRDT - Cambodian experts experienced in rural development working to improve livelihoods in rural communities. As rural communities make up 80% of Cambodia's population, this model of volunteer program will hopefully prove more sustainable for rural communities and for Cambodia as a whole. As part of the experience, volunteers will visit and learn from CRDT's projects in Kratie and Stung Treng provinces to gain an insight into rural life and the challenges faced by rural communities, and development organisations like CRDT.