INFOS PLATEAU

There are approximately 600 orphanages in Cambodia. This number has tripled in the last 8 years.

According to Unicef, the number of orphans in Cambodia has swelled from 7000 to 47 000 in just 30 years

The Cambodian government aims to reduce the number of children in orphanages by 30% by 2018.

Subject CAMBODIA

Emmanuelle Werner

0:00

“As the teacher Vidal has said, we will spend this morning talking about volunteering.

 

In 00:08

We are all aware of classes on sexual education or road safety. This morning, in this class of final year students in Geneva, a special session is being held warning against certain forms of

volunteering.

 Out 00:19

 

Emmanuelle Werner:

In 00:20

“If you go onto Google and search for « child volunteering» the first thing that will come up are offers to go and work in an orphanage and they will make you believe, play with words and tell you, you should go help in the orphans, the orphans, the orphans.”

Out 00:38

Emmanuelle Werner works for Friends International. An NGO fighting for child protection and against what has been termed ‘Voluntourism’, the art of selling holidays and the feeling of doing good in one package. 

Out 00:54

Emmanuelle Werner:

In 00:57

“We realised that there were orphanages being created solely to accommodate volunteers.

In 01:09

Werner from the off

However, the kids are no orphans. Over 80% of them still have one or both parents.

Many orphanages, example in Cambodia, have adopted an open-door policy for tourists and even encourage tourists to come to the orphanages and play with the kids, in exchange for a donation.”

Out 01:36

In 01:48

The temple of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia. One of Asia’s biggest tourist attractions.

In 01:57

Crowds of tourists full of good intentions, curious to experience the realities of this country.

In 02:06

As a result, the orphanages have become tourist attractions, visited in between the temples and a stroll through the market.

And business is booming.

The number of establishments has tripled over the past eight years with the arrival of more and more tourists.

Nearly 80 orphanages have been counted, in a village of 100 000 inhabitants.

02:34 (Japanese tourists arrive)

These two women are from Japan, on a 4 day trip to Cambodia. Tomorrow they will see the temples. But today they are welcomed by the headmaster of the orphanage, located in the suburbs of Siem Reap.

The kids have got the hang of it.

The spectacle can commence

Out 02:57

dancing children

In 03:05

Sinet was once one of these kids. After her parents died she spent her childhood in one of these orphanages. Today she is 26 and as time has passed, she sees her experience differently.

In 03: 16 Sinet Chan

“It’s like seeing monkeys at a zoo, trying to catch the attention of the people. I felt like that.

Every time tourists would come we had a show for them. I had the impression we were animals, placed in a zoo so people could come to see us every day.

But surely we are not, right? We are human beings. We don’t deserve to be treated like that.”

Out 03:59

The show is set on stage as well as on the laps of the tourists.

Cuddles, smiles, presents, school visits. Every detail is planned.

Out 04:23

Geneva: School

In 04:27 Emmanuelle off

“If a bus or a group of Japanese tourists would unload and knock at the door and say « Hello! ,» and then they came into the classroom and took pictures ? It would be impossible! They wouldn’t even get past the door! If you mirror that, we would be staggered.“

Out 04:44

(buffer)

In 04:45

An hour later the manager does the books.

Caption: Sean Samrang, manager of the Aspire orphanage

In 04:48

 “20, 20. 20. 50 today…

Out 04:52

And sometimes even more. The pity business is going well. His establishment is entirely financed through donations, from tourists but also from volunteers.

Out 05:06

 

In 05:08 in EN

“ How many volunteers do you have here?

•         Maybe 200!

•         Yes!

And here are some more…

This one started in 2015, and this one in 2016 

How long can you volunteer?

One day, two days …  with a smile!

And what is this? Are you handing out certificates?

•         Yes. This is the certificates we hand out to the volunteers who work here. If they donate they receive this certificate.

How much do they donate?

•         That depends on them… Sometimes 500 dollars.

500 ?

•         Yes, they do fundraising for a week or two and then donate to the project.

 

But this fundraising is based on misinformation: Most of these children still have families, as these documents show

Out 06:13

 

In 06:23

At the other end of the village, in this orphanage, it is time for school…

 

Kids (EN)

“How are you today teacher ?

Good thank you!”

Out 06:32

 

These two volunteers are from Canada and Australia.

One is at the start of a 6 month tour through Asia.

The other is a student.

Both are here for only 3 weeks, but they are taking their mission seriously.

 

06:46

“Good job!

What about now?”

 

In 06:58

And for every correct answer : a treat !

In 07:05

Lindsay and Adriana have come through IVHQ, one of the multiple sites that offer voluntary work throughout the world

at 07:13 Synthesised: ad from IVHQ

In 10 years IVHQ has had over 63,000 volunteers. Attracting them with a killing marketing strategy:

 

07:20

Work …. And drinks !

 

In 07:25

The agency prides itself one being one of the cheapest on the market. The two girls paid over 1100 dollars each, for just 3 weeks. Excluding plane tickets

07:36 dancing kids

At that price they are entitled to a show.

 

07:44 Lindsay (EN)

“I’d say its worth it though. You get 3 meals a day freshly cooked. We have housekeepers in the volunteer house, we got picked up from the airport, we got driven around, we got to see the genocide museum, completely covered, and it’s a great experience.”

 

In 08:00

Of these 1100 Dollars, the director only gets 5 dollars per week per volunteer. For agencies specialised in ‘Voluntourism’, the margins are huge: 30 to 40%, compared to 2 or 3% in the traditional tourism industry.

 

In 08:18

“What does its mean to you to be here?

Lindsay (EN)

It means a lot. I’ve been to Asia a couple of years ago. And I fell in love with so many of the children, and the people, and the culture. So when I came back this time, I wanted to come and give back.  It’s really rewarding, they are so awesome, and cute, and fun. Yeah it means a lot. I think Ill walk away from the experience, probably really sad and miss them all. But I’ll feel a sense that I did something … good for them.”

Out 08.51

 

08:53 Sinet Chan (EN)

“We don’t really understand why they are coming and then go back. They always promise to come back but never do. And from the moment that they are gone we feel abandoned. We feel like our family leaves us again. Thats how we are feeling.

 

They give us clothes and shoes and everything we need. But when the tourists leave, the director sells it back to the market.”

Out 09:40

 

Portugese girl being combed

In 09:43

In every orphanage it is the same parade of volunteers. Sarah has come from Portugal to teach dance for two weeks.

09:53 (Mathias washing plate)

Mathias helps out in between two surf courses in Indonesia.

                               

 

In 09:58 Mathias

“I’m teaching maths, because they are better in written English than I.”

10:01 Mathias :

“Im not that bad.”

 

However the volunteers are not always helpful, and are rarely policed.

 

In 10:11 Mathias

“You can come just like that! No need for papers, or anything, you just go. I mean you are still working with children so you need a passport, but just the minimum. They don’t ask you for anything. You arrive the day before or even the day itself and they say ‘OK, off you go’ “

 

In 10:29 Emmanuelle Werner

“And again, if you search online most organisations do not ask for papers or criminal record and that should really prick up your ears, especially if you are going to work with kids.

Out 10:42

Not all of them have bad intentions. However there have been several cases of paedophiles opening orphanages or working as volunteers in Cambodia

 

The children are used as window dressing, just like in a shop

If there are not enough in the window, the director gets more from the surrounding villages.

Convincing the parents with offers of education and bright future for their children. Or sometimes just a sack of rice.

 

In 11: 21 Director Sean Samrang (EN)

“So this is really important for the children in the community. They are poor people, poor children! Yes.”

Out 11:30

11:39 Opening a sack

In 11:40

One child is usually valued at 7 kilos of rice. But that can vary depending on the number days they are at the orphanage.

 

Little girl and rice

 

Back to Classroom Genèva

In 11:51 Emmanuelle

“The aim of this intervention was to open your eyes and awaken your critical thinking. Be attentive. You really have to make sure, that what you are about to do has a positive impact on you and the other people involved. And then you will have the best experience.”

Out 12:08

 

Girl 1: “I never really thought about all these other aspects in giving to a orphanage. And I think it is so good to have a class on it, because in the end we never really hear about these issues. Everyone always wants us to go there… to give to these orphanages.”

Out 12:24

Girl 2: “After hearing all these stories that you have told us, I am really asking myself… What do we have to do? What can we do? Or should we possibly do nothing?”

Out 12:34

 

In 12:38 Sinet Chan (EN)

“I know many of them have a good heart, and really want to help the poor…

But you have to understand and accept that it is a problem. You have to tell everyone that it is not a good cause. If you really want to be a volunteer, this it is not what you should be doing. Instead of helping the orphanages, help the families who need it. “

Out 13:06

 

Singing

End 13’31’’