Leadership and Community Engagement in Cambodia

Explore Phnom Penh on a guided sightseeing tour through Cambodia’s historic capital. Visit the Royal Palace, where students learn about Cambodia’s monarchy and tour the Throne Hall. At the Silver Pagoda, discover Buddhist traditions and sacred artifacts. At the National Museum of Cambodia, explore Khmer art and architecture while learning how cultural heritage is preserved today.

Visit the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, known as the Killing Fields, on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. This site offers a powerful look at the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge regime through a guided audio tour that provides historical context and personal accounts.

We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience - John Dewey

Camp Beng Mealea is a rural camp on the outskirts of Teuk Lich village in Beng Mealea commune. Students stay in traditional Khmer stilted longhouses set among banana and papaya trees, with three meals provided daily. The camp is surrounded by rice paddy fields with views of the Kulen National Park ridgeline. A short walk away are the ancient Beng Mealea Temple and a local pagoda, offering an authentic Cambodian experience.

Known for breeding tarantulas for generations, Spider Town is famous for this traditional local food source. Students may choose to try this delicacy or, if preferred, experience the visit by holding a tarantula instead.

Upon arrival at Camp Beng Mealea, the team is welcomed by camp staff with local refreshments. After settling into traditional accommodations, students receive a full safety and orientation briefing, including a walking tour of the community and project sites, as well as a traditional water blessing by a monk. Building on the earlier service briefing, students take part in a guided, student-led discussion to reflect on community needs, explore project goals, propose solutions, and begin shaping shared objectives for the week ahead.

Students spend several days working toward shared service goals that support community wellbeing. Projects focus on improving daily living conditions through education, sanitation, clean water, and basic infrastructure. All work is identified in partnership with local communities, ensuring meaningful collaboration and lasting impact.

Evenings at camp are relaxed and community-focused. Students enjoy dinner prepared by local staff, then take part in group discussions, reflection time, journaling, and team-led activities. Camp staff are always available to support the group and create a welcoming environment.

Students continue working toward shared service goals, including hands-on projects like tree planting to support forest restoration in Beng Mealea. Groups may also visit a nearby permaculture farm to learn about sustainable, organic agriculture and closed-loop systems.

During rest time, students may make traditional Khmer lanterns and learn a few words of the Khmer language. Later in the day, when temperatures cool, groups often take part in friendly sports with the local community, such as volleyball or soccer, creating meaningful cultural exchange and opportunities for local children to practice English.

Evenings at camp are relaxed and community-focused. Students enjoy dinner prepared by local staff, then take part in group discussions, reflection time, journaling, and team-led activities. Camp staff are always available to support the group and create a welcoming environment.

Siem Reap, a resort town in northwestern Cambodia, is the gateway to Angkor, the former seat of the Khmer kingdom from the 9th to 15th centuries. Angkor’s vast complex includes the iconic Angkor Wat, featured on Cambodia’s flag, and the Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom, known for its towering stone faces.

More than just a circus, Phare delivers an unforgettable blend of dance, theater, live music, and breathtaking acrobatics to tell uniquely Cambodian stories drawn from history, folklore, and modern life. Its performers are graduates of Phare Ponleu Selpak, an NGO arts school and training center in Battambang, Cambodia.

We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience - John Dewey

Explore Angkor Archaeological Park, one of Southeast Asia’s most significant archaeological sites and the former capital of the Khmer Empire. On a guided tour, visit Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument, explore the ancient walled city of Angkor Thom, admire the carved stone faces of the Bayon Temple, and walk through the jungle-covered ruins of Ta Prohm.

Students take part in a student-led reflection session to look back on the week’s experiences, discuss personal and group achievements, and bring closure to the service journey. Time is set aside for final journal entries and optional sharing in a supportive group setting.

Throughout the program, time is set aside for discussion, guided reflection, and writing about self-discovery and lessons learned. As John Dewey said, “We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience.”