Cambodia Bloggers Summit: Help Young Cambodian Bloggers Join the Global Conversation

 

Cambodian young people are joining the global conversation in the
blogosphere and sharing their perspectives through different forms of
grassroots citizen's media thanks to the efforts of a dedicated team of
Cambodian bloggers. This team has been working on a voluntary basis to
conduct 14 workshops called “Personal Information Technology Workshop” at 14 different universities in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap with more than 1700 students participating.

They are organizing the first "Cambodian Blogger Summit (aka Cloggers Summit)"
to take place 30-31 August 2007 in Cambodia. The idea is to bring
together students, professional Bloggers, writers, NGO workers, media,
and tech gurus from within and outside Cambodia to share and learn more
from each other on about how the ICT (including Open Source Software
and Web2.0 tools) can make their study, work, and life easier.

I've been given an opportunity to help by leading a training and
sharing my experience with nonprofits and social media. Here's what I'm
going to do:

• A train the trainers workshop with the Cambodian blogging
  team to share resource information, answer questions, and exchange
  ideas for teaching young people how to use social media in a developing
  country like Cambodia



• Keynote welcome



• A conference workshop on blogging techniques and video blogging techniques



• Bring over 3 video blogging kits (inexpensive camera, a book, batteries, and SD cards) that will be used as "prizes" to encourage new bloggers



• Learn about and document how the blogging team is doing outreach and encouraging new bloggers and share on my blog



• Identify and interview 3-5 amazing Cambodian BlogHers and post on BlogHer site



• Bring a suitcase of donated technology and nonprofit t-shirts for participants (they have no budget for scwhag)



• Document the learnings from this personal fundraising campaign

I need your help. I'm raising $4,000 and the amazing folks at ChipIn
are matching 50% of my donations. So, I'm turning to the power of
personal fundraising and hoping that you, my readers, friends of my
readers, and friends will support in my desire to make a difference in
Cambodia. Even a donation of $20 will help.

Timing is running out. I need to reach my goal by August 10th so I can
book my plane travel and I will continue to fundraise up until the date
of my departure, tentatively scheduled August 25th. With your help, I
know this can happen.

So, here's what I need you to do:

• Make a donation. If 100 of my readers each donate $20, that will make the campaign successful!



• Blog about this campaign and repost the fundraising badge on your blog



• Forward the url to your colleagues and friends and ask them to contribute or repost.



• Have at least three or more new t-shirts from a tech or nonprofit tech organization? I'd love to pack them in my suitcase!

Comments

[Bhupendra Ghimire]

www.volunteeringnepal.org VIN sponsors children to attend school from the most marginalized communities, especially victims of the armed conflict, orphans, disabled children and girls. Our aim is to support over 150 children by December 2007 at an annual cost of $230 USD. Please help us achieve this goal.

Make a Cash Donation

VIN gladly accepts the smallest of donations. These figures are here to give you an idea of where the money will be going. Thank you in advance.

Sponsor stationary for a child for only $35

Sponsor total cost of a child for a year $230
Sponsor teaching/learning materials for one entire class for $115
Sponsor a training course (for week) for teachers $325
Sponsor a women group Income Generative training for $ 375
Sponsor a local volunteer's subsistence allowance $65 per month.
Sponsor a Children's club at an annual cost of $235

Send us books, papers (any stationary materials), clothes etc to the following address:

Volunteers Initiative Nepal (VIN)
Post Box No- 19877
Balaju, Kathmandu, Nepal
Phone: +977-16910-421 / +977-98510-70477 (mobile)

[Bhupendra Ghimire]

ENGLISH TEACHING IN MONASTERIES
Teach English to Buddhist Monks program has been designed for volunteers, especially those interested in Buddhists' Culture. VIN can provide longer and shorter periods upon request of the volunteers. Volunteers will teach English to the monks, both young and adults, for around two to three hours per day. In turn, the monks will share their knowledge and culture they have gained with the volunteers. Daily meditation practice, as well as fieldtrips to Hindu and Buddhist holy sites, will be included.

Before volunteers leave for the site, they will be given intensive language classes and teacher training everyday. The volunteers can choose between Nepali and the language of the monastery-Sherpa, Lama, etc. The monks are able to speak both languages; it is therefore really a matter of the volunteer's preference. However, most overseas people find Nepali easier to learn. During their language and cultural classes, the volunteers will be taken to the holy sites around the Kathmandu Valley. After two weeks, they will be placed in the host family near to the monastery.

Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, is an incredibly peaceful area in the south of Nepal and home to both Theravada and Tibetan monasteries. If the volunteers are interested to pilgrimage to Lumbini, the trip can be arranged by the organization. The volunteers can highly be benefited through this program since they can enrich their language and culture and can widen their knowledge horizon. Are you interested to be a part of Buddhists' culture? Then, let's join hands with VIN.

Other available programmes:
Teacher Development
Teaching in Schools
Volunteer for Child and Youth Development
Vocational Education
Child Sponsorship and Scholarship
Language and Culture
Health and Sanitation
Constructions and Other materials Support
Donation
Environment and Community Education
Teaching Computer Science
Orphanages and Rehabilitation
Cultural Exchange & Homestay Program
Non-formal Schooling Programme (FSP)