Meet Our Volunteers
Our mission is driven by empowerment, and our volunteers play a vital role in working alongside our local teams to create lasting change. We believe that everyone has something unique to offer; our volunteer family is a vibrant mix of students, professionals, and retirees from all corners of the globe and all walks of life.
Every story is unique, and every contribution—whether it’s teaching a class or supporting a community development project—makes a ripple effect in the villages we serve.
Thinking of joining us? Dive into the profiles below to hear directly from our diverse community of Sustainable Cambodia volunteers about their time on the ground and the impact it had on their lives.
Name: Cerrie Baines
Volunteer Role: Program Manager and Wellbeing & Lifestyle Coach
“Experiencing daily life in Cambodia and seeing where your support makes a direct impact has been incredibly humbling.”
What inspired you to start volunteering at Sustainable Cambodia?
After traveling for five months in 2015, I wanted to explore more in 2016 but with a clear purpose. I searched for volunteering opportunities in Cambodia and found SC. I felt strongly connected to their work, especially the community development projects and the goal of making every program sustainable.
What role do you take on at SC, and what does it involve?
My volunteering centers on leading a full review and redesign of the volunteer program — rebuilding it from the ground up to better serve SC, enhance the volunteer experience, and support everyone the organization reaches. I also provide wellbeing and lifestyle coaching, creating workshops to help staff, students, and families understand wellbeing, see how daily choices affect it, and learn practical ways to take care of themselves.
Where do you see your work make an impact?
The redesigned volunteer program strengthens SC’s operations and gives volunteers clearer roles, guidance, and support, so their time contributes to the most meaningful work. The wellbeing workshops also make a difference by helping the SC and wider communities learn practical ways to improve their health and wellbeing.
What do you enjoy most about volunteering here?
For me, it’s seeing people grow — whether that’s students gaining confidence, staff finding support, or volunteers discovering how much they can contribute. I’ve never really seen myself as “just a volunteer,” but as another member of the team, all working together to enhance lives. Experiencing daily life in Cambodia and seeing where your support makes a direct impact has been incredibly humbling.
What have you learned through your time at SC?
Since 2016, my life has changed. Having the opportunity to work with amazing people in a country that has experienced real hardship gave me a very different perspective. I realized how important education is, and how much of a privilege it is to have grown up where it’s so easy to access.
Name: Paul LaRocca
Volunteer Role: English Teacher Volunteer
“You get back what you give. I felt very loved and appreciated by the staff, students, and teachers.”
What inspired you to start volunteering at Sustainable Cambodia?
My wife and I were seeking a charitable organization where we could be sure that all of the donations made it to the people in need, and weren’t lost to “administrative costs.” A friend told us about SC, as he had been sponsoring University students for years. We were aware of the difficult history of Cambodia and were eager to help the people of this country in any way that we could, especially the children.
We decided to sponsor the home and school life of a 9-year-old girl. A few years later, we learned of the opportunity to join a Rotary trip to Pursat (even though we were not Rotarians). We jumped on this opportunity because it allowed us the chance to meet our sponsored child in person, as well as witness first-hand all that SC does in the schools and villages. We were very impressed and inspired by the staff, the children and the people who run the organization. Plus, we had a lot of fun! After returning home, we decided to sponsor two more children who made an impact on us when we were there.
We got such a good vibe and feeling of peace from being on the SC campus that we knew we wanted to return as volunteers. After waiting out the COVID pandemic, we were able to come to back to Cambodia as volunteer English teachers. We also ended up sponsoring two more students, bring our total up to five!
As full-time travelers, we always look back on those visits to SC as the best highlights of all our travels.
What role do you take on at SC, and what does it involve?
I spent one month on the SC campus as an English Teacher Volunteer. I had no previous teaching experience but I loved spending time with the teachers and the children. My main role in class was to read books out loud to the students and help them with pronunciation. I helped the teachers run games focused on learning English vocabulary. I was also able to provide some knowledge and career advice to some of the older students.
Where do you see your work make an impact?
I think having a native English teacher there helps both the students and the teachers to learn the correct way to pronounce words. It also helps them build confidence in speaking with foreigners and, hopefully, inspires them to want to continue learning and perfecting their English speaking skills. Also, having a foreigner on site to answer questions about other cultures can be an interesting experience for them and perhaps broaden their horizons.
What do you enjoy most about volunteering here?
Living in Pursat is so different from anything else I’ve experienced. It was really interesting and rewarding. The SC staff, the teachers, and the admin team are so welcoming and appreciative. I felt fully supported in my role and with anything I needed while I was there.
It’s also great to see how your donations are used, and to get to spend time with the children you sponsor. My wife and I were so proud of our original child, who was in her senior year and about to graduate and head off to University. The students are so amazing. Many of them would greet us with hugs in the morning, and more hugs at the end of the day.
What have you learned through your time at SC?
You get back what you give. I felt very loved and appreciated by the staff, students, and teachers. The people of Pursat are wonderful, and it was a pleasure being there to help develop the English skills of the students so that they can have a bright future. I also learned that if you make eye contact with a child and smile, you’ll have a friend for life.
Name: Karen LaRocca
Volunteer Role: English Teacher Volunteer
“When you smile at life, life will smile back at you.”
What inspired you to start volunteering at Sustainable Cambodia?
It is a privilege to be able to give back. When my husband and I were ready to give back, we looked for a reputable charity—one that truly directs the majority of its donations to the people who need them, while keeping administrative costs to a minimum. A friend who shares our values recommended Sustainable Cambodia.
We visited and witnessed their operations firsthand, and we were very impressed by what we saw. We realized that while a small donation helps a few children, we could do more—so we decided to return and volunteer at the school.
The genuine love and support from the Sustainable Cambodia staff and children gave us a strong sense of community and made us feel like part of the SC family. We cherished that feeling, and we’re eager to return and help even more.
What role do you take on at SC, and what does it involve?
I volunteer as an assistant English teacher at Sustainable Cambodia’s main campus. English is also my second language, so I truly understand the challenges and process of learning a new language. I used my own experience to guide my approach in the classroom, focusing on the four essential skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
I noticed that the students already had many opportunities to practice reading and writing, but were lacking exposure to listening and speaking. So, my husband and I chose to focus on those two areas. We helped the students listen to native English pronunciation and encouraged them to speak more in class while we were with them.
Where do you see your work make an impact?
I come from a difficult family background and grew up with very little money, so I truly understand the hardships of poverty and the importance of education in creating more opportunities in life.
I believe that positive reinforcement leads to much better outcomes in both personal growth and education. During my time at the campus, I made sure to acknowledge and appreciate the effort the children put into their learning. Even in a short period, I witnessed a significant change in many of them.
Creating a healthy, supportive learning environment had a real impact. Many students began to feel more encouraged and motivated, and I could see how this inspired them to come to school every day, eager to learn.
What do you enjoy most about volunteering here?
The whole time I was volunteering at SC, I felt endless love and appreciation from both the staff and the students. I truly enjoyed the warmth and gratitude they shared with me. I now feel like a part of the SC family, and I will definitely carry the SC values with me and share them with the rest of the world.
What have you learned through your time at SC?
The most important lesson I learned while working at SC is that we don’t need much to be truly happy. The Cambodian people showed me the real meaning of happiness. They may not have a lot in life, but they genuinely appreciate everything, always with big, bright smiles on their faces. I carry a personal mantra: “When you smile at life, life will smile back at you.”
Name: Sharon Sykora
Volunteer Role: Health Care Team Member
“Every day I overcame another little challenge. I also made lasting friends and a lifelong bond with Cambodia.”
What inspired you to start volunteering at Sustainable Cambodia?
I have traveled extensively, but nowhere I visited touched me the way Cambodia did during my first visit in 2007. I knew then that I wanted to become more involved in Cambodia and help in some way. Research led me to Sustainable Cambodia, through which I helped provide a village well then sponsored a number of students. I was particularly impressed with the integrity of the organization. So, I already had a relationship with SC when, upon retiring, I had the opportunity to volunteer on-site.
What role do you take on at SC, and what does it involve?
As an older volunteer (in my 50’s,) I worried about whether I’d fit in. I needn’t have worried. I was warmly welcomed by a wonderful group of people. I didn’t know what I might do when I arrived in Pursat, but a quick glace around showed me that there was no shortage of things to be done. I had a medical background so I offered to sort and organize the boxes and boxes of medical supplies that had been donated over the years. Supplies that the SC campus couldn’t use were donated to the town hospital. I met a couple of Peace Corps volunteers and worked with them to develop a First Aid course.
On my first visit, I noticed that very few Cambodians seemed to be wearing glasses. I wondered if they had very good vision or if they didn’t have access to vision care. Because I had vision screening experience, I decided that on my next visit, I would to do vision screening at the school. SC staff introduced me to a local optometrist who agreed to provide more complete vision testing and provide glasses at cost to the students that I identified in need. I also taught staff at 2 schools how to do the vision screening themselves so that vision help could continue to be provided to all the students.
Appalled by the abundance of empty plastic water bottles everywhere, I worked with other volunteers to coordinate with a recycler and held a recycling contest with the students.
I also escorted students to the local hotel pool and helped a few with becoming water-safe.
Where do you see your work make an impact?
Lasting impact is difficult to judge, but the experience made my continuing support of SC more personal and therefore more meaningful and satisfying than simply sending money to a faceless charity. I believe I’ve made a concrete difference in the lives of the children that I sponsored, met, and watched grow into adulthood.
What do you enjoy most about volunteering here?
As unlikely as it sounds, my very favorite thing to do was going over to the school early each morning to pick up trash with the students. They were amused that I was doing that and were eager to “help me out.” I enjoyed the peaceful early mornings and the casual interactions with the children.
What have you learned through your time at SC?
Besides appreciation of all the good being done in the world and a new perspective on my life? Volunteering at SC was probably the most frightening prospect I’ve ever faced. Going into the unknown alone was scary. Doing it (more than once. It gets easier each time) was extremely satisfying and confidence-building. Every day I overcame another little challenge. I also made lasting friends and a lifelong bond with Cambodia.
Name: Charlotte Schwidt
Volunteer Role: English Teacher
“The children were incredibly sweet, and the time I spent with them was unforgettable.”
What inspired you to start volunteering at Sustainable Cambodia?
I chose to volunteer at Sustainable Cambodia because of its strong commitment to education and
sustainable community development. It was important to me to support a project that focuses on long-
term impact and genuinely empowers students through education.
What role do you take on at SC, and what does it involve?
I helped teach English across all grade levels and worked closely with the teachers to prepare lessons. I
usually taught four classes a day with breaks in between. Three of my classes took place at the main SC
campus, and in the afternoon I traveled to Kandieng to teach there. Occasionally, I also visited nearby
villages to see the progress SC is making within the community.
Where do you see your work make an impact?
Over time, I noticed that the more time I spent at SC, the more comfortable the students became
speaking with me. At first, many of them were quite shy, but gradually they grew more confident and
began to participate more actively. I believe my work not only helped students improve their English
skills, but also supported them in becoming more confident speakers overall.
What do you enjoy most about volunteering here?
What I enjoyed most was getting to know the kind and welcoming people who work at SC, as well as the
students. The children were incredibly sweet, and the time I spent with them was unforgettable. I still
keep the pictures they drew for me and the stickers they gave me. The sense of community and warmth
made this experience truly special.
What have you learned through your time at SC?
My time at SC has been a valuable learning experience both personally and professionally. I learned how
important kindness, creativity, and adaptability are when teaching in a different cultural context. Working
closely with the students showed me how powerful education can be in building confidence and opening
new opportunities. This experience had such a strong impact on me that it inspired me to become a
teacher myself, and I am now studying at university to pursue a degree in education. I truly enjoyed my
time at SC and now recommend visiting Cambodia to everyone I meet.
Name: Nele Schultze
Volunteer Role: English, Math, and Research Teacher
“It is very rewarding to see their smiles and to know that even small moments and conversations can make a difference.”
What inspired you to start volunteering at Sustainable Cambodia?
I studied to become a primary school teacher, and I have always wanted to use my knowledge to help in
another country. For me, it was important not only to travel, but also to support children and gain new
experiences in a different culture.
Cambodia has always been a very interesting country for me. When I learned about Sustainable
Cambodia and its focus on education and long-term support for communities, I felt that this was the
right place for me to volunteer and learn at the same time.
What role do you take on at SC, and what does it involve?
My role at Sustainable Cambodia is mainly supporting teachers and students in the classroom. I help
during lessons, work with the children, and support them with their learning.
I also speak English with the Khmer and math teachers to help them improve their English skills and feel
more confident using the language. With the children, I focus a lot on English conversations, helping
them learn new words, practice speaking, and feel comfortable using English in class.
Where do you see your work make an impact?
I can see my impact mainly in the confidence of both teachers and students. The teachers are speaking
more English and feeling confident about it. The children are very open and curious. They enjoy asking
questions, learning about different cultures, and speaking English. Many of them are proud when they
can use new words or have small conversations, and they are very happy when someone takes the time
to speak English with them.
What do you enjoy most about volunteering here?
What I enjoy most is the happiness and openness of the children. They are always excited to talk, learn,
and share their thoughts. You can really feel their motivation and joy when they come to school. It is very
rewarding to see their smiles and to know that even small moments and conversations can make a
difference.
What have you learned through your time at SC?
Through my time at Sustainable Cambodia, I have learned how important encouragement and patience
are in education. Small positive words can give students a lot of confidence.
I have also learned to appreciate simple things more. The children’s curiosity, kindness, and happiness
showed me that learning is not only about books, but also about connection, respect, and enjoying the
moment.