In December 2023, for 3 weeks, I volunteered at Joy Day Care in Phnom Penh.

Our days were quite busy. In the morning, we looked after the children, played with them, did activities or gave lessons to the older ones. At lunchtime, we fed them, and then they went for a nap. In the afternoon, we did some more activities with them, after the shower.

The children are wonderful. They're so smiley, so loving. They thank us all the time, they ask for affection. Seeing them happy is a daily joy.

Sareth, the director, is a kind person. He takes very good care of the children. It was a pleasure to work alongside him during this period. In fact, as the only one at Joy Day Care who spoke English, he was the one we could talk to and talk to if we had any problems, or if we needed any information, especially to find out more about the identity of each of the children.

It was a very enriching experience for me in human terms. It's important to take the time to volunteer and help those in need. You can't realize what it can do for them and for you until you've lived it.