by Manuela Bucciarelli

29 September 2009

Phnom Penh, Cambodia: My experience as UNV volunteer Intern in Cambodia is really an important step both in my professional career and in my personal life.  Working as a UNV volunteer allows me to be closer to the ‘field’, compared to other UN positions which are sometimes distant from the reality of the communities.  

In fact since the beginning of my assignment I had the chance to be directly involved in many activities related to the formulation of programmes, the selection of target beneficiaries. And I could travel a lot around the country, learning its main characteristics and challenges.

My job is very particular as I’m assigned to the International Labour Organization (ILO) but I’m part of a joint programme which involves three other UN agencies (UNDP, UNESCO and FAO).

It is about supporting creative industries in four remote provinces in Cambodia, mostly populated by indigenous people. So our goal is to preserve their traditions, forms of art and very peculiar handicrafts and increase their livelihoods through the development of these products.  Meeting these artists and small entrepreneurs has been an amazing experience. In fact I have come to understand the particular lifestyle of these populations, their knowledge and values, and this helped me a lot to re-consider the UN approach.

During my assignment I faced many challenges, mostly related to the delayed start of the activities – this is the first time in Cambodia that four UN agencies have worked together.  Nevertheless I consider this a very interesting learning experience which gave me a lot of insights into the other agencies’ procedures and specific expertise.

The Cambodian people are surely the best part of my experience here. My work gave me the chance to interact with them, to work closely and to share our different cultures in an always smiling atmosphere. Among them, the children are the happiest part: one little smile or ‘hello’ on the street is able to give me the enthusiasm and the courage to go on.