The Kookmin Institute for Strategic Governance, part of Kookmin University's Sungkok Global Cooperation Research Center (Director Seong Geol Hong) went on a 7 day trip to Phnom Penh, Cambodia with volunteer students and students partaking in the '2013 ODA Promotion Project.' The 24 students who went on the trip helped with maintenance of school facilities and various educational activities for the Phnom Penh Peace International School of Cambodia.

The Happy Farmer Project in CAMBODIA allowed for the students to visit Cambodia's corn breed research center and corn farms to gain firsthand experience of corn, a vital crop for Cambodia's farmers. The students also installed paving tiles for the dirt-prone school grounds of the Peace International School, a school operated by a Korean missionary, in efforts to improve the health and sanitary conditions of the students. Other efforts included attaching egg crates on the walls of the music room for better soundproof facilities.

Most students attending the school have been unable to go on field trips due to the lack of supervising teachers. As such, the volunteers also helped in taking the lower grade children (grades 1~3) to the nearby Phnom Penh Water Park as chaperones, to engrave invaluable memories into the children.

To improve understanding of the volunteering group, the group also stopped by the KOICA office in Cambodia to learn about the roles and needs of KOICA and to learn about the influence of Korea abroad.

Students from the ODA Cambodia volunteer group were able to gain firsthand experience in international development through practical volunteering, which we hope will serve as a meaningful experience. Many students who took part in the event expressed regret that it was over, saying they would like to be part of the team again if given another chance.

The team is preparing for another volunteer opportunity this coming June, in Nepal.