Green Gecko

The Green Gecko Project is a NGO based in Cambodia, which supports over 70 children who previously lived and begged on the streets of Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Green Gecko provides security, education, love and opportunities to these children through their formative years and into their adult lives, empowering them to achieve their full potential.

The project also supports the children’s families and the broader community through long term health, education and training initiatives.

What do they do?

Green Gecko’s holistic program not only includes the cost of caring for and educating 70 former street children at their centre, but also incorporates their outreach work with 32 families, along with community development collaborations with other organisations working in Cambodia.

Their programs include:

Khmer education; English education; activities and sports; cultural programs; further education and training; health and medical care; nutrition and hygiene; adolescent sexuality and relationship education.

Their outreach program offers psychosocial support to the Gecko families, who have themselves been victims of violence, trauma and abuse. It also provides monthly rental payment assistance and weekly nutrition packs (including rice, meat and fresh vegetables) to Gecko families, although they aim to replace this with income generation activities, offering vocational training and microbusiness opportunities for parents.

How can you help?

Purchase a gift at Green Gecko’s Gift Shop or visit the Green Star (not-for profit) Restaurant (located on Wat Bo Road behind Wat Damnak), where you can enjoy an authentic Khmer meal in a local venue.

Your donation directly benefits their needs:

• US$ 12         One pair of brand new shoes.
• US$ 20         Raise a little family of chickens, a great way to boost a family’s nutrition and income.
• US$ 36         Two school uniforms.
• US$ 50         One dentist visit for 10 kids.
• US$ 70         Rice for 70 kids for a day.
• US$ 150       Help the Gecko’s outreach team work with the families to build and install one toilet.
• US$ 200       Help set up a microbusiness for one family (book stall, bicycle repair shop, pig or chicken farm).
• US$ 500       Fund the construction or repair of a home for one family.

EXO Foundation support

EXO Foundation recommends this organisation to travelers who are interested in learning more about the issues facing street children in Cambodia. We recommend this organization because they are in line with our policy to stop the visiting of children’s centres.

Whilst welcoming visitors to learn of the work it does, Green Gecko is the children’s school and home, and therefore it is conscious of the importance of respecting the children’s privacy so they don’t feel they are on ‘show’. For this reason, visiting the establishment is restricted to one hour per day from 9:30 to 10:30 am, Monday to Friday.