Long-term commitment on the ground · Battambang, Cambodia
Becoming a Sentinelle means going to live alongside the AVEC team
Three months minimum in Battambang, alongside Theavy Bun and the local team. A clearly defined mission, a signed protection charter, expertise contributed. AVEC’s most demanding status, chosen by those who want to work closely with the children, for the long term.
A Sentinelle is not an ordinary humanitarian volunteer
At AVEC, the word Sentinelle is not a decorative title. It denotes a precise, structured commitment, radically different from the humanitarian tourism that has plagued the whole of South-East Asia for twenty years. AVEC’s Sentinelles do not come for themselves. They come because AVEC needs a specific skill, over a period long enough to produce a real effect on the children in its care.
This requirement is deliberate. It protects the children from brief visits that create attachment and then abandon them. It protects the association from the drain on energy involved in hosting unprepared visitors. It protects the volunteers themselves from the frustration of arriving without a framework and leaving without having contributed. The three-month minimum rule is not an administrative formality: it is the threshold below which a humanitarian presence does more good for the person who comes than for those it claims to serve.
The Sentinelle Charter, in three non-negotiable commitments
Every Sentinelle signs AVEC’s child protection charter before arriving in Battambang. Three principles structure this document, and each has a concrete reason for existing.
First commitment
Absolute protection of children
No unsupervised one-to-one contact, no photograph of a child without written authorisation from the team and legal guardians, no direct communication with children on social media during or after the mission, a clean criminal record presented before departure, and signature of the adult-child safeguarding protocol that governs every interaction at the shelter.
Second commitment
Subordination to the field team
The Sentinelle is integrated into the AVEC team under the operational authority of Theavy Bun and Patrik Roux. No isolated initiatives, no parallel programmes, no unilateral decision-making concerning the children. The mission is defined on arrival and reviewed every week with the designated referent.
Third commitment
Financial autonomy
Travel, accommodation on site, visa, health insurance and personal expenses are the Sentinelle’s own responsibility. AVEC charges no mission fees and never finances itself through volunteers. This financial autonomy guarantees that every franc raised remains intended for the children, and preserves the Sentinelle’s independence.
The profile we are looking for
AVEC does not recruit extra pairs of hands, but specific skills for identified missions. The filter is deliberately narrow, because a poorly matched Sentinelle does more harm than good to the field team.
- Bachelor’s degree minimum or equivalent professional experience. A Sentinelle brings expertise; they do not come looking for it.
- Availability of three months minimum, without a break, in Battambang, six months maximum without rest. Most Sentinelles stay on site for between three and six months.
- Fluent English, with French an advantage for communicating with management. Khmer is learnt on site; not speaking it is never an obstacle.
- A clean criminal record and the ability to produce a recent official document, in French or English.
- Adaptability to rural daily life, tropical heat, power cuts and constant unforeseen events. Battambang is neither Bangkok nor Phnom Penh: the province has its own pace and its own rough edges.
- Emotional stability in the face of damaged childhoods, the frustration of slow progress, and the solitude of life abroad for several months.
If any of these criteria makes you hesitate, that’s fine. AVEC’s other ways of getting involved, Voix d’AVEC in Switzerland and the remote Relais, welcome a wider range of profiles, for missions that are just as useful, without disrupting your daily life.
Three missions currently open
Each mission is defined in advance with a clear objective, a specific deliverable and a dedicated referent. No occupational volunteering, no invented tasks just to keep you busy.
Field mission no. 1
Training and education
Teaching English or IT at the training centre (1,454 learners in 2025), supporting the kindergarten’s educators, evening tutoring for the shelter’s children, and pedagogical training for local trainers. Profile: teacher or professional trainer.
Field mission no. 2
Digital communication on the ground
Producing content from Battambang (field photos in strict compliance with the charter, short videos, written testimonials), running AVEC’s social media accounts, and building a visual library for reports and funding applications. Profile: journalist, content creator or experienced community manager.
Field mission no. 3
Psychosocial support
Supporting the shelter’s team of educators, mediation with teenage girls, individual support for scholarship students moving towards independence, and running group workshops (self-esteem, daily life, career planning). Profile: psychologist, social worker, specialised educator.
Other missions open on application: general practitioner, nurse, accountant, architect (shelter extension), educational kitchen manager. If your expertise isn’t listed, write to us anyway: we regularly find tailor-made missions.
How a Sentinelle mission works
1
Pre-application
A short email to Patrik Roux: first name, mission of interest, period of availability, motivation in fifty words. Three minutes is enough. Within a week you’ll receive the list of documents needed for the full application.
2
Application and interview
CV, a detailed covering letter, two professional references, criminal record check. A video interview with Patrik and the field referent for your mission. A decision within three weeks, yes or no, with reasoned feedback either way.
3
Preparing to leave
Signing the Sentinelle Charter, an in-depth briefing on the mission, being put in touch with a former Sentinelle for practical questions, and visa and insurance arrangements. AVEC supports you but does not handle the arrangements on your behalf.
4
Arrival and integration
A welcome in Battambang from the team, introductions to the children and trainers, and a first week of observation to understand daily life at the shelter and the training centre. A weekly check-in with your referent, who becomes your main point of contact throughout the mission.
5
Mission and deliverables
You carry out the mission as defined on arrival, under the authority of Theavy Bun and with the weekly support of your referent. A formal deliverable at the midpoint and at the end of the mission, documented handover to the permanent team, and a closing debrief with Patrik.
6
Return and lasting ties
Many Sentinelles go on to become Voix in their own region, or remote Relais on one-off missions. The network of former Sentinelles meets once or twice a year in Switzerland. You never really leave AVEC at the end of your mission.
Testimonials from former Sentinelles
What they say, once they’re back
“I arrived in Battambang convinced I had something to offer. Three months later, I realised that I had received far more than I gave. The children at the shelter taught me to slow down, to listen to what is said without words, to accept that things take the time they take. My teaching mission was useful, I know that. But what stays with me is the inner transformation.”
More testimonials will be published here as future missions unfold. To speak directly with a former Sentinelle before applying, write to Patrik Roux, who will put you in touch.
Frequently asked questions before applying
How much does a Sentinelle mission cost the volunteer?
Budget between CHF 2,500 and CHF 4,500 for three months, flights included, depending on your level of comfort in accommodation. For longer missions, AVEC can help arrange lodging with a member of the team, which significantly reduces the accommodation cost. International social security and repatriation insurance are compulsory; budget around CHF 80 to 120 per month.
Can I come as a couple or with my family?
As a couple, yes, provided both people have their own clearly defined mission (no accompanying partner without a mission). As a family with children, it is rarer and considered case by case with the field team. Hosting capacity remains limited, and priority is given to individual missions.
And what about safety, after the border conflict at the end of 2025?
The Thai-Cambodian border has been under a ceasefire since the end of 2025. Battambang remains a few dozen kilometres from the zone, but daily life there has returned to normal. AVEC has continued its activities without interruption since the conflict began. An updated situation report is shared with every Sentinelle at the time of their application.
How does an AVEC mission compare with volunteering for another NGO?
Three main differences. First, the filter at entry: AVEC turns down around three-quarters of applications, which is rare in the sector. Second, the total absence of any charge: AVEC does not sell placements, unlike commercial “voluntourism” programmes. Finally, integration into the permanent team: the Sentinelle is not a visitor; they are temporarily a member of the organisation.
If I can’t go for three months, is that final?
For Sentinelle status, yes. The three-month minimum rule is protective and allows no exceptions. But the two other paths, Voix d’AVEC in Switzerland and the remote Relais, welcome much more flexible commitments, from handing out leaflets on a Saturday to several days a month of skills-based volunteering. Many future Sentinelles start there.
Does this sound like you? Write to us with your pre-application.
Prêt à proposer votre candidature?
Quatre champs, trois minutes, une première réponse sous une semaine. C’est la première marche.
Vous voulez d’abord vérifier les règles du jeu? Lisez la charte des Sentinelles.