Cambodia is the poorest developing country in the Southeast Asia region. Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, the two largest cities, though developing rapidly, poverty is rampant, and slums are a common sight. Further into the rural villages, people depend mainly on agriculture for a livelihood and education for children is usually not seen as a necessity or of any importance.

Lifeworks, in partnership with Non-Government Organisations based in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, has been supporting several villages and local schools on a long-term basis. Our project efforts focus on improving physical facilities to provide for a more sufficient and conducive environment for the children, equipping men and women with hard and soft skills to enable them to make a living, and teaching youths and children the discipline and competencies to improve their lifestyles.

Service Project Sites:
Phnom Penh
Siem Reap
Kampong Thom
Kampong Khleang

Yunnan is a province located in Southwest China. It has the highest number of ethnic groups among all provinces and autonomous regions in China. To be exact, among the country's fifty-six recognised ethnic groups, twenty-five are found in Yunnan.

Lifeworks, together with a local partner, has adopted several provincial village schools. From Lifeworks Yunnan programme, students are exposed to the rich ethnic heritage and cultures of the ethnic minority people, learning from them the traditions and values that guide them in dealing with challenges and adversities.

Service Project Sites:
Yuan Yang
Jian Shui
Lijiang
Song Ming

Timor Leste, a former Portuguese colony and an Indonesian state, gained independence in 2002. This young nation went through economic upheavals in late 1999 when about 70% of the economic infrastructure of East Timor was destroyed by Indonesian troops and anti-independence militias. From 2002 to 2005, an international program led by the United Nations, manned by civilian advisers, 5,000 peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, substantially reconstructed the infrastructure.

Lifeworks, with the support of a Peacekeeping Force based in Timor Leste, ensures that students can serve and learn in a safe environment. They will learn to appreciate the challenges of nation-building, and the importance of education and character development to a young nation and its people.

Service Project Sites:
Dili

Sikkim is a landlocked state nestled in the Himalayas, surrounded by Nepal in the west, Tibet to the north and the east and Bhutan in the southeast. It is the smallest and the least populous state in India. The majority of Sikkim's residents are of Nepali ethnic-national origin, and the native Sikkimese consist of the Bhutias and the Lepchas.

Lifeworks' programme in Sikkim offers opportunities for service learning and environmental education.

East Java is the second most populous Indonesian province and its inhabitants are predominantly ethnically Javanese. It was once the centre of the powerful Majapahit Empire, which at its peak of glory, extended through Southeast Asia, including the present day Singapore.

Lifeworks' East Java programmes give students an insight to the rich heritage of the Majapahit Empire. Students also learn from the resilience of the people who faces challenges of living in a rapidly developing country and how they manage dangers posed by nature.

Service Project Sites:
Cemero Lawang
Jogjakarta

Northern Vietnam is the oldest region within Vietnam, where the Vietnamese culture originated over 2000 years ago in the Red River Delta. Its capital is Hanoi, the biggest city in the north. The ethnic minority settlements in the northern region provides for many service learning and cultural immersion opportunities.

Service Project Sites:
Hoa Binh