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Solo Cambodia: Frequently Asked Questions

I’ve heard that in Cambodia people may not help strangers in emergencies due to beliefs about karma. Is this true, and how will you overcome it?

It’s true that in some cases, deeply held beliefs about karma can cause hesitation in helping strangers, as intervention may be seen as interfering with fate. However, people are far more likely to respond if the injured person is a friend or family member. Our approach addresses this in two ways: first, by building confidence through hands-on training so people know exactly what to do and feel safe doing it; and second, by mass training so that there’s a higher chance a first aid–trained person is present when a loved one is in need. Over time, seeing others step in to help can shift community norms toward intervention.

What unique medical challenges exist in Cambodia that make your courses necessary?

Cambodia faces high rates of road traffic injuries, agricultural accidents, bites from animals, including envenomation from venomous snakes. In rural areas, professional medical help can be hours away, and access to ambulances is limited. Heat-related illness, drowning, and workplace injuries are also common, yet many people lack even basic first aid skills. These realities make immediate, layperson-delivered care the difference between life and death in countless situations.

How do you make sure the training is culturally appropriate and respectful of Cambodian traditions?

We work closely with local translators who have both medical knowledge and cultural insight to ensure every scenario, example, and image is relatable. We adapt content to reflect Cambodian settings, such as rural roads, local tools, and climate. We also consult with local leaders and partner NGOs to avoid culturally insensitive approaches while maintaining medical accuracy.

Will the training be taught in Khmer or English, and how do you handle translation for medical terms?

All courses are delivered in Khmer when taught to Cambodian students. We provide full, medically accurate translations of all materials, including technical terms, and instructors are trained in how to explain concepts using culturally familiar examples. When English-speaking expatriates take courses, we can run sessions in English or bilingually, depending on the need.

Why do you rely on other organizations to teach the courses instead of doing it all in-house?

Our goal is long-term impact, not central control. By equipping existing NGOs, churches, and schools—organizations already embedded in communities—we multiply our reach without building a large foreign-led team. This model ensures the training remains active year-round, sustained by people who already have deep relationships in their areas.

How will you ensure quality and consistency when so many different organizations are teaching the courses?

We use a standardized curriculum developed with international wilderness medicine partners and approved by medical professionals. All instructors must complete our certification process, which includes shadow teaching and ongoing evaluations. We also require training centers to register each course and submit student records so we can monitor activity and quality. Additionally, all instructors must receive a renewal education every three years. Lastly, we connect all of our instructors in small groups of their peers so that they have a community of fellow instructors around them to ask questions and receive support.

Is this “Lay First Responder” model really effective, and what evidence supports it?

Yes. The World Health Organization and multiple peer-reviewed studies have shown that training laypeople in basic first aid significantly reduces preventable deaths, especially from trauma, in low-resource settings. Programs in countries such as Uganda, Iraq, and Bangladesh have documented measurable drops in injury mortality after LFR training was implemented.

How will you prevent the knowledge from fading over time after the training is complete?

We require recertification every three years and encourage instructors to run refresher courses annually. Because many partner organizations already hold regular gatherings or community events, short refreshers can be easily integrated into their activities, keeping skills sharp and ready to use.

Why do you plan to charge for some courses in villages—shouldn’t life-saving skills be free?

We agree that access is important, and we do run free courses in communities that cannot pay. However, in many cases, charging even a small fee increases commitment, attendance, and retention of knowledge. This is caused by the students and their families having an investment into the knowledge that we are providing them. The small income also helps local training centers sustain their programs without relying entirely on outside funding.

How do you decide when to make a course free and when to charge for it?

We work with our partner organizations to assess community resources, need, and urgency. In some locations, charging would exclude most participants, so we subsidize the cost. In others, especially in urban or semi-urban areas, modest fees can make the program self-sustaining. Often, we leave the decision to charge or how much to charge up to the invidual trainining center.

What makes your program financially sustainable compared to traditional aid projects?

Our model avoids high overhead by empowering local partners who are already serving in the communities to deliver the courses. Training centers purchase materials only when they run courses, and instructors are often volunteers or existing staff. This decentralized structure keeps costs low while scaling impact widely.

How will partner organizations afford to become training centers and run courses?

Becoming a training center is free; the only costs are for materials when they choose to run a course. Because they set their own course fees, they can recover these costs and potentially generate income to reinvest in their programs.

How will you encourage organizations to take on something new like running first aid courses?

We make it as easy as possible by handling the curriculum, providing instructor training, and giving access to a simple online course registration system. The courses can be slotted into existing outreach, school, or ministry programs with minimal disruption. Additionally, we actively search for new organizations and offer them the opportunity to become a training center.

What criteria do you use to decide which organizations can become training centers?

We look for organizations with a heart for impact and a willingness to release two or more people for instructor training, and access to communities where first aid knowledge is urgently needed.

How do you make sure your partnerships actually benefit the communities they serve?

We require that training centers track and report on courses taught, number of students trained, and communities reached. This ensures that the work is truly making a difference where it matters most.

Will local churches and NGOs be able to adapt the training to fit their specific outreach needs?

Yes. While the medical content is standardized for safety, we encourage organizations to integrate relevant cultural stories, language, and outreach strategies into how they deliver the course.

How will you measure whether your program is actually saving lives?

We track course completions, instructor activity, and follow-up reports from communities. Over time, we also collect case studies where trained individuals have successfully responded to emergencies. Additionally, we are working with an affiliate organization to encourage the collection of accurate data from partner clinics and hospitals to measure a baseline and future data.

How quickly can the training network grow to cover the whole country?

Our initial goal is to have a network of certified instructors in every province within three years, with each province having multiple training centers capable of running courses year-round.

How will you ensure that trained instructors remain active and keep teaching?

We stay connected with instructors through online communities, refresher trainings, and direct support from our staff. We also encourage training centers to integrate courses into their core operations so that teaching remains a regular activity.

What is your long-term vision for SOLO Cambodia in 5–10 years?

We envision a nationwide network of Cambodian-led training centers providing high-quality, culturally adapted first aid education that is accessible to every community. Over time, we plan to expand course offerings and create advanced specialty modules to meet emerging health and safety needs.

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Solo Cambodia: Frequently Asked Questions

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Contact Solo Cambodia

Need more information?

Phone

Email

Social Media

Solo Cambodia: Frequently Asked Questions

Build your mission field! Start training with SOLO Cambodia.

Build your mission field!
Start training with SOLO Cambodia.