During this program volunteers receive basic instruction in massage for children and learn to share a rich palette of nurturing interactions including eye contact, smiling, improvisational play, singing, and storytelling blended with gentle touch that communicate to children they are safe, loved, valued, and respected. The work we do flows naturally from our capacity to reach out to others with warmth. While experience with children and massage may be helpful, it is not required for participation in these programs. You can begin learning to do basic massage with children during our orientation gatherings and program activities even if you have no background in massage.
Although most of our work is non-technical, volunteers with specialized pediatric massage training are needed to care for several children at the orphanage who, in addition to being HIV positive, have special needs and medical conditions including physical disabilities and mental disorders. Infant massage educators are needed to provide lessons to parents with HIV and professional caregivers of orphaned babies with HIV. And because many of the children's caregivers have chronic muscular tension, volunteers with technical massage expertise including deep tissue training are also needed.
Volunteers who participate in the program for 2 weeks take 2 days off in the capital city Phnom Penh in the middle of the program. This not only provides a needed rest from our work but also gives us an opportunity to expose ourselves more broadly to Cambodia's unique environment, social issues, history, and culture. In Phnom Penh volunteers can access a variety of sites and experiences which will further our education about Cambodia and enhance our ability to understand, communicate with and be of service to the children and adults at the orphanage with whom we live and work.
Generally speaking, group activities are optional and daily schedules are flexible. These programs are suitable for people who are themselves flexible and who are able to adapt without great difficulty to a rural environment, a tropical climate, an absence of familiar conveniences and comforts, different personal hygiene practices and sanitation conditions, unexpected changes in plans, non-private living arrangements, and a basic and repetitive diet.
Each volunteer pays a participation fee to Kizuna Baby which covers most of the expenses they will incur. Kizuna Baby provides volunteers with fundraising resources and tips. With a reasonable investment of time, most volunteers should be able to raise enough donations to cover much of the cost of their participation in this program. Please contact us for current details on deposits, fees, scholarships and payment methods.
Please select the program dates during which you wish to participate from the calendar below and send in your application form. 
A representative of Kizuna Baby will respond to your application. If your application is accepted we will provide you with detailed information on how to prepare for the program and how to pay your deposit and participation fee. If you need more information before applying or have any questions, please contact us.
Calendar
| dates | duration | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | |||||
| 1 week | |||||
| 1 week | |||||
| 2 weeks | |||||
| 2012 | |||||
| 1 week | |||||
| 1 week | |||||
| 2 weeks | |||||
| 1 week | |||||
| 1 week | |||||
| 2 weeks | |||||
| 1 week | |||||
| 1 week | |||||
| 2 weeks | |||||
| 2013 | |||||
| 1 week | |||||
| 1 week | |||||
| 2 weeks | |||||
Note: This program is operated outside Japan under the name Buds to Blossoms.
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