Incentives That Leave a Positive Mark

(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) April 14, 2011 - What a dramatic difference your company’s ethical incentive trip can make to the life of 465 students at a school in Cambodia (or indeed in many places around the world). 

Thousands of companies around the world reward their employees by sending them on luxurious incentive trips every year. It is a great way to increase motivation, productivity and foster team cohesion.

Yet the results from one of one of Hands Up Incentives recent reward trips show that these trips can be more than just a win-win for company and employees.

Prok Pisak is 13 years old, has 3 brothers and a sister and lives near Angkor Wat in Cambodia. His family is classified as very poor, his father doesn’t have a stable income and they have no farmland.

He currently attends elementary school, but without money for transportation, books or uniforms he would most likely have dropped out of school soon and been one of the 90% of students that can’t afford to attend high school, reduced to selling souvenirs to tourists.

However, thanks to the generosity and effort put in by a recent Hands Up Incentives client, the odds of Prok continuing on to high school are now much better. He has been granted one of 20 scholarships that provide monthly funds for books, extra tuition and paid for a bicycle so he doesn’t have to walk many miles to school every day.

“I am very happy with my study and I am going to school every day. My favourite subject is Khmer Language and in the future I want to be a teacher. In my free time I like reading book and playing football,

Thank you very much for your support and I hope that you will continue to support my study until I finish my school.” - Prok

But it doesn’t end at the fate of one young boy. The whole school and community has benefitted. Funding for the building works provided local jobs, and a new roof means that in the coming monsoon season the students will be able to stay dry at school. A library and a new set of books means the education of the children can be broadened and a fresh bit of paint provides a fresh new environment to study.

“The kids love the new library and are so eager to read. The classrooms are much nicer and with the rainy season coming soon the roof is going to make a big difference. All the scholarship students are doing well and their studies progressing. A great success.” – Graham, Hands Up Incentives community liaison

Meanwhile, the 37 employees that spent 2 days putting the finishing touches on this remarkable transformation, by painting, cleaning and planting, had the unique opportunity to get a real glimpse at Cambodian culture.

As a result they were all touched by their experience and had great stories to share whilst relaxing in the pool of the Six Senses hotel. In fact the blend of volunteering and incentive was so enjoyable that 97% of participants ranked it as the best reward experience they have had. For a company that runs two reward trips a year that is quite a remarkable result.

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