LanguageCorps Inc., a leader in providing TEFL/TESOL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language/Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) programs worldwide, will be providing free TESOL training and certification for staff of Cambodia Children's Fund. LanguageCorps, a Massachusetts-based company, offers a variety of programs for talented people interested in travel, internationalism, and teaching abroad; empowering them to thrive as professionals while living in, working in, and learning about a different culture.

Cambodian Children's Fund, founded by Hollywood film executive Scott Neeson, serves the needs of Phnom Penh's most impoverished children. Originally developed as a single shelter serving 45 children in critical need, CCF now serves nearly 500 children through five separate facilities; providing nutrition and housing as well as medical treatment, dental services, and vaccinations. Through their comprehensive educational program, the children learn English in addition to other studies that include local language reading and writing, social studies, and math.

"We are impressed with the organization that Scott has put together, and how it is improving the lives of these children," says Jerry Patton, founder and CEO of LanguageCorps. "With our extensive background in TESOL training, this seemed like the best way to make an immediate impact by increasing the effectiveness of both teachers and managers at CCF. We already provide similar support through ongoing partnerships with other organizations such as A New Day Cambodia, and we are excited about expanding our efforts to include Scott's organization. We look forward to exploring other ways that this partnership can benefit the children of Cambodia."

"While our immediate task is nutrition and health care, it is the investment in education that will change this generation," says Neeson. "The better trained the teachers, the greater the opportunity to lift a child and their family out of poverty and into a meaningful, productive life. Language Corps is very highly regarded and the opportunity provided by Jerry (Patton) allows CCF to reach another level of teacher training."

About LanguageCorps

Founded in 2002, LanguageCorps offers programs in various locations throughout Latin America, Asia, and Europe. Programs vary by country, but all include an intensive, four-week TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) training and certification course, pre-departure support, and assistance finding a paid teaching position. Some programs also include local language and cultural training, guaranteed job placement, medical insurance, accommodations, excursions, and other support services.

About Cambodian Children's Fund

The Cambodian Children's Fund (CCF) is a unique NGO based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Its five facilities care for almost 500 multiply deprived children, most of them from Phnom Penh's notorious and noxious rubbish dump. In additional to food, shelter and security, CCF provides a high-quality educational environment and ensures that the children remain connected to their own culture. Its involvements reach beyond the children to their families and communities and include a daycare center, healthcare facilities, the supply and distribution of safe water and effective rice purchase and nutrition programs. It also runs support businesses, such as its own bakery and bag making project, which directly contribute to the training or support of those in CCF's care. CCF's primary aim is to help Cambodia recover from its social and economic wounds by harnessing the inherent capacity of its emergent generation, to better prosper as a nation and a society.