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Farmhouse Resort & Spa

The Farmhouse Resort as a best practice example for modern tourism

We are proud to share that Smiling Gecko is featured in a recent piece by Asia Sustainable Travel, with perspectives shared by our Smiling Gecko Singapore Board Member, Shyn Yee, on shaping the future of tourism through next-generation talent.
AST Webinar_ Next-Gen Talent_Mar 2026_Slides - Next-Gen Talent

We have linked the article that highlights an important shift: tourism is no longer just about destinations—it’s about empowering local teams and long-term community impact. We are very happy that Farmhouse Resort is recognised as a real-world example of how education, vocational training, and hospitality can come together to create meaningful opportunities.

We’ve always believed that, of course, but it’s good to have this view confirmed by other experts. We hope you enjoy reading.

AST Webinar_ Next-Gen Talent_Mar 2026_Slides - Next-Gen Talent

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Smiling Gecko Educational Campus

Our planned Volunteering Opportunity!

Our colleagues in Switzerland often receive enquiries from people who want to help out on our campus for a set period of time. While the school has usually been the main point of interest, there has also been, and continues to be, a desire to participatie actively in other areas. Until now, we have mostly had to turn these requests down.

We have always had a volunteering programme, but it was exclusively aimed at people with technical experience and leadership skills, as the positions were always for experienced trainers. Additionally, the minimum stay was six months as frequent changes in leadership could unsettle our teams.

All of this will continue to apply. However, we now also offer a new option with lower requirements. In principle, anyone of legal age who is in good physical and mental health can become a ‘Helping Hand’, provided they are ready to engage in the rewarding but demanding work alongside our Cambodian teams. Tasks are assigned at short notice based on current needs and individual suitability. Please note, it is not possible to work at the school under this programme.

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These truly meaningful stays will cost around $1,800 per month for accommodation in our staff quarters, or around $1,200 per week for the luxury of staying at the Farmhouse Resort while supporting a good cause. In both cases, meals will be provided in the canteen alongside the teams. We are currently finalising the detailed planning of the stays. Once this is complete, we will announce the official start of the programme here and on social media. We are also planning a landing page on the topic. So keep your eyes and ears open!

Staff quarters
Bungalow at the Farmhouse Resort

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Smiling Gecko Educational Campus

A powerful Message from the Voice of an Eleven-year-old

«Just thinkin' about Tomorrow Clears away
the cobwebs and the sorrow»

We particularly like this line from the song ‘Tomorrow’ in the film ‘Annie’. It is a message full of hope that fits perfectly with Smiling Gecko. As you know, we do everything we can to give people in rural Cambodia a better tomorrow.

When one of our students sings the song, it gives us goosebumps. It’s an experience we’d like to share with you. Enjoy listening to the song and looking at the photos we took at the Smiling Gecko campus.
Link to the song

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Smiling Gecko Educational Campus

Taking the leap across the South China Sea

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In addition to professionalising our product range, we have also been focusing on developing our organisation. One key step in this direction is the establishment of a national branch in the United Kingdom, though these efforts are still at an early stage.

Much greater progress has been made in Singapore, where we successfully founded Smiling Gecko Singapore earlier this year. Following Switzerland, Germany, the USA and, of course, Cambodia, this is our fifth branch. Our Singapore entity is already officially registered as a non-profit-organisation, and applying for charity status now. Hopefully, the latter is only a matter of time. The local team is already highly active, even without this status. Hardly a week goes by without a campaign in this small yet economically powerful country to promote our project in Cambodia. The activities serve a dual purpose: to position the Farmhouse Resort as a holiday destination; and to unlock new fundraising opportunities, both of which continue to be essential.

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Smiling Gecko Educational Campus

Our children sang their way into the hearts of football fans

In July, our school choir had the great honour of performing at the Cambodian Football League finals at Phnom Penh’s National Stadium.

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Accompanied by the two Cambodian musicians and enthusiastic Smiling Gecko fans Kesorrr and Roxy, our young artists aged 11 to 17 gave their all to delight the audience with their singing talent.
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For our children, performances like this provide a welcome change from their daily lives, which are full of hardship. At the same time, they provide important motivation to continue working hard at school. Perhaps one day they will escape poverty and earn enough money to afford a ticket to a football match themselves.
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The most important thing for us as an organisation about events like this is the publicity. It is the best publicity for us when a small school from the provinces is given preference over established private schools from the capital. And it is even better when Deputy Prime Minister, Hun Many, is among the dignitaries present. He was very impressed by our choir and congratulated our children personally. What an honour!
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Smiling Gecko Educational Campus

We can finally teach in the new school building!

Anyone who has built as much as we have over the last ten years develops a certain routine, even when it comes to the unexpected. Still the construction of our new school building has been, and continues to be, a true test of endurance, even for us.
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First, the ground was was so soft after what seemed like endless rainfall, that civil engineering work could not begin for months. To provide sufficient stability for the construction, we had to drive a total of 218 reinforced concrete beams, each eight-metres-long, into the ground – despite the limited availability of heavy equipment in Cambodia. Our architects subsequently revised the brick layout for the exterior walls and extended the roof overhangs by 150 centimetres on both the inside and outside, as the originally planned construction method was not sufficiently waterproof to withstand the increasingly frequent heavy winds during the rainy season. These challenges are clear consequences of climate change that we are likely to encounter more often and for longer periods in the years ahead.
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We are therefore delighted that we were able to open the first phase of the new school building in time for the start of the academic year in August. The first six classrooms are complete, as are offices for teachers, sanitary facilities, and a school canteen with a capacity for up to 250 people.
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Further classrooms and all specialist rooms, such as the science laboratory, the new computer laboratory and the library extension, are still under construction. The same applies to the auditorium, art and pottery studios, various storage rooms, and a smaller kitchen where meals will be prepared for children and teachers.
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Another construction project is the extensive greening of the area around the school building. Over the next few years, more than 60 large trees, 250 medium-sized trees and over 1,000 shrubs will be planted here. This will also help to protect the building from the weather. As you can imagine, this is a significant financial undertaking.

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Smiling Gecko Educational Campus

Those Who Can Read Have a Clear Advantage

Admittedly, the headline of this report may sound a little informal, but it is 100% accurate. That’s why, alongside teaching IT skills in the past semester, we also launched an extensive program to assess the reading development of our children.
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The program, called DRA3, covers all age groups from kindergarten to 8th grade. Our foreign teachers work with each child individually to observe, record, and assess their reading habits and comprehension. The goal is to determine the students’ instructional and intervention levels, so that the teaching staff can later tailor lessons to the individual needs of the children.
DRA3 also serves as the foundation for the (digital) reading program RAZ Plus, which we’ve also launched in the past few months to gradually improve the children’s reading proficiency.
RAZ Plus offers over 3,000 books and texts at various difficulty levels in different formats (printable, projectable, online, and mobile). These resources are tailored to different reading levels and interests, so each student can find material they enjoy reading.
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The program includes lesson plans, activities, and even quizzes that teachers can use for differentiated instruction. In addition, the children have access to a personalized library with books and passages of varying difficulty levels. Using an iPad, they can independently practice reading, and their progress is tracked through data-driven reports.
The program is flexible and accessible to our children, regardless of their learning environment.

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Smiling Gecko Educational Campus

A colourful fall

As a small organization with very limited resources, we are always happy to have people join us in raising as much money and awareness as possible through their dedication and passion. We have a number of events planned for October and November that we would like to announce here.

As a suggestion for your calendar:

On October 19, Thomas Buss aka DJ Mr. Tomato will be throwing a big dance party at the Schützi cultural center in Olten to benefit two charities. One of them is Smiling Gecko. The entrance fee is 30 francs. The net profit of the evening will be split between the two organizations. Tickets are available here.

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From October 21 to 26, the great yoga teacher Rebecca Robinson will be hosting a yoga charity retreat at the Farmhouse Resort & Spa for the first time. So anyone who has ever wanted to come to Cambodia now has a double reason to do so. We are looking forward to the event and can say that the daily program looks very promising. Dive in, feel good, switch off and enjoy Cambodian hospitality! All information and the possibility to book can be found here.

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On October 27, Isabel Karajan and friends will be coming to the Kindli Restaurant on Pfalzgasse in Zurich to raise money for us at a charity lunch. We already had the wonderful Austrian actress at the opening of our cultural center “The Gong” in Cambodia and guarantee that she will be there: This is sure to be a very entertaining Sunday lunch. The entrance fee is 250 Swiss francs (donation receipt) and you can still register with Thomas Hemschemeier until 27.9. E-mail: hemschemeier@smilinggecko.ch

On November 9, the Jugendmusik Rechter Zürichsee (JUMURZ) will hold its annual concert at the HesliHalle in Küsnacht ZH. The proceeds of the evening will be donated to us and we will be present with a small stand. Tickets will be available soon.

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Smiling Gecko Educational Campus

Sounds good, Does good

With «The Gong» Cultural Center, we have laid an important foundation for the recovery of Cambodia’s cultural identity. Dr. Hang Chuon Naron, Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, was not the only one impressed by the building and the visionary idea of turning the Smiling Gecko Campus into a nationally visible cultural amplifier.

For us, it was less a vision than a necessity to make the country sound again. After all, music, painting, dance, and theater are important components of self-discovery. They are also essential to the intellectual development of our students. The children have already shown how much they enjoy all kinds of music in the numerous pieces we have recorded with them over the years. The latest project is the song “Lisa” by Jan SEVEN Dettwyler, with whom we have had a special relationship since the days of the “Container Full Of Music”.

The studio isn’t quite finished yet, but we were able to use it for some test recordings. We are thrilled with the sound. And to be honest, we’re a little proud of the look, too. Especially considering that most of the interior work was done by our own craftsmen. Pretty impressive, isn’t it?
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Smiling Gecko Campus

"We have to start with the children to change the world".

Once again, a team of current and former students from the University of Zurich Dental Center is visiting us on campus. They treat all of our children in a veritable marathon. In between, however, they took at least three minutes of their time and we were able to ask them about their impressions.
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This is your first time at the Smiling Gecko Campus, Aldin. What are your impressions?

When you just walk around the campus, you don’t feel the poverty in the countryside. When the children come to school in the morning, they are already wearing school uniforms. But from their knees down, you can see the conditions they come from. Their legs are bruised and scarred. Instead of shoes, they usually wear flimsy slippers.

As far as dental hygiene is concerned, the drastic difference between the older and younger children is particularly striking. Between those we have been treating for some time and those who are new. It is clear that what we are doing here, i.e. the treatments, the education and certainly the good nutrition, is bearing fruit. The longer we have each child in the program, the less work we have to do. Many of these children have excellent oral hygiene and we don’t have to do much. They come in for a checkup and are sent back.

You mentioned the maltreated legs. What do you notice when you compare the children here with those in Switzerland?
The children come from very difficult backgrounds that cannot be compared to life here. That’s why it’s so nice to see how grateful they are. It’s fascinating: compared to Switzerland, where people have everything in terms of health and access to education, they are much less satisfied than here.
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What was your first impression, Annika?
I actually found a very well-equipped clinic with a high standard of hygiene. And of course friendly children, exciting children, crying children. It was all there.
Where do you see the difference between the dental status of Swiss children and children here?
Basically, of course, all children are different. But I would say that here in Cambodia, of course, there is less oral hygiene and therefore the teeth are in a worse condition. But that doesn’t stop us from doing our best to treat the children as well as we can. Unfortunately, not all the treatments we would like to do are possible. Or could be done in Switzerland. But the kids are great. They know what it’s all about and they’re totally involved.
What does it mean to you personally to come here to Cambodia? To such a poor country. It’s quite extraordinary, isn’t it?
Maybe I should start by explaining how I came to the Gecko Smile project. A very good friend of mine helped to set up the project and she always told me about it. But I could never really imagine it. So I decided to go and see for myself. And then I came here and it was very overwhelming. It’s a totally different world. It takes a moment to get here and settle in. But it’s spectacular. The kids are just adorable. They come everywhere with us and look at us and hug us. It’s a matter of the heart for me. I think we have to start with the children to change the world. We have to teach them good oral hygiene so they can carry on what they have learned. They have their whole lives ahead of them.
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Sandra, this is your second time with us. What are the differences from your first visit?
It was incredible the first time I was allowed to be here. I had heard a lot about it, but you still can’t really imagine it. You just have to see it. It’s very impressive. First of all, how well equipped we are here in terms of what we can offer the children. But at the same time, the differences compared to Switzerland. Be it in terms of treatment standards, oral hygiene or the dental status of the children. Now, the second time around, it’s really nice to see the progress we’ve made. In terms of teaching the children how to brush their teeth. How the school is supporting them, so these are real changes. We can see that we are really making a difference.
What does it mean to you personally to give up your vacation to be here with us?
It’s just something you can’t experience anywhere else. It’s not something you can buy that you would otherwise experience on vacation. It is truly unique here. During the treatments we experience what it means to live here. And that is very beautiful.
What is your impression of the country?
It’s hard to understand the general state of emergency here. But that’s what makes it so nice to be here. We can give back some of the wealth we have in Switzerland. We can really try to give something along the way. In the sense of giving children something they can do themselves to take care of their teeth. Prevention is a big part of our work, which is also very important to us because it is sustainable. Something we have to remember: These children have a lot of problems and issues that need to be addressed. Teeth are just a small part of it, but toothache is such a bad thing. If we can eliminate it, the children will have so much more potential in other areas of their lives. For example, they can study again without pain. That helps a lot, of course.
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This is your first time with us, Sina. What were your expectations?
I was very pleasantly surprised. I was a bit skeptical at the beginning as to whether I would like it, because we will be here for a whole month and I haven’t had much to do with children before. But on the very first morning, the children came up to us and were extremely friendly and warm and hugged us. The work here is extremely rewarding. Everything is well organized and we are a really cool group.
How else do you notice the children?
We can tell immediately if children have been to us before. For one thing, they have better teeth, and for another, they are less scared than those we treat for the first time. But even the most anxious children open their mouths willingly and try to be brave because they are just happy that we are taking care of them. Sometimes there are a few tears, but as soon as the treatment is over, their smiles quickly return. And they are so grateful.
So would you come back?
Yes. (Laughs)
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It’s also a first for you here on the campus, Suzana. What did you expect before and what did you find in the end?
Of course I had heard a lot about the students and dentists who have been here, but you really have to experience it. Otherwise you can’t imagine how beautiful it is. My expectations were exceeded. I had and still have a great time.
What do you think of the children?
It is very impressive how brave the children are here. So far we have been treating the children between 2nd and 7th grade and we clearly see much more need for action with the younger ones. They have more cavities and more broken teeth. But for the fact that they have bigger cavities, they are doing really well. And I’m happy when we can convince children of the benefits of treatment. It’s wonderful when we can allay children’s fears.
Do you see a difference in the teeth of the children who have already benefited from the Gecko Smile project?
Absolutely. With the older ones, we only need a few minutes each time because there is very little for us to do. They have better teeth that are very well cleaned. That is something we can be really proud of. You can just see the impact of what we do here at the clinic. Also on the parents. There is even more uncertainty with the younger ones. With them, we have to build a fundamentally positive relationship with the dentist. They have to learn to relax and let go.
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This is your second time with us, Nadine. What have you experienced? What does it do to you?
The children are very uncomplicated and very welcoming. And they are very brave. Most of them are great. It’s no problem for them if we have to fill five or six teeth at the same time. I appreciate the gratitude of the children. They give us a lot in return. At the same time, we see things here that we don’t see in Switzerland. The depth of the caries, for example, or the remains of the roots. You really don’t see that in Switzerland.
That must be very painful for the children.
It certainly is. Unfortunately, pain is the order of the day here.

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