Smiling Gecko
Support education. For a better future.
The Cambodia aid organization 'Smiling Gecko', founded by Swiss artist Hannes Schmid, operates the unique Smiling Gecko Campus about 60 kilometers north of the capital Phnom Penh.
An oasis of hope
. Der Smiling Gecko Campus
On an area of 150 hectares, a blueprint for a functioning rural community has been created here. The children receive an education according to international standards and young adults receive proper vocational training.
In addition to an impressive hotel resort, high-quality food and artisanal products are produced in the fields, breeding farms, and various craft businesses. These are either used directly on site or marketed domestically.
DQ Solutions and Smiling Gecko
DQ Solutions actively supports the project in its digital transformation and enables access to global knowledge with innovative digital solutions. This prepares students optimally for the demands of the modern world. To achieve this, DQ Solutions provides hardware and software and also takes over the comprehensive management of the devices with Jamf School. All provided resources originate from Switzerland and are yet perfectly tailored to the needs of the Smiling Gecko Campus in Cambodia. Furthermore, teachers are trained on-site as well as kept up to date through regular online office hours and webinars. This ensures that they can fully utilize the potential of the iPads provided by DQ Solutions for their teaching.
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Q Solutions and Smiling Gecko – Together for digital education.
School & Kindergarten – The Center of Everything
Since 2017, the bilingual school and kindergarten have been the heart of the campus. The highly qualified teachers instruct in both Khmer and English. This opens up genuine opportunities for children even in Cambodia's rural areas for a self-determined future and prosperity.
Farmhouse Resort & Spa – The Holiday Paradise
Vacation in a dreamlike setting while simultaneously providing development aid for Cambodia: This is the philosophy of the Farmhouse Resort, which is currently the most important source of income and the largest training operation on the Smiling Gecko Campus. The hotel offers heavenly peace, relaxation in the spa, and culinary delights at the Farmhouse Restaurant. A unique combination of relaxation and social commitment.
Agriculture & Livestock Farming – The Model Farms
On the Smiling Gecko Campus, diverse and sustainable agriculture and breeding are practiced with high-quality products such as fruits, vegetables, cattle, chickens, and fish. These products form the basis for the nutrition of the school children and are cultivated using the latest findings and taking into account current climate data.
Crafts & Production – The Manufacturing Facilities
On the Smiling Gecko Campus, artisanal products are manufactured and local goods are also produced. The businesses are specifically designed to provide comprehensive training and further education opportunities for young adults. These educational offerings are particularly significant in rural Cambodia, where conventional training opportunities are limited. The training programs offered include bakery, butchery, carpentry, and tailoring.
Emergency humanitarian aid – still vital for survival
Climate change and the recent Corona crisis have led to life-threatening crises in rural Cambodia, for which there are no governmental solutions. Since 2015, Smiling Gecko has been providing immediate aid to families in need by supplying food from the farm, fresh drinking water, rice, sanitary products, and medicine.
The vision
Smiling Gecko pursues a holistic approach to assist distressed children and families in Cambodia and promote self-determined living in rural areas. The Smiling Gecko Campus, established in 2014 in Kampong Chnang province, spans 150 hectares and includes clusters in agriculture, crafts, tourism, gastronomy, school, and education that are interwoven. The organization aims to create a self-sufficient rural community to provide education, decent work, and sustainable incomes, thus countering rural exodus and urbanization. Collaborations with renowned Swiss institutions and companies such as the University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, ZHAW Wädenswil, Implenia, Sika, and Ringier Axel Springer support the sustainability goals according to the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development, which Cambodia committed to in 2015.
150 hectares of future – Smiling Gecko Campus
This project is supported by:
