Sim Piseth

Sim Piseth is a professional tour guide and the founder of the Homestay Volunteer Teachers Organization (HVTO), a nonprofit dedicated to developing clean water initiatives, literacy programs and vocational education projects to assist communities in rural areas with limited resources. 

Sim himself grew up in the village of Sophy, situated close to the Cambodian capital of Siem Reap. For eight years, he lived at a few monasteries, where he learned to become a monk and completed his secondary education. In 2000, he left to teach English and eventually became a local guide with Artisans Angkor. In this capacity, Sim brought visitors to orphanages, coordinated sponsorships for children, and worked with NGOs to build schools and water pumps in rural areas. These experiences led Sim to establish HVTO in August 2008. A few months later, Sim became a certified guide with the Cambodian Tourist Guide Association. Along with his native Khmer, he speaks English, German, Spanish and Thai.