From Oslo University to the Tonle Sap: A Mission on the Water
At Babel, we believe that travel should be more than just sightseeing—it should be about connection, education, and giving back to the local community.
We’re thrilled to welcome four nursing students from Oslo Metropolitan University as they begin their transformative 12-week journey in Cambodia. They will spend their first two weeks with us as they settle into life in Cambodia, and we continue to support them throughout their stay—helping them find housing, navigate daily life, and serving as a reliable home base whenever they need it.
A lotus flower on Tonle Sap. A symbol of purity, hope, and inner strength.
A Mission on the Water
These future nurses aren’t here for the temples—they have dived headfirst into a hands-on medical internship on the waters of the Tonle Sap. Working alongside and learning from the incredible team at The Lake Clinic (TLC), they are part of the only healthcare initiative dedicated to serving the remote floating villages of the lake.
Three days a week, the students trade the comfort of city life for life on TLC’s specialized clinic boats. Traveling across the lake, they reach isolated communities where access to healthcare is extremely limited.
Two of the nursing students on their way to their first mission on the lake.
The Lake Clinic serves as the "classroom" where the students' theoretical knowledge meets real-world challenges.
The Mission: TLC provides adult and pediatric primary care, dental services, and maternal health education to over 10 villages and more than 13,000 people.
Student Role: Working under the guidance of local doctors, students assist with vaccinations, check-ups, adult and pediatric primary care, antenatal care, and more.
Nursing students from OsloMet observe the Lake Clinic team in action during their first mission on the lake.
A Partnership for Impact
Their journey to Cambodia is part of a collaboration that started with Impact Norway. The Lake Clinic (TLC) was founded by Jon Morgan in 2007, a year later, Impact Norway stepped in as the primary Norwegian partner and a founding supporter. Impact Norway is dedicated to bringing healthcare to those who need it most. Their partner in Cambodia does exactly that - by operating "floating clinics" to reach the most isolated villages on the Tonle Sap Lake.
Through this partnership, OsloMet is sending some of its students to Siem Reap to gain hands-on medical experience where it’s needed most.
The TLC-4, or “The Taxi”. Donated to TLC by Impact Norway in 2013.
More Than a Stay
For these nursing students, their time in Cambodia is more than an internship—it’s an experience that will shape their future careers and perspectives on global health.
And for us at Babel, it’s a privilege to be part of that journey—offering not just a place to stay, but a place to belong.
Some of the members of our Babel Family
Keeping Hope Alive—One Week, One Mission at a Time
TLC is facing one of the most challenging periods in its history. The founder has been sidelined for over a year due to illness, while donor fatigue and global instability have reduced critical funding, including the loss of USAID support.
Despite this, the mission continues. Just $1,200 USD funds one full week of care.
Please consider visiting The Lake Clinic to learn more about how you can make a donation.
TLC is entirely funded by the generosity of donors like you. Remarkably, 100% of every donation goes directly to Cambodia, supporting life-saving healthcare services for communities living on and around the Tonle Sap.
Your support can truly make a difference.
$50 = One month of prescriptions for 15 people
$100 = Clean drinking water to a family for a lifetime
$500 = One week of clinical services to over 200 people
$1,000 = One week of transportation + clinical services
A quiet moment.