Besides their regular schooling, the girls have been able to have music classes, activities, art classes, English language activities, sewing classes, singing practice, cooking instruction, childcare training and sport activities on regular basis.
The old building here in Bangkok still houses the boys, about 20 or so. During the week, the boys attend school, which is within walking distance of the Home. Wake up time is usually around 5.45 am. This allows them time to prepare for school and for breakfast. After breakfast they walk to school. After school they return home around 4.45 for afternoon snack and then their daily game and exercise. Normally this would be soccer, basketball or a local ball game called Tah Kraw. This is played with a ball made of bamboo. Any part of the body is able to touch the ball except the hands. There is a net between the two teams similar to badminton.
The activity center for the Home in Bangkok has been completed and they no longer need to use the vacant field nearby. It is about 700 meters away from the Foundation. There is a gymnasium, a library and a study area and other rooms for indoor sports, games and activities etc. The gymnasium is a great benefit even for other local children and especially during the monsoon season when everything is very wet. Afterwards they shower for the evening meal and then Homework. The Primary school boys do homework until 9.00pm and the High School boys until 10.30pm.
On the weekend, the boys and some of the staff still make the trip out to the second Home, which is about 100 kilometers from the Home in Bangkok. They all look forward to this weekend stay very much.
The Bangkok Home still continues to act as the office where people call in to report any child abuse incidents etc., as well as the rehabilitation center before they are moved to the new Home if they are girls.
The third building, about 5 minutes away from 2nd Home, has been opened since December 18th 2004. More room was needed to house the children. In fact, for a while we were not able to accept new children because we simply lacked the room to house them. Now about 60 of the older girls have been able to move into the new building.
We will be enclosing some more pictures of the new Home and children and the surrounding area. We hope that this will be an inspiration to you. Please do not hesitate to let us know if you would like more details.
Yours sincerely
Montri Sintavichai
Secretary General
With the new Home in Samut Songkram, which is about 100 kilometers from Bangkok, it has been a change for the better for all the girls and even the staff that help there. Their all round health has improved greatly. The countryside environment has helped to improve the children’s outlook on life. There is less negative peer pressure and less negative city influence. The local schools, which the children attend, are in close proximity to the Home and this has been a blessing as it takes very little time to get to school. The neighbours are all very friendly. Most of the neighbours are villagers and simple small farm people and many of them help the Home from time to time with fruits and vegetables from their farms. We have good relations with the neighbourhood and some of the local youth come to the center to use the soccer field that we were able to set up.