Build a Classroom for At-risk Children in Thailand

Hi friends,

The year is off to a great start! Our Thailand staff is stronger than ever and excited for the year ahead. As the Resource Center continues to stretch at the seams with at-risk children eager to learn, the need for a new classroom grows more and more apparent.

Tawee, our Thailand Director, hopes to begin construction before rainy season begins in June (once rainy season hits it will be too late to prepare the land), adding that we need roughly $5,000 before we can safely begin construction on the classroom. This amount will allow us to prepare the land, lay the foundation, and begin building the frame. Already, your generous gifts total nearly $1,400. Thank you!

I recently asked Jade Keller, The SOLD Project's Education Manager, to share her thoughts on the growing need for a new classroom building. Here's what she wrote:

"The need for a second classroom stems from all the projects and opportunities we're trying to offer. Saturday afternoons are the busiest time at the Resource Center because all the kids are there at once. Thus, while each level of the English classes takes place, we take the rest of the kids and work on other things like photography, drawing, creative writing, and science projects. Periodically (and especially as the kids get older), we'll also do more special presentations on various professional skills, like applying to college, preparing for job interviews, etc.

"Right now, those classes take place on the floor upstairs in the middle of SOLD's office space and staff living quarters, which isn't really conducive to working comfortably and doesn't allow room for a whiteboard or other teacher aids. A separate two-story classroom building will provide additional teaching space, and give us a place to hold presentations for groups visiting for special events. We'll also probably move the computer lab into this new building to relieve some of the crowding in the current classroom.

"We're also hoping to add sleeping quarters above the second classroom because some staff now live on the property and it will provide temporary living space for visiting staff (myself included, since I come from Chiang Mai every other weekend). We'll also take some of the new space to create a secure storage room for personnel files, which, right now, are a little too easily accessible for our comfort. Basically, having a second classroom would allow a lot more freedom for what SOLD can offer."

Thank you for choosing to support this project! Please consider making a recurring donation. Your continued investment in these children means the world to us—and changes their world forever.