By Michael Colletto | Director of Communications
Hello friends,
If there is such a thing as a good setback, we may have found it.
This summer, even as we broke ground on the new classroom building, it quickly became apparent that we'd have to adjust our fundraising goal.
On the one hand, this is extremely disappointing. It's already taken us longer than we'd hoped to complete this classroom, and in the meantime our staff and kids continue to overflow our one small building.
On the other hand...
The reasons costs have gone up are actually really great news!
As you know, a huge part of why we're working in Thailand to educate at-risk children is to break the cycle of poverty, which leads so many vulnerable children into exploitation. One factor that has driven up costs in the last couple years is a steady and substantial (30%) increase in Thailand's minimum wage!
These new laws alone will not be enough to end poverty in the rural north, but they're an important step in the right direction, and we're proud to be paying the local workers who are building this classroom a good wage.
Also, because of damage our Resource Center sustained earlier this year and the earthquake not long ago in nearby Chiang Saen, the engineers working on the building recommended upgrading the foundation and other materials to make this new building earthquake-proof and storm resistant. (It's hard to argue with that.)
In the end...
We need your help more than ever!
There's still five or six months worth of work to do before the classroom is ready for classes, and we're still $20+ short of our goal. Let's finish this thing!
One way you can make a huge difference is by doing what we do—inviting your friends to get involved and help!
If you raise $500 from 10 people using GlobalGiving's Fundraiser tool between now and September 30, you could win airline tickets from JetBlue, a flip camera, and other prizes. (The warm fuzzy feeling you get from rallying people to a good cause? That's a bonus. :-)
Thanks for spreading the word!
With hope,
Michael
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