Concordia Daycare and Community Center
CWEFT was founded to help the marginalized of society, especially orphans, those living in poverty, and women with no one to turn to.
Concordia Daycare Center : We primarily look after small children before they go to school, between 2-5 years old. These children are at risk, and live in a crowded slum area, often with both parents leaving for work during the day, making just enough to get by. The community is plagued with many problems, including drugs and child abuse, but children are often unable to join their parents at work and are left to fend for themselves (or in the care of elderly relatives) during the day. Therefore, Concordia Daycare is open to these children Monday through Friday from 7 am until 6 pm.
In the past 3 months, we’ve seen an influx of new children, with a total now of 34, including Thai children and children of migrants from other Asian countries. Some children do not speak Thai, and for the most part they run around near roads without anyone to look after them while their parents are not home. Other children are past the age of needing to be in school (6-7 years) but have never been registered to attend. We help to prepare every child to go to school, learn important communication and emotional regulation skills, play together and work as a team, have fun with music and games, and learn to take care of themselves in life skills such as dressing, toilet training, and feeding themselves. We provide proper nutrition to supplement common malnutrition issues in the community, and help them reach appropriate growth for their age.
At the beginning of March, our staff also prepared documents to enroll children in school at the beginning of the new school year on May 1st, for a total of 15 children who have reached the appropriate age of 5 years old.
Fire Safety Training : On the 16th of February, the Concordia Center had the opportunity to receive volunteers and officers from the emergency response and fire safety district of Bang Na. They conducted a training for us on safe usage of electricity, cooking gas, and how to use fire safety equipment, as well as escaping an emergency fire situation. This knowledge is so important for us and the children, as the crowded Bang Na community is a high-risk area for fires.
Saturday Program : The purpose of this program is to help those children between 6-17 years old affected by poverty and struggling in school. We provide tutoring help in the subjects of math, English and computers every Saturday from 8:30 am until 12 pm, and then once a month we do an extra activity such as sports, art, cooking, self-defense, discipline, etc. The program enables children to see the value in education and become braver to speak up for themselves. It is also an opportunity for us to build relationships and help families with the problems they are facing. Over time, we see many academic improvements in the children!
Special Activity: Art Therapy : Concordia Daycare organizes special activities on Saturday afternoons for children grades 5-9, once a month, starting in the month of February of this year. Included are art classes taught by an art therapist for the purpose of sharing knowledge, and assessing the emotional well-being of the children in their transitioning teen years. They face many challenges, such as physical changes in their bodies, emotional and hormonal changes, becoming attracted to those of the opposite sex, and craving independence. This is often a time of struggling in relationships with family members, which can cause children to become at risk to many dangers, such as illicit drugs, internet addictions, bullying, sexual predators, and emotional problems such as depression. Therefore, art therapy at this age is important because it helps children understand their emotions and builds confidence and trust.
After establishing this program, we have found that the children enjoy the activities, work well with others, and are successfully learning something new. It is exciting for them and makes them very happy. Our team is intentional in relationship with them, and if they have any emotional needs, we are there to help them work through their problems and experience hope.
Easter Activities : Because Easter is an important holiday, Concordia Center held Easter themed activities on March 25 to share the message of Easter with the children. They made special greeting cards to sponsors and supporters, learned the story from the Bible, played games, shared a meal together, and even decorated eggs and participated in an egg hunt!
Project for Helping Victims of Fire Emergency: On the 18th of December, 2022, a fire broke out in the Bang Na community that the Concordia Daycare Center serves. In total, 3 houses burned down, including the home of two of the daycare children, Neptune and Ninja. We quickly found ways to help these families, and helped them rebuild. All three families have now been able to move back in to the community since the month of February.
We would like to especially thank World Help for helping us in this matter, and for all the believers that came together to pray for us and donate to help these families. They are starting over with your help, and the two children are now successfully attending elementary school. The families and community expressed their gratitude, and were able to see and experience the love of God. It was a wonderful opportunity for us to show the community how genuine we are in our desire to be there for them.
Collaboration with External Agencies for Community Development : Thailand’s elderly population has grown, with over 10% elderly (those 60 years and up) in 2005, up to 20% in 2021, with numbers continuing to grow. We are therefore looking for people and agencies who are interested in partnering with us to support the elderly of society, and provide for them a fulfilling and joyful life.
Magnolia Quality Development Corporation is one such partner that has worked with us since the Covid-19 crisis until today, helping the elderly in our communities who experience housing instability, illness, and poverty. Their desire is to help in both the short and long-term, with projects to help elderly make a living to provide for themselves. They also help with supplementing nutrition, and helping seniors with transportation for hospital visits. For example, they established a garden at Concordia Daycare that the children help look after, and are then able to harvest and bring back vegetables to their family to eat. Thank you so much to Magnolia Quality Development Corporation and all officers involved for their generous and thoughtful support!
Buddharaksa Foundation in partnership with The Aspen Tree work with us with the express interest of supporting elderly people in the communities who experience chronic illness, through physical restoration, activities, work opportunities, as well as helping to prepare younger generations for a rapidly aging society. Together with Buddharaksa Foundation, CWEFT is meeting with village elders to ask permission to work with and survey seniors in the community to plan for sustainable community development projects.
Dell Computers, Thailand came to the Concordia Center to hold activities on March 28, 2023, for their employees to be involved with valuable community service. They held fun recreational activities, and donated 10 tables and 50 chairs for the children, as well as provided lunch for the day.
Volunteers: Both our local and international volunteers are key components to growing our projects and creating new opportunities for CWEFT to help people in need, educate, and support children and families in poverty with low access to resources.
On February 1-12, 2023, faithful supporter Ms. Debby Suchyta visited us from America because she was interested in working with us to protect children from abuse and trafficking, through education efforts with children and their families in Bangkok and the Northern region of Thailand. We highlighted the importance of protecting against strangers on the internet and other internet safety measures. The children practiced identifying the behaviors that predators often use to gain trust, how to ask for help, and safe relationships.
Mrs. Sarah Legband and family from the United States came to visit our Saturday students, and held fun activities and sports with the children to build relationships with them.
Student Testimony: “Cartoon”, Grade 6
“Since studying at Concordia Center, I have been able to take part in many activities, such as learning about Christmas, improving mathematics and English. I have received many presents from my teachers during holidays, Normally at my school there are many students in the class, and I have trouble following the teachers or asking questions, but at Concordia, the groups are small and I can ask questions whenever I need, which helps me understand. I have many new friends to play with too. I enjoy my time here, and I’m always touched by how my teachers always remember me and all the other students by name. It is like being a part of a family. Thank you Concordia Center for sharing knowledge and love, may you have good health and never change your good hearts for us.”
Ninja Testimony “The fire burned all of my toys and clothes. Thank you for building my family a new home to live in that’s all our own again.”
Caregiver for Neptune and Ninja Testimony “Thank you to Concordia Center and all supporters who helped us build a new home that had been taken by fire. If we did not have you to help us, I would not see any way out or way forward. Thank you so much for helping Neptune and Ninja and our family, so that we have a safe place to live and are not homeless.”
CWEFT would like to thank God for your generous donations and prayers that make it possible for our team to be the hands and feet of blessing, love, and good news to children and families in need!
Links:
“Concordia Daycareand Community Center”
October – December 2022
Concordia Welfare and Education Foundation – Thailand was founded to help those in need in society, especially children, the impoverished, and women without resources. Covid-19 has negatively impacted the most vulnerable such as these, who struggle to find and maintain work to support their families. 2.8 million children have had a negative impact on their education, falling behind academically, socially, and putting their futures at risk. There has been a 14.5% increase in stress, 16.8% increase in depression, and 9.5% increase in suicides (Thansettakij Multimedia, “Root of poverty isn’t just about money”, Dec. 25, 2022).
Concordia Daycare Center
All board and team members work together to deliver help and advice, plus donations to lessen the daily burden. We have extended hours at the daycare and are open during school breaks to help parents who have to go out and look for work and need a safe place for their children to be during the day. On average we have 21-26 children under school age attend daily. We emphasize activities that promote development, nutrition, and recreation, to stimulate learning with methods such as music, exercise, and playing with friends.
School Break Program
In October, we served children whose parents had to work during school break and would otherwise leave their children at home alone all day, putting them at risk to many physical dangers, as well as internet dangers such as online gambling, addictive games, and pornography. To help lessen the burden of care on these parents, Concordia Daycare opened to these older school-aged children and provided them with special activities to expand their learning. These activities were hands-on such as art and communication, which significantly lessened cell-phone usage. 15 children were served in this program.
Saturday Program
The Saturday program has resumed normal activies, with around 35-45 children attending each week. We offer tutoring in math, English, and computers, and we have children in grades 1-3 who take part in sports, art, and other recreational activities once a month. These kids love to come and learn and see their friends, running and playing together, and sometimes sharing about problems at home with their teachers. This opens the opportunity for teachers to give advice and help the students grow. We also have a 30 minute discussion time where children can give their opinions and learn about problem solving, communication, regulating emotions, manners, and other life skills, along with Bible study, application and prayer.
Christmas Celebrations
This year, Concordia Daycare was able to provide Christmas celebrations for the children and community with the help of network agencies, KPIS international school, and voluteers. We were able to share the history and meaning behind Christmas and the birth of Jesus, as well as give out gifts to the children. All year long the children look forward to the parties! They have fun playing games with friends, performing, winning prices, and working together as a team to put smiles on everyone’s faces.
We are so thankful to God for providing everyone who helped us be a blessing to the 187 attendees for Christmas this year! We also brought a team of young people to sing Christmas carols and distribute care packages of rice and essentials to 51 elderly and disabled individuals in the neighborhood. We want them to feel seen, cared for, and encouraged to keep going, and to experience the love of God. It is also an opportunity to teach the young people on serving others.
Project to aid those affected by fire
On the 19th of December, there was a fire in the Bang Na community. It started as an accidental short circuit and resulted in 5 homes being destroyed. One of the homes belonged to two of our sponsorship students, Neptune and Ninja. The other homes belonged to people with very little income; those who look for old items to sell. Thankfully, no one was physically hurt, but they all lost everything in their homes to the fire.
Our team quickly began looking for ways to help these families. We provided money, food and kitchen items so they could be sustained in the crisis period. The community also helped to find places for everyone to stay, and the Concordia Daycare team will be looking at helping them to rebuild. We pray that God will lead us as we also work on redoing Neptune and Ninja’s paperwork and helping them to apply for crisis aid.
Neptune and Ninja’s parents separated when Ninja was only one years old, and they are with their father now. He makes 350 baht a day (about $10) and was unable to fully provide for his sons, so they are looked after by their grandparents while he looks for jobs. The grandparents also do odd jobs and volunteer in the community.
Neptune and Ninja have been attending Concordia Daycare since 2019, and in that time Neptune has become stronger, more independent, and a fun loving happy child who loves to play with friends. He now goes to school and is in 2nd grade, but we welcome him in the program anytime there are school breaks and on Saturdays. Both children have excellent memories, are outgoing and love to tell stories and play activities outside. We are proud to offer these outlets for the children who would otherwise be left on their own without anyone to care for them during the day, especially with unstable housing due to the fire.
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CONTACTUS
Phone:+662-982-8977
Email:cweftthailand@gmail.com
Website: www.cwefthailand.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cwefthailand
Officemailingaddress:
90/15Moo4
SoiChaengwattana11ChaengwattanaRoadToongSongHong,
Laksi Bangkok10210
Thailand
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CDCC ANNUAL REPORT 2022
Concordia Welfare and Education Foundation - Thailand (CWEFT) is registered as Thai foundation in 1988 purposing to assist people who have social problems especially orphan or helpless woman. We also work with other organizations for public benefit.
Board of Directors 2022
1. Mrs. Heidi Tannarat Chairperson
2. Mr. Wichai Potchongkhan Vice Chairperson
3. Miss Paweena Khamwisaeng Board Member
4. Miss Nissara Khumsingwong Board Member
5. Miss Kamonrat Watcharin Board Member
6. Miss Vannaphorn Thongves Board Member and Treasurer
7. Miss Kruawan Tiengtom Board Member and Secretary
1.1 Day Care Center
Target: Children in community or in harmful environment which leads to abandonment or violation, high-risk and vulnerable children whose family has low or unstable income and has severe family problem.
Mission: Provide pre-school education for needy children, age 2-5 years oldso that they will be ready for elementary school according to the compulsory education. Four developments are promoted; body, mind, emotion and intellect.Nutrition is also included.
Operation: Monday to Friday, 7.00 – 18.00.
During Covid-19 crisis, CDCC was closed from April 16 to October 30, 2022 according to the state announcement. When the situation is better, CDCC has been regularly operated since November 2022. Throughout 8 months, 40 children are served.
1.2 Saturday Class & Tutoring
Target:Children age 6-17 years old who are poor or have delayed development of learning.
Mission: Tutor main subjects; Mathematics, English, Computer and ChristianEducation. A special activity will be set up once a month e.g., sport, art, cooking. Training is also provided under the topics of how to prevent themselves from exploitation, promote discipline, social manner and opinion showing. The students are taught to respect the rules,see the value of education and help each other instead of competing. In addition, the counseling for both children and parents is included.
For last 2 years, the program could not be run because of Covid-19 crisis and the control from government. From December 2021 until May 2022, our staff then changed the method by setting a Saturday special activity once a month which was still under Covid prevention measures. The activity enabled the children to meet their friends, encourage each other, do creative activity to relieve their stress and loneliness. We coordinated with teachers and students from KPIS International to continually set up activities. Moreover, we applied World Help’s activities to our students e.g., learning vocabulary about fondness and future dream, writing letter to sponsor. We talked, watched movie and listened to music at CDCC. The activity would be circulated group by group according to their class level. When Covid-19 situation is better, the program has been operated as usual since June 2022. There are totally 78 children participate – 22 from special activity program, 56 from Saturday class.
Help’s activities to our students e.g., learning vocabulary about fondness and future dream, writing letter to sponsor. We talked, watched movie and listened to music at CDCC. The activity would be circulated group by group according to their class level. When Covid-19 situation is better, the program has been operated as usual since June 2022. There are totally 78 children participate – 22 from special activity program, 56 from Saturday class.
1.4 The Community Elderly ProjectTarget:Covid-19 killed more than 15 elderlies. Hence, we aim to help the elderly in community who has chronically ill or no relative, has economic problems and family problems, and cannot go out during the pandemic.
Mission: Bring meal box, medicine and medical supplies to the elderly. We sometimes visited the elderly with some volunteers and interested persons who came with rice, dried food and some necessitiesto relieve their troubles, create morale and encouragement. There were 78 elderlies got help.
1.5 Need-based Scholarship Project
Target: The children or family who were infected by Covid-19 so the parents could not go to work, lost income, expense is more than earning so they incurred debts.
Mission: Relieve parents’ burden by spending scholarship on student uniform and necessary educational equipment so that the children can go back to school as usual. The scholarship is 1,500 THB/family. There are totally 72 persons supported.
1.6 Playground Renovation Project
Target: Children who come to CDCC can have outdoor space to play during daytime and strengthen their outward development.
Mission: Coordinate with NIST International School and World Help for fundraising to purchase new playground equipment, level the ground, lay artificial turf and install awning as the previous ones are broken, old, rusty and used more than 30 years.
1.7 Human Resources Development Project
Target: All CDCC staff.
Mission: Each staff participated in the below trainings to obtain new knowledge, update and refresh their proficiency.
ConclusionThere are totally 885 persons (from 216 households) served by CDCC. Total spent budget THB 1,822,139.30.
Project to support people affected by Covid-19
Covid-19 spread all over area including Bangna express way community and nearby. The impacts are as below;
Children: 100% of children in CDCC program (97 persons) and their families were infected. Some tested positive more than 3 times. Their school records were worse dramatically because they could not maximize their online studying as they lacked the required equipment such as internet and their parents were incapable to support them. As the children did not go to school, they had no friend, so loneliness occurred. There was also no space in their community for them to run or play. Hence, the numbers of sick children were increased. They were stressful as they were teased about their bad school record. Therefore, the suicide rate of Thai student was higher.
Family: Family’s member passed away or parents lost jobs, plus the higher living, made 9 children in our program move back to their hometown as their parents had to find new career. The children also had to find a new school. Some children stopped their studying for a year as their families had inadequate income.
CDCC:According to the state announcement to control Covid-19, CDCC was sometimes closed. However, our team kept working. They went out, visited and helped children and families who were sick, doing home isolation or lost job. We also assisted the elderly in Bangna community area who was chronically ill or handicapped.
2.1 We distribution of meal box, drinking water, survival bag, medicine and medical support 17 communities.
2.2. Seedling Care Project to generate income for the community
CDCC received assistance from Magnolia Quality DevelopmentCorporation Co., Ltd to mutually manage Seedling Care project with community committee to select the family in trouble to take care the seedling for further planting in housing estate. Backyard gardentogether with soil were also given to community people to plant for their food. This project helped and relieved problems for 50 families who lost job and got Covid-19. It generated 15,000 THB per family for 3 months – April to June 2022. Project value was THB 750,000.
Conclusion This project can help 7,566 people from 17 communities who were affected by Covid-19. 54,919 meal boxes and 3,650 survival bags were distributed throughout 210 days. Project value was THB 1,276,236.
Thank you so much for every hands that lend hand to help those in needs and support CDCC so we can continue to serve.
Links:
Concordia Day Care and Community Center
Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation - Thailandcontinues helping the vulnerablepopulation who live in Bangna community and have low income, especially children, parents, the elderly and handicapped who are affected by the spread of Covid-19, which causes them to have lower income, lose jobs, become infected and have to quarantine instead of working.
As the Omicron variant spreads more easily. More than 60% of people who live in Bangna community and nearby are infected, along with small children who are mostly asymptomatic. This makes our staff high risk, so we must be more careful. Our focus is to work with families and children directly, and thankfully, the government agency has not instructed us to close the daycare at this time. Therefore, Concordia Center can be open everyday to help vulnerable children and their families in person.
The Foundation would like to thank you and every sponsor and agency who helped and supported us with food, materials, medicine and medical supplies. We distributed to the children and their families, including people who live around the community to relieve their troubles and encourage them to face the Covid-19 epidemic situation.
Problem Scenario
During January – March of 2022, the sixth wave of Covid-19 and the Omicron variant hit Thailand. Daily cases rose to around 30,000 – 50,000 per day. It started spreading into Bangna community and other communities which the Foundation works with. Most of the small children contracted Covid from their parent or guardian but had mild symptoms. Nevertheless, they were required to self-isolate for 10 days, along with their family members. The local health workers would confirm the result with an at home ATK test before doing the registration, then proceed with medication deliveryaccording to their symptoms.
Because the community is small and crowded, the outbreak occurred and spread quickly, affecting around 60% of community members.
Effects
Concordia Daycare had25 infected persons - small children and children in the Saturday Project—and 1 infected staff. This long period of Covid-19 crisis has affected the financial status of our children’s parents who regularly have low income. The parent or guardian could not bear the higher living cost, though they got support from Concordia Daycare whenever we could. Their income was still not sufficient. Some of them had to move back to their hometown and different work. If they not successful, they may move back to the city to try again.
In the last 2 years, nurseries, including Concordia Daycare, were closed by the Government measures, to prevent the local transmission of Covid-19. Many children had to be at home. They were not supported with food and nutrition and normal child development. It affected everything fromnutrition, intelligence, emotions, and social skills. Some children were born by unplanned pregnancy. Because of the poverty, family problems, lack of education and having no essential nutrients, many children were unhealthy and sick often, had developmental delays, physical and/or intellectual disabilities, or special needs. Despite their needs, they were never able to have health checks or see a doctor. Throughout the spread of Covid-19, there were many children that came to Concordia Daycare because no other place opened for the children who came from the overcrowded community. Families had very low income and weren’t able to send their children to any other center, or away to get medical care.
Concordia Daycare was contacted by the Department of Health in Bangkok for the coordination of visiting, surveying, and evaluating health and development of children in the community. As a result, we found out that many children in the Covid-19 period had slow development: weak fine motor and gross motor skills, immaturity, and inability to help themselves in daily life. Some needed to see a doctor for additional analysis of symptoms and family problems. The Foundation would like to thank the Department of Health for realizing theimportance of the coordination with the private sector in to support the children’ health until they passthe criteria of developmental assessment. Thank you for not announcing to close the nursery as before. Therefore, Concordia Daycarecan regularly operate and develop the quality of children’s lives. Though our staff are at a high risk continually working with the children, our team is ready to manage each case. According to government measures, the staff have to do an at home ATK test every week. In addition, parents, and anyone in close contact with the children must show weekly results of at home ATK tests to Concordia staff to reduce the risk.
Assistance
Nowadays, Concordia Daycare is open every day to assist children and their families who are struggling to earn a living and need a daycare service. There are about 18-24 children per dayat Concordia Daycare, which means that the children will have a safe place during the day, with meals and appropriate childhood development according to their age. They also will not be at risk of infection or road accident. Concordia Daycare is ready to assist in medicine, medical supplies, milk, and nonperishable food for up to a total of 23 infected families during home isolation. Moreover, we have ATK test services for the children and familywho are at high risk.
Breakfast Project Development Over a period of the Covid-19 economic crisis, our team found out that there were many children who did not have breakfast at home, affecting their growth and development. They were sleepy and lethargic. Therefore, we added a breakfast meal in addition to lunch and snack with 2 boxes of milk for each meal that we normally provide. We focused on nutrition promotion, with all of the food groups e.g., meat, vegetable, fruit. The children are trained to try a variety of vegetables and fruits, outdoor exercise, sport and using more playground equipment in order to enhance their immunity and reduce sickness, because medical fees can be an expensive expense.
Kitchenware Delivery Concordia International Schoolgave kitchenware and sewing machines to Concordia Daycare to deliver to the children’s mothers who lost their jobs and would like to start the new career. These enable them to sell cooked-to-order dishes or offer at-home sewing services. Concordia Daycarehas now delivered kitchenware to a total of 7 families.
Special Activities On Saturday 5 and 12 February 2022, Concordia Daycare set special activities for small children and older children who were under school holiday project and the Saturday project, respectively. The children could meet their friends, relieve their loneliness, have fun, celebrate Easter day, make cards, play games, watch movies and have a meal together. Learning the meaning of Easter day and making thank you cards for their sponsors was also included.
Coordination with State Agency
Place Adjustment As the playground area has strong sunlight the whole day, a sunshade was installed. The children can now use the outside area more often for their muscleand physical strength development tofight sickness. A private company was also hired to clean and disinfect the daycare and equipment once a month. Tables, chairs and computers were bought, and classrooms were renovated to support the students who did not have internet or computer at home. They can now use the daycare for their online study, and we have teachers or volunteers to assist them.
The successfulness of Concordia alumni
Concordia Daycare would like to congratulate Noei and her family.The twin, Nun and Noei live in Bangna (under expressway community). Their father is a motorbike taxi driver, and their mother works at a vendor. Concordia took care of Nun and Noei since they were 3 years old. When they were 6 years old, they went to Wat Banna Nai primary school. However, they still came to Concordia for school holiday projects and Saturday school. They continuously joined our activities e.g., elderly visits and item distribution. They liked performanceand spoke English to our volunteers. During school holidays, they would ask for science experiments, camping, field trips, mathematicsand English study.
Their family worked hard to support Nun and Noei in their education. Both were very determined to study. When they were sick or had a family problem, they would consult with our team. During the Covid epidemic, everyone in the family became infected. Nun and Noei asked Concordia for help, and we supported them with medicine, medical supplies and food.
Thank you to God for the long relationship - more than 20 years - between students and teachers. Concordia has been giving knowledge, assistance, care and maintaining the relationship through the years. We share happiness and suffering with the children. In addition, we provide scholarships and give opportunities to train the children for necessary skills for their lives. Eventually, we see the successfulness of Noei, one of our students from Concordia project.
“Teacher, I have graduated with a Tourism degree. I am so glad that I will be able to help you and volunteers travel. I am very glad that I will have the chance to use English skills that teacher Christie and teacher Claire taught me until I passed the examination. I am now being trained to be a guide.”
Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation would like to thank the teachers, volunteers and all sponsors who trust us and donate things and time and financial support so that Concordia can be a blessing to many children in vulnerablepopulations. The children are given the opportunity to practice, gain knowledge, receive care and advice until days like today when one of them has overcome the obstacles and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Tourism as she had dreamed.
CWEFT Ministry update from October – December 2021.
CONCORDIA DAY CARE AND COMMUNITY CENTER
We thank God that the pandemic situation in Thailand is improving. Since mid-April, the number of new infections continues to decline, with an average of 3,000 daily cases currently. We still need to watch and be careful, as the government can change policy by the day, with various restrictions. Thankfully, many businesses and including our school, the CDCC center in Bang Na, Bangkok have been able to reopen, which enables us to welcome children again for the first time in 7 months. Every day we serve about 21-25 children, which allows parents to apply for jobs or go to work so they can take care of their families. Children are given the opportunity to learn, prepare for elementary school, improve their nutrition, and care for their hearts and souls.
In addition to the daycare center opening, we continue to work with the Community Health Center, to be a center for ATK Covid-19 rapid tests, to help community residents who need negative test results to apply for jobs, as well as for children and their parents who need to test to go back to school. We thank God that we have been able to serve and help 147 people in this way, so they don’t have to pay the 750 baht per person (about $25) they aren’t able to afford. Of those test results, all 147 people were Covid free and were able to go back to work and school.
Thank you so much for your prayers and gifts, which made the playground development project possible! We were able to pour new cement, lay down turf over it to create softness, and purchase new playground equipment to replace the old playground that CDCC had used for more than 34 years. We also want to thank NIST International School who saw the need, and helped us to start fundraising, as well as all the individual donors who helped support the project and raise awareness. The project has now been 70% funded! We still need additional funds to raise for a sunshade and garden area. The remaining total needed is about $4,000 USD, or 132,000 Baht to complete the project. This project has already been a blessing to the children, who love to come out and play, enjoy the outdoors, and have a great time with friends.
With your support, and because of less restrictions, CDCC was able to gain permission to arrange Christmas outreach events, at 50 people per event from December 17 to 18, 2021. Thus, we arranged for 3 separate groups of children and their parents to come celebrate and praise God for the newborn baby Jesus our Savior. We started with small children from the daycare on Friday, the 17th. Then, on Saturday morning, we celebrated with grades K1 – Grade 4, and finally on Saturday afternoon, Grade 5 – 9. Following the parties, the older children went into the Bang Na slum community for caroling, sharing the Good News, and praying over and blessing 40 elderly residents who are disabled with no family to care for them, with hygiene and other necessary supplies. Thank you to all partners and individual donors for supporting the Christmas outreach party, which allowed 111 children, 72 parents, and 109 elderly people in 4 communities struggling with 7 months of lockdown, to come enjoy and celebrate in joy, the true meaning of Christmas.
Through the service we heard many stories from the children of parents out of a job, as they are from poor area, ethnic minorities without citizen ID cards and unable to receive the vaccine, which means they cannot travel and haven’t seen their family in almost 2 years. They said they are thankful to have the hostel so they can stay safe, no one has contracted Covid-19, and they are able to continue going to school and have good food to eat.
Testimonials
Guide, who lives with his mother, sister, and grandmother in Bang Na, was affected by the Covid-19 situation when his grandmother picked up the virus at her work. Due to hospital numbers, she was sent out of province to be looked after at another hospital, and Guide’s whole family had to quarantine. Guide is one of our Saturday students. When his school was closed, students were moved to online learning. His sister helped him to turn his work in, and when Concordia Daycare Center heard about their situation, we delivered school supplies, rice and food supplies, fresh food boxes, milk, and snacks to their family throughout their quarantine. Guide and his family, including his grandmother who was unable to work, were taken care of until their quarantine was finished. “Thank you so much for helping me and my family!”
A big thank you to all donors for donated funds to provide help and hope with CWEFT.
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