By Oratai (Dang) Thaweesin | Executive Director
“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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Withyourhelp,wecancontinuetoimprovethelivesofunderprivilegedchildren,women,&families!
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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