Educate at-risk girls, change the world: Thailand

You have a generous heart! In your empathy, you continuously desire to do something to help our dear world. We want you to know that you are doing something great to help, not only by protecting at-risk girls, but also providing education to unfold their full potential. Educating girls is investing in the greatest tool to bring about long-term change.

News

- 44 girls will graduate this April from Grade 12 and most have already received university scholarships.

- A rare Memorandum of Understanding between a secondary school and a university was signed between Dhammajarinee Witthaya School and Khon Kaen University, one of the largest university in the northern part of Thailand. This agreement will ensure higher academic development programs for the school, and more university scholarships in the future for graduates.

- Dhammajarineee Director Acharn Yai always strives to make her school and teachers better. Recently she made available to her faculty (including herself) two very progressive faculty leadership and creativity training programs. 

- Zonta International, a global organization advocating for women’s equality and educational opportunities, choose Mae Chee Aunampai Passakchai (Acharn Yai) as the winner of the Zonta International Centennial Anniversary Award for Women's Empowerment at their 100th anniversary celebration on 6 October 2020 in Hong Kong.  

Stand by: March 8 -12 is another great matching fund opportunity for maximizing your giving, more information coming soon.

Hi. I’m Suja, a graduate of Dhammajarinee.

I came to Dhammajarinee because my family is poor and we live in a remote area without any basic means of communication. It was not possible for me to continue my education after middle school. Dhammajarinee was the perfect opportunity to continue my education and my parents did not have to pay anything. The benefit to my family from not needing to support another child was great.

“Dhammajarinee gave me this amazing opportunity to continue my education and also receive a scholarship to attend a BA degree program. One thing I love about Dhammajarinee is that it taught me to be disciplined, for example more patient and punctual. What I love most about Dhammajarinee School is how meditation gave me a calmer mind. In addition I loved being together in a warm family. At Dhammajarinee the teacher is like a second mother and the school is like a second home.”

After completing my BA degree in the field of Chinese language and teaching, I returned to teach Chinese to grades 1-3 at Dhammajarinee. I am very grateful to donors who support this school.

This year has seen growth on many levels:

* in the student body

• in the completion of a new dormitory

• in new curriculum development

• in extra curricular activities,  with the help of outside professionals assisting in areas of music, organic gardening, professional baking, business, and restaurant management skills.

Dhammajarinee thanks you for investing in more girls like Suja. You are not only investing in more courageous, resilient girls, but you are investing in their futures, their families and villages, and a better world.

Your generosity so far has resulted in achieving 78% of our goal to support the additional 100 students this year. We thank you for your continued support to reach the goal.

Heartfelt warm wishes for the New Year from everyone at Dhammajarinee School.

Sincere gratitude to each of you!

Linda Wagoner for Dhammajarinee

Dhammajarinee’s new school year began in early July with 1100 students. All hearts go out to you for helping to bring to our school the additional 100 students over what we had last year.

Your donation has helped greatly with the transportation to bring the new and returning students to Dhammajarinee from some of the most remote regions of Thailand.

Over half of Dhammajarinee’s operating expenses go to provide three meals a day, plus and afternoon snack to all students. Your donation is also helping greatly with this.

In addition to standard quality educational curriculum, Dhammajarinee offers programs to develop talents like traditional Thai music and dance, through the help of volunteers and experts in these fields

Your donation is helping these four bright, happy students complete their education, left to right:

Dhammajarinee official: Ms. Chakriya Pinitratana-anant Teachers’ Rep.

Naparat, age 10, came at age 3. Her parents struggled to find employment and had to move constantly throughout the country to get work and thus they were unable to take care of her education or needs.

 Wateerat, age 16, came just over a year ago. She lived with her sister-in-law and suffered extreme emotional swings. She was recommended to come to Dhammajarinee and in a short time has found calm, happiness and emotional control and loves studying English and Music.

Sunisa, age 10, came at age 6 from the northern remote Hill Tribes of Thailand. Education opportunity was extremely limited so her single mother wanted to give her the best education possible.

Nishakan, age 18, came at age 9. Due to poverty her parents worked night and day and could not take care of her. Nishikan said, ‘I love this school because it is so orderly and quiet. This school gave me a new life, a chance to meet and have so many great friends for the first time in my life.’

We are excited to alert you to stand by for a wonderful GlobalGiving (GG) matching fund opportunity coming up 14-18 Sept. We will send you an update on this with details closer to this date. In brief, during those four days:

GG will match 50% all donations up to $50 dollars And if anyone signs up to give a recurring monthly donation, GG will match 100% the first time, plus provide the 50% match up to $50.

Heartfelt thanks to you for being part of Dhammajarinee’s success !

Practical preparations for the expansion of the Dhammajarinee Witthaya School student body began in March with orders for new uniforms, bunk beds and kitchen supplies.

Because Dhammajarinee is a boarding school, the Thai Government approved the school to resume classes one month earlier than expected. Buses are being organized to transport the students back to the school from their families or distant relatives, shelters, and orphanages from where they originally came.

Some examples of the many students currently registering at Dhammajarinee:

• A young girl whose only parent just past away was brought by officials because they recognize the great opportunity and special care the girls receive at the school. • Two single mothers, each with 3 daughters, registered their six girls because they have no income to feed them.

The Coronavirus problem has been very successfully contained in Thailand with few infections existing outside of Bangkok. Most of the students safely left the school in March for yearly summer vacation just before the lockdown became effective. Some of the girls had nowhere to go so remained on campus and have been well taken care of.

 In the next ten days we will be able to see how many girls have come for the new year. It is expected that many more will come due to the current economic crisis.

Heartfelt thanks to you for joining in to help make this expansion happen !!!

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