Reports on Educate Thailand's Most Vulnerable Children

Project Report | Feb 17, 2025
Meet Am: A Story of Resilience and impact

By Amanda Reeves | Operations Manager

At Hands Across the Water, we believe in creating opportunities that build brighter futures, and Am’s story is a powerful example of how your attendance at our events makes this possible.

Am grew up at Home Hug, a safe haven that provided her with access to education, a loving community, and a secure place to call home. With the foundation laid by Hands, Am pursued her education, graduating in 2019 with a degree in Business English. Her dreams of a career in hospitality seemed within reach when she secured an internship with the Novotel Hotel in Bangkok.

Then COVID-19 struck, and like so many, Am’s plans were derailed. Rather than giving up, she returned to Home Hug, dedicating her time to caring for the younger children and providing office and translation support between Hands and the home she once lived in.

As we worked with Am, we saw her potential shining brighter than ever. We created a new opportunity for her to intern with Hands Experiences Thailand, our bicycle touring company.

In May 2024, Am moved from Yasothon to Phang-nga and joined the team for 12 months of training to become a licensed tour guide. She has poured her heart and soul into the work, and just last December 2024, she passed her exams and earned her Southern Tour Guide License. Am’s first solo tour was nothing short of epic - managing logistics for our Founder's Run to Remember. A big task that she took on with a great big smile and a lot of heart.

As Am’s first anniversary with Hands Experiences Thailand approaches, we’re excited to explore her future aspirations. If she chooses to continue her journey with us, we’ll support her pursuit of a Whole of Thailand Tour Guide License, empowering her to grow in her career and continue giving back to Hands and the home that helped shape her.

Links:

Am, a story of resilience

Permalink

Oct 24, 2024
Nurturing Growth, Creativity and Mindfulness

By Marlene Bowden | Marketing & Brand Manager

Nurturing Growth, Creativity, and Mindfulness at NLPK and NLPC Homes

This month, we're excited to share updates from NLPK and NLPC Homes. Our kids are engaging in a range of enriching activities that foster academic, creative, and spiritual growth, equipping them with the tools they need for a bright future. Curious to see how these amazing kids are flourishing? Read on!

English Lessons
At NLPK Home, our English lessons, conducted by a dedicated teacher within the project, provide children with crucial language skills. These lessons help the children improve their English proficiency, an essential tool in today’s world.

Art and Colouring Activities
Creativity is a vital part of our children’s development. At NLPK Home, art activities are organized every weekend for 30 children aged 8-12, where they explore colours and practice meditation and imagination. Similarly, at NLPC Home, teachers arrange colouring activities every Saturday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for children aged 7-12. These activities are designed to enhance their imagination and thinking skills.

Cooking Activities
Cooking classes are a favourite at NLPK Home, where 10 children learn to cook every Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. using ingredients they have grown in our garden, such as mushrooms and vegetables. These classes teach practical skills while fostering a sense of responsibility.

Tie-Dye Activities
NLPK Home also offers tie-dye classes, where 10 children design patterns on handkerchiefs and shirts, enhancing their creativity and self-expression through colourful designs.

Summer Novice Ordination Project
In honour of His Majesty the King’s birthday, three youths from NLPC Home participated in the novice ordination ceremony at Wat Ratchaburana, Lang Suan District, Chumphon Province. The ceremony, held from April 30th to May 6th, 2024, was a significant spiritual experience for the participants, marking their commitment to mindfulness and religious practice.

Mental and Health Counselling
Mental well-being is a priority at NLPC Home. Ms Patramon Chueytem, a psychologist from Lamae Hospital, provides individual and group counselling, offering healthcare advice and support to our children and youth, ensuring they have the emotional tools they need to thrive.

Agricultural Education
At NLPK Home, children participate in agricultural education, where they learn about crop rotation and the cultivation of various plants, including lemons, lemongrass, and basil. This month, they’ve added eggplant, chilli, and okra to the garden. Similarly, at NLPC Home, children and youth harvest organic vegetables daily, such as cucumbers, pumpkins, and bok choy, which are used in their meals. At NLPC Home, vocational training includes teaching young people to make compost from natural materials. This ongoing project has already produced 2 tons of compost, which is used within the home to reduce reliance on chemical fertilisers.

Beadwork
On Saturdays at NLPK Home, girls aged 7-18 learn the art of beadwork, creating necklaces, keychains, and ankle bracelets. This activity nurtures their creativity while also providing them with a potential source of income.

Exciting Occasions to Look Forward To
The children at NLPK and NLPC Homes have several exciting events to anticipate in the coming weeks:

Watching Movies in the Cinema: A special outing where the children can enjoy films in a cinema setting, creating cherished memories.
Sports Day Activities: A day filled with physical activity and teamwork, helping the children build their physical skills and camaraderie.
Field Trips and Travel: The children are eagerly looking forward to visiting new places and even travelling abroad with friends, broadening their horizons and enriching their experiences.

At NLPK and NLPC Homes, every activity is thoughtfully designed to support the children’s growth, happiness, and well-being. We are committed to providing them with the education, skills, and experiences they need to lead fulfilling lives.

Permalink

Jun 25, 2024
Home Update From Baan Tharn Namchai (BTN)

By Jenny Lewis | Marketing Manager

Providing our kids with access to education is one of the things that we do daily in our Hands Across the Water homes. Each month we share updates from the homes that tell stories of what our kids are doing at home and at school, including the educational activities that they have taken part in and any achievements or awards that they might have received. Today we share some recent updates from BTN Home. The home has been bustling with activity, from artwork to offsite trips, cooking competitions, and preparations for the Business Blueprint charity ride in support of Hands Across the Water! Read more about these experiences below.

In March, BTN Home staff organised art-inspired educational development activities for preschoolers and first graders. They blew paint into patterns, had an art teacher guide them in watercolor painting with brushes, and enjoyed the beauty of Sri Phang Nga National Park by watching fish and playing in the water.

On Makha Bucha Day, which was on February 24, the children went to Wat Kongkhaphimuk to attend prayers and to make a pilgrimage for themselves. The purpose of this pilgrimage was to instill a sense of good conscience in the children and to encourage them to embrace Buddhism. In the afternoon, the children listened to sermons from the master. In the evening, they took part in evening prayers and candlelight processions. Learning about Buddhism is a large part of their Thai culture.

The children have also been busy in the kitchen. They learned how to prepare grilled meatballs. The children helped thread the meatballs onto skewers before grilling them in the charcoal oven until they were cooked and ready to eat for lunch. Learning through cooking is a great way to aquire new skills of self-sufficiency and independence.

Additionally, the whole home took part in an international cooking competition. The children were divided into groups, and the members helped prepare a foreign dish. This cooking activity was organized to give all children practical experience. Initially, their results might differ from what they expected, especially if the dish was challenging to prepare. Still, they learned that they will succeed if they continue to practice. And in the future, the children can cook for themselves. Knowledge of food and food preparation is a potential profession that the children can pursue. And learning how to work as a team is another valuable skill they were able to practice.

BTN Home held a haircutting day and a homework mentoring session outside of the kitchen. The older brothers and sisters helped the younger kids with their haircuts because it's a tradition to get haircuts before final exams for the children's good health. Additionally, the older students assisted the younger students with their homework, checked their work to see what they still needed to complete, and helped them submit it to their teachers on time.

Looking ahead, the children and staff are most excited about the arrival of the Business Blueprint cyclists participating in the charity ride with Hands Across the Water. The kids can't wait to celebrate the arrival of these riders, who will have raised $5,000 and will have completed a bike ride of 500 km over 5 days when they arrive at BTN Home on April 21!

We thank you for your continued support of our kids in their ongoing education in and out of the classroom. Because of the support of people like you, they will have brighter futures and a life of choice.

Links: