The students of Half Day School seem to be at their 100% energy level from the moment they arrive to school till the moment they leave for the day. Financial support through Global Giving donations provided the students daily lunch meals, keeping them strong and active.
The school kicked off a new academic year on 15th of May and we were happy to see a few new faces at the campus. The Half Day School (HDS) provides free education for the children from the village surrounding the DEPDC/GMS site and 6 other villages in the Mae Sai area. HDS emphasizes “education for prevention” and includes training on human rights, health, victimization and sexual abuse prevention, life skills training, and reading and writing in Thai, Burmese, and English.
Over the last three months, in addition to international fundraising through Global Giving, we have received donations from local friends.
At the start of June, Half Day School received a grant to fund a 10-day baking class for its students. One of the teacher’s conducted the class and taught the students how to bake brownies, banana muffins, homemade jello desserts, cakes, and little biscuits. Students of Shan Youth Safety Training to End Risk Migration (SYSTERM) also had the opportunity to take part and learn to bake something new. The end result of each baking class was a large amount of sweets. The students proudly shared their baked goods with all students and staff at DEPDC.
On 14th of June, The Patak Half Day School celebrated “Wai Khru”- a ceremony honoring teachers. The ceremony consisted of a Buddhist chant for those who practice, followed by veneration for the king and showing honor and deference to all teachers. The teachers were handed a phan (or pedastalled trays, with symbolic designs of flowers representing sharp wit, rapid growth, persistence, discipline, humility and respect), as well as several rolls of flowers with candles and joss sticks. Some of the school’s former students crossed the Myanmar border to take part in HDS’s Wai Khru. They brought along food and snacks for all the students and made donations towards funding catered food for the day.
Last week, friends from a local farm donated corns to DEPDC to be shared among students. With Thailand’s wet season at its full form, the days are cool and dark. So there is a pleasant feeling from eating a hot corn on a rainy day with your school buddies.
On behalf of all the children, teachers, and volunteers at DEPDC/GMS, I would like to give a big thank you. Your donations go towards making an impact on the lives of our students and their families! If able, please continue to provide your much appreciated support. We would be very grateful if you would tell your friends and family about Half Day School and our mission at DEPDC. Follow, like or share our page on your preferred social media platform. Check out our blog posts on our website to learn more about the lunch activities mentioned.
How else can you help? If you are closely associated with a primary, middle, or high school, you or your child can start a school fundraiser. For just 30 dollars (USD), you can help supply a nutritious meal for up to 60 students. Even small donations can help support the purchase of seeds, organic pesticide, and gardening utensils to increase the Patak Half Day School’s self-sustainability.
Midday Meal for Half Day School Children
Half Day School’s Lunch Program successfully provided a midday meal to all children attending DEPDC/GMS’s Half Day School (HDS) for the 2017-2018 school year thanks to the generous support of GlobalGiving donors. However, support is now needed to help provide lunch to over 50 students for the new school year beginning in mid-May.
Please, consider supporting the Half Day School throughout the next academic year and continue to read to see what HDS school children have been up to these last three months!
Background
The Half Day School Lunch Program provides a nutritious mid-day meal to all students who attend DEPDC/GMS’s tuition-free school for at-risk children. These children are deemed at-risk due to being part of marginalized hill tribe or ethnic minority groups who live along the border of Thailand and Myanmar, an area known as a source, transit, and destination for human trafficking.
The Patak Half Day School provides primary school and alternative education from Monday through Friday throughout the school year. The HDS emphasizes “education for prevention” and includes training on human rights, health, victimization and sexual abuse prevention, life skills training, and reading and writing in Thai, Burmese, and English.
Lunch Program Special Events
Annual School Camp
Development and Education Programme for Daughters and Communities Centre in the Greater Mekong Subregion (DEPDC/GMS) hosts an annual summer camp each year. This year, camp included the three upper classes of the Patak Half Day School and 54 students participating in the Shan Youth Safety Training to End Risk Migration (SYSTERM).
The HDS and SYSTERM students were divided into six groups of varying ages. The students from the two programs became fast friends and worked well together despite age, ethnicity, and language differences.
Each group was supplied enough protein, rice, vegetables, and sauce for 4 dishes, 2 dinner meals and two breakfast meals. The groups were required to plan out what to cook each day with the items provided and alternated which members cooked and which members helped clean their camping space. The HDS teachers cooked lunch each day along with a traditional Thai dessert in order to allow more time for education. Visit our blog to read more about this year’s camp and see photos of the students during health and fire safety training!
Community Celebration
In March, students from Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Youth Expedition Project (YEP) visited the Half Day School for two weeks. On their last full day in Mae Sai, YEP students organized a community celebration to mark the end of their journey. The students were able to share their culture’s mutual love for both the culinary and performance arts. SYSTERM, Half Day School, and YEP students performed traditional dances and sung songs which they felt represented their individual ethnic group or state. Each group cooked at least one dessert and savory dish that allowed the students to taste something unique from their new friend’s world. Plenty of leftover food was sent home with the Half Day School children for their families to enjoy.
A Sincere Thank You
On behalf of all the children, teachers, and volunteers at DEPDC/GMS, I would like to say thank you…you make a difference in the lives of our students and their families! If able, please continue to provide your much appreciated support. Please, don’t forget to spread the word about the Half Day School and our mission here at DEPDC/GMS by following, liking, or sharing us on your favorite social media platform!
How else can you help? If you are closely associated with a primary, middle, or high school, you or your child can start a school fundraiser. For just 30 dollars (USD), you can help supply one nutritious meal for up to 60 students. Even small donations can help support the purchase of seeds, organic pesticide, and gardening utensils to improve the Patak Half Day School’s self-sustainability.
DEPDC/GMS's HDS Lunch Program:
Meal Support for Migrant School Children
Another three months have passed and DEPDC/GMS would like to share some news with you! With financial support raised through GlobalGiving and several community supporters, the Half Day School’s Lunch Program was able to continue its mission to provide a nutritious mid-day meal to every student over the last 90-days, including our 5 new students since the start of this semester.
In addition to international fundraising through GlobalGiving, the Half Day School was very thankful to receive support from several Mae Sai visitors.
On November 29th, 2017, representatives of the Mae Sai Running Club visited the Half Day School after their morning run. They arrived with big smiles, monetary donations, and several large bags of second hand clothing. The money was donated to help fund the Patak Half Day School’s Lunch Program. The Half Day School children were asked what they wanted to eat the next day after receiving the generous donation. Their response: noodles and Thai dessert!
The following day, all the HDS students and teachers enjoyed a favorite noodle dish and a traditional Thai dessert, pumpkin soaked in sweetened coconut milk. It was a beautiful day and the cooler weather allowed everyone to eat together outside. The children enjoyed the same pumpkin desert for Christmas; it was “delicious!” or “aa-roi!” as we would say in the Thai language.
Earlier in the season, the Half Day School’s Lunch Program received support from one current volunteer and one former volunteer who visited the school in the beginning of Winter. Visitors make the children just as happy as desert! So if you are thinking about coming to Thailand, do not skip Mae Sai. Join us for Lunch at the Patak Half Day School!
As some of you may know, the Half Day School partakes in several projects each year to help make the lunch program more self-sustainable and more nutritious. These projects include harvesting rice and growing a small organic vegetable, mushroom, and herb farm right on the school grounds. Growing rice and fresh vegetables does not only encourage the students to eat healthy foods, but it also teaches important agricultural techniques so they may be able to grow their own food later on in life. The rice harvest for 2017 was completed in mid-December and new vegetables were planted throughout November and December, including cabbage, peppers, corn, taro, tomatoes, and a variety of herbs commonly used in Northern Thai cooking. Learn more about the Patak Half Day School’s rice harvest on our blog!
On behalf of all the children, teachers, and volunteers at DEPDC/GMS, I would like to say thank you…you make a difference in the lives of our students and their families! If able, please continue to provide your much appreciated support. Please, don’t forget to spread the word about the Half Day School and our mission here at DEPDC/GMS by following, liking, or sharing us on your favorite social media platform!
How else can you help? If you are closely associated with a primary, middle, or high school, you or your child can start a school fundraiser. For just 30 dollars (USD), you can help supply a nutritious meal for up to 60 students. Even small donations can help support the purchase of seeds, organic pesticide, and gardening utensils to increase the Patak Half Day School’s self-sustainability.
Links:
Another three months have passed and DEPDC/GMS would like to share some great news with you! With financial support raised through Global Giving, the Half Day School’s Lunch Program was able to provide a mid-day meal to every child over the last 90-days. On behalf of all the students, teachers, and volunteers at DEPDC/GMS, I would like to say thank you…you make a difference in the lives of our students and their families!
As some children may only receive this one meal throughout the day, the Half Day School Lunch Program attempts to provide students with a satisfying yet nutritious lunch. DEPDC/GMS recognizes that learning is impossible if basic needs are overlooked.
In addition to international support these last few months, DEPDC/GMS had special visitors from Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai Province offer donations of food for the Half Day School:
On September 12th, a former Daughter (student of DEPDC/GMS) returned to visit with her mother, husband, and best friend. They provided gifts of dried food and other vegetarian items, such as sweetmeat and ice-cream, for the younger generation of Daughters and Sons of the Half Day School. Following graduation from DEPDC/GMS, she received continued financial support to complete 3 years of high school. Referring to Sompop Jantraka, founder of DEPDC/GMS, as “Father”, she thanked him for helping provide her with a life of safety and stability where she finally has the capability to “give back”.
On October 20th, two former Sons returned to visit and donate nonperishable items for the Half Day School Lunch Program. Current students had the opportunity to listen and learn from two strong role models who were once in their exact place in life. The two former Sons are now Monks with one completing his third year of law school. DEPDC/GMS strives to teach the importance of community service, thus it was a blessing to watch former students not only exemplify this value but also share it directly with younger Daughters and Sons. Please continue to provide your much appreciated support, especially as the weather begins to cool in Northern Thailand these next few months. Although the cooler weather is welcomed with open arms, it also means “hello” to the common cold and an increase in expense for fresh fruits and vegetables. Also, don’t forget to spread the news about the Half Day School and our mission here at DEPDC/GMS by following, liking, or sharing us on your favorite social media platform!
The three month, May to July 2017, passed by and the Half Day School’s Lunch Program provided lunch to the children every day. Teachers, staff, volunteers, and the older students helped in preparing food. Due to the current rainy season fresh ingredients for cooking became increasingly expensive and especially fresh vegetables like napa cabbage, pak choi, tomatoes, yardlong beans, cabbage, and other are increasingly hard to find.
One important thing is that visitors, parents, and community members came about four times to provide lunch to the students. This included special things such as Guidiow (Chinese Style Noodle Soup), Kao Soi Nam Ngiow (Northern Thai Style Noodle Soup), Pad Siow (Fried Noodles), ice cream, and sweets.
During June 2017 a volunteer group from CISabroad came and made spaghetti and learned how to prepare Thai food themselves. The learned how to make Tom Yum (hot and sour Thai soup) and Kanom Bua Loy (traditional Thai sweets) and gave their results to the students. This was used as lunch for the students and the volunteers themselves. This was a good chance for the students and volunteers to exchange and learn about the foods of foreign countries.
In July 2017, the International Volunteer of DEPDC, who is from the Netherlands, made Arretjescake (Hedgehog slice) with all the students.
And the end of July 2017, a volunteer group from ISV was at DEPDC and produced French Toast for the children.
From all these experiences the children had the chance to taste foreign food which made them happy and know the joy of eating together.
Finally, we at DEPDC and all of our students would like to thank all former, current, and future donors, whose kind donations made DEPDC's work possible and enable us to provide healthy lunches for all of our children at HDS.
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