Character and Leadership Training for Thai Youths

It takes GUTS to be a Leader!

Come October, come the rainy season, come the National Young Leaders training camps. For a young person to make a decision to come to the leadership camp, it is a decision that takes courage to make. Firstly the young leader knows that he /she will have to endure tough lessons to come out of their comfort zones. They have to make efforts to get to know new friends that they are grouped with who come from different provinces, abide by rules and regulations in camps, be physically and mentally challenged in all that they do, and at the same time be able to serve others with cheerfulness.

It takes a guts for the young person to come to the Leadership Camp. Yet despite it all, nearly 200 campers attended the 4 day training from 13-16 October. The Leadership camps were sub-divided into Leadership Camp for Primary Level girls, Leadership Camp for Secondary Level girls and one just for the Boys!

Once the camp officially opened, the campers were immediately challenged to pack to go on a 5 km hike on a hot afternoon,  that would end up with pitching their own tents, cooking their own meals outdoors and then sleeping under the open skies on a field that was drenched with yesterday's downpour, only to be woken up at midnite to move camp.

The tenacity that we saw in these young people amazed the adult volunteers and throughout the 4 days, these young people bonded well with each other, as they learned topics like game leading, song leading, planning for national events, using the 6 thinking hats method, making model planned, beaded brooches, etc. The teens even had the opportunity to experience, rock climbing and practice parachute jumping off a high tower.

All campers proudly ended wth certificates as proof of the vigorous training that they had undergone and they though will miss their new-found friends, they also look forward to next year's training, when they will surely meet again.

"I have made so many new friends from different provinces!" said Jedi

"I learned a lot in this camp, to be a better person" Oil said

Without your donations and support, the Foundation for Life would not have been able to help these young people to find challenge (in a safe enviornment) and meaning, especially in finding value and self-esteem!

Your feedback and comments are most welcome, so that we can improve our services to the young Building Character and Leadership in young lives!