Character and Leadership Training for Thai Youths

How It All Began ....

The Foundation for Life has a number of projects under her wing and one of them is "The Little Entrepreneur" Project, which aims to impart in the Girls and Boys in our care, Character and Leadership of themselves. In this Project, they are taught to make wise use of their free time to help earn some pocket money to be used for daily expenses like basic toiletries e.g. soaps, shampoos, sanitary pads, etc..

The story behind this  project is a moving one, deserving to be re-told once again...

Some 20 years ago, there was a school in Chiangrai (a local village school in the Northern province). This school receive children from the needy hilltribe groups that surround this area, who have poor access to basic education.  One day at assembly time, one of the teachers noticed some newspapers on the dirt field, that was stained in blood. It was later discovered that it belonged to a girl who had her monthly "period". This incident became the impetus for the teacher to do something for the underprivileged hilltribe girls who had no money to  get even the basic necessities. Knowing that these girls were good with sewing especially cross-stitching their tribal patterns, she encouraged them to cross-stitch their tribal patterns onto small pieces of cloths and she would then get some village ladies to use these to make into purses, bags, pencil cases, friendship bands etc. In doing so, she would get her friends and acquaintances to help buy them.

When the Foundation did some training in the north, we got to know of this and thus began to help the teacher and her students to spread the news and market whatever products were made. Some Thai representatives had the opportunity to attend a meeting in Perth, and as a result, this story was retold and a group of Australian ladies decided to  do something special for these girls.Firstly they bought the products that were made by this group of girls and then.. they went out and bought some packets of sanitary pads to be given to these girls!

I had taken a photo of these Aussie ladies with the sanitary pads that they bought, but unfortunately, due to computer breakdown, it was lost. However, I was able to dig up a photo of these wonderful and creative ladies amongst the files. These sanitary pads were then handed over to the girls in Chiangrai, who certainly received them with gladness.

I hope that this story warms your hearts as it has mine, knowing that though minuscule in the eyes of a business world, little kind acts of love goes a long way to encourage the heart.

We certainly welcome any feedback that can help us in our outreach to the needy.

 

Best regards

Vena Lung