Train 7,000 Disadvantaged Girls in Rural Thailand

The Goodwill Ubon Ratchathani (Ubon) office is now celebrating our one-year anniversary at the end of August.  After one year we have been organizing workshops, developing our training curriculum and promoting our projects in different villages in the province. We have been working hard to provide life skills information around migration awareness for young women in the school and vocational training for women in the village.

Our current programs in Ubon include:

1. Life skills and career path for young women in migration (how to survive in Bangkok)

During this past year, we've learned that most of the young women in Ubon high schools don’t know what to do with their life after school. They would like to continue studying in the university, but their family can’t afford to send them. They know that they have to work but no idea where to get a good job with decent work conditions.  Many have worked part-time during school breaks in shoe factories, making bags, as sales-women. etc. We often found that they work long-hours (12-hours to 14 hours) for small wages (4,000 Bath/per month/6 days a week)

In the "How to Survive in Bangkok" workshops, we helped to educate them with knowledge of how to find a good job, advice on how to deal with potential hazards of living and working in a big city and providing contacts to government ministries, public services and NGOs that they can reach out to for assistance in Bangkok.  We are also working with the Department of skills development in Ubon to help with job placement, and we are helping to find jobs for trainees in Bangkok.

After the workshops, young women have more knowledge about jobs available in Ubon and Bangkok. We have received positive feedback from different schools, who would like us to continue working with their students every year, and there is a high demand for our programs in other schools.

1.Vocational training

Apart from working with young women in schools, we are building our network to the women in different villages working in farms.  Most of them used to work in Bangkok but return to their province for different reasons.  Goodwill is providing different vocational workshops, in which we teach how to use sewing machines and making bags. Our jewelry and bead-making is always popular and full with participants. In addition to skills training, we aim to build their self esteem and inspire them to start a small business.

2. Career consultation and placement for Employment

We haven’t worked as much in this area as we would like to. Career consultation and placement activities need more time and trust. We need to work more in the community in the village. They still doubt our work as it all for free. Our job will be providing information at first and may consult with women and young women but they may not get placement by us. But at least they have knowledge about job career with them. 

3. Computer training

Our computer training focuses on how to use the internet and basic computer skills.  We also teach how computer skills can help them with their education and other opportunities. As our computer lab is in the office in town, it is not easy for villagers to come in and used them regularly, but it is always nice to see them enjoying new skills and finding out more information on the internet.

After one year, Goodwill can proudly state that our Ubon office has had significant success that we can build on. We would like to thank all supporters of our project for the generous contributions. Our project is going to have more activities and achieve more success, and that success is not possible without all of your continued help.