Our kids are finally returning to school on 01 July! In Thailand, summer break typically runs from the beginning of March until early May. While the timing of the school break most certainly helped contain COVID-19, four months was a long time to have all the kids at home.
Over the past six years, this very well may have been the biggest challenge we’ve had to overcome. However, the sad reality is that we’re still not in the clear. The effects on the economy have been devastating, and the people in Thailand are continuing to struggle, so it comes with no surprise that school enrollment has dropped significantly this year, which truly breaks our hearts. In Isaan, many children cannot afford secondary education and have to stop school after grade six.
Our monthly sponsors and one-time donors have kept our kids fed and sheltered, as well as kept the gym open during this time. With the new school year officially swinging into effect, we wanted to share our utmost gratitude to our monthly sponsors and donors for the incredible impact they have made in our community. Because of their support, we can enroll all of our kids to school, including another boy in the village whose dad died when he was young. In total, we spent 500 USD on new school uniforms and an additional 250 USD on school fees.
Schools in Thailand have a hot meal program, and the kids are expected to bring money to pay for it. This, along with petrol, as we drive the kids to and from school, costs approximately 150 USD a month. We are fully aware that this is something that we can afford to provide for our kids because of all of the support we received from everyone, and so we wanted to extend our gratitude.
We continue to aim to provide the support these kids need to fight their way out of poverty, and that includes making sure that they get proper education so they can each reach their full potential.
You can help make a difference. Please donate today.