Visit to the crocodile farm with UK sponsors

Today we met with Tom and Tim, Thailand based UK sponsors to take their sponsored students Tuey and Jay on a visit to the Crocodile Park, also on the day out was our driver for the day Tom, Liz Shepherd of MERCY and 13 year old Lek.

First stop was to see the crocodile show which comprised of the trainer dragging some rather large crocodiles around before sticking his arm down a croc's throat and then dancing with one of the smaller crocs. The finale of be show was when the trainer stuck his head into the crocodile's mouth.

We then went on to the other animals where Tuey and Jay fed the Giraffes while Lek fed the crocs. Then onto the elephants where all three boys fed the elephants and the two younger boys went on an elephant ride.

A visit to the tigers was where Lek braved having his photo taken sitting beside one of the tigers (I politely declined the offer) then off to see the remaining tigers before entering the restaurant where every dish on the menu contained crocodile, so we decided against eating there.

After exploring other areas of the park for a while we decided to take the boys to eat at The Magnolias a lakeside restaurant before returning them home.

Narupol's and Pongsikonrt's lunch and shopping trip

Today we carried out the request of Bruno and Dominic the two French sponsors of Narupol and Pongsikonrt to take them for lunch and shopping.

As luck would have it their school was closed today so we did not have the usual time constraints and we were with the boys for more than three hours.

Lunch was at MK where the food is brought to your table to cook, the boys enjoyed the experience and ate well.

After lunch it was off to Tescos for shopping where at the top of each boys list was  a warm blanked as the nights have been fairly chilly of late. Then after each of the boys buying themselves a radio controlled car it was shopping for clothes where as well as other clothes each boy bought a long sleeved top and shoes it  was noticeable just how much prices have risen during the year.

Shopping completed and with the money the boys had left over each bought six Dunkin Donuts to take home to the family. On the way out of Tescos we persuaded the boys that a Svensons  ice cream was needed to round off the trip, we then took the boys back to their respective homes. A great afternoon out with two really nice and polite kids who are grateful to their sponsors for their continuing support.

'Piano' and 'Guitar' home visit.

Today we visited the room of 10year old 'guitar' and her 6 year old sister 'Piano'. The children's mother died in childbirth and the girls are cared for by their grandmother who works as a cleaner and also collects rubbish to recycle and the children's father a motorbike taxi driver.

The father works at night so after he finishes work he takes the children to school, returns home to sleep and the pick the up again before gonna comes home to care for the girls during the evening and at night.

Grandma leaves home early in the morning to collect rubbish and then goes onto her cleaning job, the girls help her sort and bag up the rubbish and this earns the family an extra 1000Baht (£20) a month.

The family's room is in a  dark and damp passageway where there are many rooms and with a lot of very ferocious dogs which fortunately when we visited were behind barred gates. The family's room has one mattress where all the family sleep.  Both girls enjoy school and are obviously well cared for with the meagre resources that grandma and their father earn they are very happy and bubbly kids.

We have offered to double the amount of food we fund each month which will make things a  little easier for grandma to feed the growing girls and we have asked 'Noi' the social worker with 'Kates Project' to buy both girls some new clothes and shoes.

We are still looking for individual sponsors for both girls as an offer to sponsor the girls a month ago was not followed through by the potential sponsor so at the moment we are paying for the girls schooling, details of the children can be found on our website at; http://pattayastreetkids.homestead.com/childrenneedingsponsors.html 

UK sponsor's Go Karting and lunch with the kids.

Today we met with visiting UK sponsor Ray Parnell to take out his three sponsored students for lunch, shopping and a visit to the Go Cart track.

The boys, brothers Taksin and  Chinawat were meeting the youngest student  10 year old Nonthacha for the first time and all got on well together during the day. The choice of where to eat was left to Nonthacha to decide and he chose Pizza, despite Suky's best efforts to persuade him that KFC was better.

After lunch we visited Tesco's where Ray bought the boys clothes, shoes, shorts, underwear and food for the family. Before leaving the boys chose a selection of Dunkin Donuts to take home with them.

After Tescos it was a visit to the Go Karting track to give the boys their first time Go Karting. As Nonthacha is quite small Khun Boonying our driver for the day volunteered to take him in a twin seat Go Kart so he would not miss out.

Following the Go Karting it was time to return the boys home to their respective families and all the boys said that they enjoyed the day and Nonthacha said that next time he wants to drive on his own.

www.slum-kids.org 

Home visit to Naphan

This ramshackle home is located way out of the main are of Pattaya and is home to Naphan, a student we sponsor through 'Kates's Project' and to four other family members.

Naphan is cared for by her grandmother and badly disabled grandfather. Grandfather was working and earning 10,000baht (£200) a month until his tripped and fell on the broken wooden walkway to the shack and is now paralysed and suffering firm diabetes.b

Grandma grow vegetables to sell and cares for Naphan and grandfather, her sister who also lives at the house brings in a small income to help ends meet.

The entire wooden walkway and part of the small wooden floor where grandad sits desperately needs replacing, grandmas brother has been collecting timber to replace the flooring but needs help with the cost of nails and some sturdy wooden supports, if this work was carried out it would be feasible to find a second hand wheelchair for him to give him some mobility.

We have asked Khun Noi of 'Kate's Project to buy Naphan some new clothes and shoes and put her in touch with a project that may be able to assist with a wheelchair.

www.slum-kids.org

Hauy Phong Children's Home New Year Party

Public album of the photos from the Hauy Phong Children's Home party. December 26th 2013

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Visit to Chonburi Youth Prison

Today a visit to the Choburi Youth Prison to visit 'Pon' one of our 14 year old students who is serving a two and a half year prison sentence for possession of drugs.

'Pon' is small for his age and very slightly built and was travelling on the back of his uncles motor bike when the bike was stopped at police check point, the uncle put something from his pocket into the kid's pocket and when they were searched it was 'Pon' who had possession of the more than 20 tablets of drugs and he was arrested.

Whilst on remand waiting for the court trial a fight broke out amongst some of the boys on remand and 'Pon' being the smallest took the blame and that automatically added another six months to any sentence he would receive.

When the kids arrive at the prison they are issued with two T-shirts, 2 pairs of shorts, 2 pairs of underwear, a tube of toothpaste and a toothbrush, a towel, a small bottle of shampoo and a spoon and unless they have someone to bring them anything else that is the extent of their worldly possessions during their sentence. The prison officer displayed the pack the kids are issued with for us to see.

'Pon' is now 5 months into his sentence and despite our best efforts we were unable to get a smile out of him (not really surprising considering his circumstances). 'Pon's' 80 year old grandfather who was caring for him makes an occasional visit but the prison is about 60miles from Pattaya where he lives. We were permitted to take photos  (which we are not publishing other than this edited one) of 'Pon' for his UK sponsor who asked us to find out what he needs and but it for him. 'Pon' asked for boxer shorts, underwear, T-shirts, toothpaste / brush, deodorant, talcum powder and skin cream. His main wish was for a warm coat. We have asked Suky of MERCY to organise the purchase of the items on our behalf and arrange for them to be delivered to 'Pon' in the next few days. On our way to the prison we stopped and bought a bucket of KFC for 'Pon' thinking he may want to share some with his friends, although he indicated that he would probably eat most of it himself, he certainly looked as though he needed something to eat.

'Pon' is on an agricultural vocational course during his sentence and there is a possibility that his sentence will be reduced by a few days for good behaviour, when his sentence ends he will be in grade nine and hopefully be able to return to school to finish his education.

The prison unit houses 300 boys and the daily budget for food per person is just 40Baht (80 pence) and that has to provide 3 meals a day. In the prison their are two social workers and one child psychologist for the 300 boys.

Palm, Pey and brother Got, shopping treat on behalf of UK based sponsors

Palm, Pey and Got, shopping trip on behalf of Palm's sponsor.

Today we took 12 year old Palm shopping on behalf of Steve and Dan her UK based sponsors who had also asked that younger sister Pey (11) and brother Got (6) be included.  Despite Suky trying to persuade them that they should eat at KFC the kids wanted Thai food, so Thai food it was before heading to Tescos for clothes shopping for the kids plus a remote controlled car for Got. After shopping our best efforts failed to convince the kids that we should try Svensons ice cream so it was back home to mum.

www.slumkids.org 

Australian sponsor's visit to Pattaya

As you may have already gathered from the photographs, we had a great visit with Kevin  (who works in the mines) his sister Judith (who works in Health Care in Brisbane) and Natthew, his Thai friend (who spoke very good English and Dutch, having lived in Holland for 7 years).

Since there was a bit of a mix up at the school when they went to pick up Sarawut (the teacher had brought the wrong brother, I understand), Paphawee hadn't gone to school (but no-one had thought to tell us) and horrendous traffic conditions due to it being International Fireworks weekend and market day...we were somewhat later than we had intended in picking up the sponsors.  That said, they were very understanding, since we had tried unsuccessfully to call and text them. They had tried calling me, but unfortunately I'd left my phone at home. However, as we were in the van which has no MERCY sign on the side, Boonying ran foul of the guard at the Venue who hassled him about being a private taxi driver. (Clearly, it was one of those days!)

Since we were running a bit behind we decided to divide and conquer, so after a delicious lunch in Maes Y Ruen we went into Tesco Lotus and do some shopping.  Suky went off with Sarawut and Kevin, and Judith and I went along with Paphawee and Natthew.  It was quite funny really; everything was fine when she was looking at frocks, T-shirts and jeans, but thinking she might be embarrassed when it came to underwear Judith and I tried to head Natthew in a different direction. However, try as we would, he was a lovely time choosing pretty patterned undies - and making sure Yea went along to try everything on.  She took it all in her stride, shyly listening to everyone's suggestions, but clearly appreciating his comments and sense of style. Judith and I were totally surprised, but it seems he has sisters with whom he's very close, so it was all very mundane for him.

When we met up it was obvious that Yea hadn't as many clothes as Dean, so Kevin insisted she go back for another look before we headed to the grocery department. In addition to his nice new wardrobe, Sarawut had chosen the ever popular remote controlled car to while away his leisure time, which brought a big beam to his face, bless him.

Surprisingly, neither of the children went for Dunkin' Donuts to take home with them, but everyone except Yea was so happy when Kevin suggested ice cream, so it was very quiet on the journey back, as we all tucked into Dairy Queen delights of various kinds.

After dropping Yea at home (she was collecting a bag and Grandma was dropping her back at school) we took Sarawut home, as Kevin had expressed his desire to know what the family circumstances were and if they needed any help.

They were very happy to receive all the groceries, and we asked if Suky might go inside the house to check what else, might be needed. Back she came with the reply that they needed mattresses, bedding and a fan.

As Kevin is leaving today and it was already late in the afternoon, we decided that we'd take he and Judith to the mattress shop for him to see what was available, and he paid for 3 single mattresses, and bedding, which Suky and Boonying have delivered.  Then he and Suky went to Big C to look at fans, and he bought two, which are also on the van with Suky today.  

It was a great pleasure to meet such lovely and generous people, and I hope they'll come back and see us again one day (Kevin certainly will).

Registered Charity No. 1104335

100 Years From Today

It will not matter how big your bank account was, the sort of house you lived in, or the kind of car you drove. But the world may be a little better because your help touched the life of one child.

www.slum-kids.org

Helping the kids in the Youth Prison

With thoughts of Christmas approaching we thought we would update you on how some of the money donated  is being spent.

Our Treasurer  is visiting Pattaya during December and January and has been invited to visit the Youth Prison in Chonburi where there are 600 boys and girls aged between 9-17 years either on remand awaiting sentence by the courts or serving jail sentences. Many of these kids have committed offences through poverty, living on the streets or have been caught up in the drug trade

As many of these kids do not have families or friends to visit them or to bring them clothing or toiletries  we have offered to use some of the money you have generously donated to help buy essential items such as, T-Shirts and  Boxer shorts for the boys and , shirts and Bras for the girls.  Towels, slippers, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, detergent and personal hygiene items and underwear for all of the boys and girls.

In the New Year we will report on the visit to the prison and if possible include a few images although naturally there are restrictions on taking photos of kids in prison. We hope that you feel that helping these kids is a worthwhile way to use your donations and through you make the lives of the kids in the prison a little bit brighter.

Anyone wishing to make a donation can do so by visiting our website and clicking on any of the 'Donate' button and including the reference 'Youth Prison'.

Registered Charity No. 1104335

100 Years From Today

It will not matter how big your bank account was, the sort of house you lived in, or the kind of car you drove. But the world may be a little better because your help touched the life of one child.

www.slum-kids.org

The dangers of mosquitoes

Suky went out to visit these children's mother  yesterday.  It seems that her husband has begun drinking, 'playing the field' and meeting with 'old pals', so they have separated.

Unable to earn enough at her day job to take care of her children and her brother, she has begun working in a Karaoke bar in the evenings/nights.

It seems that Saharat was not at school when she called, because he has some very worrying skin problems, probably the result of being bitten by mosquitoes and then scratching...and the baby has some similar, but less angry looking patches, too. (We may have to look at how we can try to prevent this, also.)

The children need to go to the hospital, and Suky is free to take them tomorrow morning.  We're trying to firm up details with Mum.  We have no idea how much it will cost, but we'll give you the report as soon as they've seen the doctor, O.K?

Registered Charity No. 1104335

100 Years From Today

It will not matter how big your bank account was, the sort of house you lived in, or the kind of car you drove. But the world may be a little better because your help touched the life of one child.

www.slum-kids.org