Following all of the activities surrounding the one year anniversary of the Tsunami, we have had a relatively quiet couple of months with our projects.

We are actively pursuing the rebuilding of the Baan Chao Thai Mai School.  We have been desperately trying to find a reliable contractor to do this project so that work can take place over the April school holidays. Hopefully we are now on the right track, and can begin according to plan.

We are still holding funds for the Mogan Sea Gypsy Cultural Center, but a decision from their “council of elders” is slow in coming.

We have made a new thorough assessment of all of our students in the south with the help of Rae Johnson, who lives with her family in the Takuapa area, and teaches in the local school.  This has been very helpful to us, and we are thrilled to have her help.

An additional 20 students from the Northeast Region of Thailand are being sponsored by our Fund.  It may seem strange that children so far from the coastline are amongst the neediest children affected by the Tsunami. There are at least two villages in the poor, rural, NE of Thailand where 80% of the income came from families working in construction and the tourist industry in the south.  The orphaned children now live with their elderly grandparents, who also were dependent upon the incomes of their now deceased children.  It is quite desperate in these families, and we are hoping to relieve some of their financial burdens.

I would like to report on the financial standings of the Minor Tsunami Relief Fund. ($ U.S.1= approx Thai Baht 40)

To date we have received in our Khao Lak Employee Fund, from public and corporate donations B 2, 667,317.

We have given to staff in payment for loss of life in their families, loss of homes, and financial support, a total of B 2, 534,716.

This leaves us with a balance of B 132, 601.  We are holding this money in the event that any of our staff needs further assistance.

We have closed this fund unless we find at a later date that it is needed.

In our general Minor Tsunami Recovery Fund, which is very much an ongoing fund, to date we have received B 9, 940,965.

Most of our donations have been from the kindness of personal donations, but we have also received approx B 4,000,000 from our hotel group which donates $1 from each room night in our Anantara Hotel Group.

On our Small Business plan we have an outstanding expense of B546, 784.  Most of our business recipients have been loyal in the regular return of the interest free loan, as best they can.

We spent B 808, 000 on our fishing boat project.

We spent B 450,470 on the building of the Mogan homes.

We spent B 210,000 on our various school projects.

We have spent B 402,916 on our student sponsorships.

Misc. expenses have amounted to B 54,613.

We are holding B 2,000,000 for the Sea Gypsy Community Center.

We are expecting the rebuilding of the Chao Thai Mai School to be approx. B 3,000,000.

We have a balance of approx B 2,000,000 after deducting the holding funds for the Mogan project, and the Chao Thai Mai School.

It is my hope that we can continue to sponsor these needy children as long as they need our assistance.

I hope that anyone reading this report will consider making further donations to our ongoing fund.  Thank you for all of your support in the past, and for your interest in reading this report. 

Kathy Heinecke