Baan Nam Kem July 10, 2007

Here is a short up date on some of the students that we are sponsoring in Baan Nam Khem (BNK).

We have two other groups of children that we sponsor; some in Khao Lak, and some in the NE of Thailand. I will include a report on them next month.

Rattana Family: The four girls are doing well, attending school regularly and working hard. Sunisa, M3, is now talking about studying hotel services next year at the vocational school in Takuapa. It is wonderful how the grandmother cares for the girls like their own mother would. She is active selling Thai sweets that she prepares at home, and sells door to door in the area. We have provided for a covered addition to their home so that there is room for this small enterprise. Although the house in BNK is finished, they are still living in Prutiaw. They say there have been a lot of earthquakes recently, and do not have the courage to move back. The grandfather regularly visits the BNK house and keeps a beautiful flower garden outside of it.

Gop - Pitak: Growing rapidly, now taller than his grandmother. Studying P4 at the Bangmuang School. Enjoys sports, English, computers and art. On Saturdays he likes watching cartoons. Seems very happy.

Game – Tawatchai: Game is doing better in school now, attending M6 regularly at Sennanakul School. He is not certain what he would like to do next year. His guardians provide him with a secure home, and he seems quite happy.

Oat – Saran: Oat is studying M1 at Sennanakul School and gets a lot more homework than he did in BNK. When he has time, he goes to the home of an American volunteer family living in BNK to study English and to just visit. I met him last at the food market in Takuapa, picking up rice and curry for his supper. I have the feeling that his grades will improve this year, but time will tell.

Gip – Suwannee: Gip comes to school much more regularly now that she lives in BNK. She continues to be cheerful and outgoing a big change from last year. Her aunt now works at a Phuket hotel, but her grandfather is at the video store, that we funding through our small business plan, every day.

Wisuthi – Nen: Nen has returned to school again, starting M1 for the third time. Time will tell if he sticks it out. I stopped sending him any funds when he dropped out. I have asked him to write a letter himself, with some kind of promise to finish the year so that I can resume his sponsorship. He had been hanging out with a very unsavory group, and after giving him many chances to return to school, I felt obliged to cut him out of the program. I am willing to give him another chance.

Phanuptong – Jay: Jay has moved to Bangkok where he is in vocational school studying engine repair. He lives with his uncle and says he is doing fine. I will arrange to have lunch with him, and see if he needs our continued support.

Piyanuch – Ben: A neighbor told me that Ben has now married the soldier she met when he was building houses in BNK. They live in Nakorn Sri Tamarat. I do not know if she is attending school. I will try and contact her, but most likely will drop her from our sponsorship program, and find another student in need.

Sitthiphon – Jane: Did not get out to his house, but hope to contact his supervising teacher at the Tetsabahn School to get a progress report.

Mr. Lang: This is a shrimp farm that we have been supporting through our small business plan. The “farm” was completely destroyed by the tsunami, and he has spent the last year and a half rebuilding by himself his small property. We have provided funds for supplies. The tanks and piping are now complete, and he now needs money for the pumps and filtering system. We will provide funds for this. When he gets the equipment installed he will get going with his shrimp and fish raising. He intends to raise Pla Kapong, a fish widely grown in fish farms around BNK, as well as shrimp. This project will also provide employment to at least 6 local men to help with the unemployment problem in BNK.

Mr. Pay and Mrs. Pen: They are batik artists and we have ordered sarongs and shirts from them to sell at local craft stores to help them survive. After loosing all but one of their children in the Tsunami, they are just getting back on their feet. We have provided funds for their only surviving son to attend university in Bangkok. Strangely enough, the son would like to be a scuba instructor. Hopefully we can provide a summer program to see if this is really the area he would like to pursue.