Saturday afternoon was a great Children’s Day celebration with the Yommarat community.

A pair of awesome volunteers, Pilar and Nicole, organized games and crafts for the kids and about 15 other volunteers who joined.

Watch the video below (Or click here: In Search of Sanuk Children’s Day 2012 in the Yommarat Community)

Volunteers got lots of hands on interaction with the community’s kids, parents, grandparents and passerby’s who heard all the fun we were having.

The highlight for me was being able to help seven families by giving out gift certificates to a local supermarket where they can purchase food and clothing. Actually, we worked with the community to identify ten families who were in need. Since we didn’t have a big enough budget to help everyone, volunteers and I decided to choose the top 3 neediest to sponsor throughout the year. You’ll be hearing more from us about those three families as we get to know them.

Remember your donations will allow us to help them throughout 2012. Make a contribution here.

[Note: See the details on our donation page for US citizens who want to give a tax deductible donation.]

In the next update I’ll describe our fundraising needs for the year and a plan to keep you up to date on how much aid we’re distributing to help families in Bangkok.

What are the biggest needs in your family?

-Dwight

There we joined the Little Light Project by playing games, snacking, singing and dancing together.

The next photo is with a student named Daw, expressing her gratitude to everyone who participated. On the far right is the founder of LLP, Prae Sunantaraks. Join her group on facebook to learn more about their project or join the next activity. I’m very proud of this photo with them, except that it was taken while I wasn’t wearing my clown nose.

After lunch was Sanuk My Saturday, where we celebrate being child-like weekly and teach English (yes, in that order).

In the community we teach in, the smallest students are the ones who have the best attendance. Luckily, we are joined by great volunteers who are ready to help even when we change our plan to teach at the last minute to better engage the kids who come.

This week we begin an art project making a book called Big Fish. Big Fish is short story for kids about love and companionship that anyone will enjoy reading. The book is an original work written and illustrated by ISOS volunteer Lola Rainey to help us fundraise.

Until the end of February, when you donate $10 or more online you will receive a free copy that has been colored and autographed by the kids from Sanuk My Saturday.

Thanks for reading. In the next update I will share more about our plans to expand the program into another slum community in Bangkok.

-Dwight