1. Build strong relationships - This is the most important part of what we’re doing. Why? Because it allows us to assess the specific needs of the families. For example, we found out one of our students not only has trouble paying some of her school fees, but sometimes doesn’t have money for food. So we’re talking about providing scholarships for students in this situation and brainstorming what we can do about larger issues such as alcoholism, gambling and drug abuse that have lead to these circumstances.

2. Fuse learning with fun - This is not a replacement for school, which is free in Thailand. Our role is to reinforce what’s happening at school and to step in where problems like not having money for uniforms or supplies could derail their education. We do that by having a good time while exposing the kids to English, often one on one with an English speaking volunteer. A few hours on a Saturday may not seem like much, unless you consider that most of these children’s parents have never had a meaningful encounter with a foreigner, let alone interact for over an hour. Furthermore, in government schools, they are not likely to have a chance to study English until high school.  If nothing else, I hope all the photo updates I’ve posted of the last few weeks have convinced you we’re enjoying ourselves, but there have been other signs of success also. We’ve seen shy kids initiate activities and watched as over the past seven months the entire group has completely dropped any inhibitions they may have had about foreigners.

3. Engage change makers – This is where the volunteering comes in. We’re making it easy for Bangkok residents and sojourners alike become familiar with these communities and encouraging them to get involved. We plan the teaching, so volunteers mainly need to show up and engage the kids. This is not a hard sell, as other volunteering opportunities in Bangkok are scarce and the kids can be very convincing. Since the start of the program we have hosted about fifty or more volunteers and I’m hoping to get more locals active in the program this year. I want the volunteers to really see that they can make a difference and begin to take more ownership of the program.

Tomorrow will be a challenging day, as we begin to earn the trust of this new community. Not to mention adjusting to teaching new students when a freight train comes through your classroom regularly. However, we are optimistic about growing and constantly improving this program. I appreciate your constructive criticism and continued support. We will definitely be adding to this list of goals as the year goes on.

-Dwight

We made a small donation on our visit and also bought enough fish to feed the house that night, BUT by far we were on the receiving end of the giving. Life House’s loving group of kids and staff openely welcomed us into the day’s activities. Take a look and leave a comment.

It’s follow friday. So to show your support please visit Betterplace.org where you can sign up to support Life House and many other great organizations. I hope you enjoyed the video. These kids really touched us and I hope you’ll be inspired (whether you’re in paradise or at home) to have fun helping others!

~Dwight

Shortly after getting settled in with friends in Bali, I headed down to a local shop and spent about $25 US buying gifts for kids in one of the poorer urban areas of Denpasar. That’s about what you may normally spend for a night out.

For the price of dinner and drinks, I bought party favorites like balloons and noisemakers, mixing them in with the store’s entire rack of kiddy toothbrushes. What great value! Of course, they didn’t last long and the group of kids and moms grew and grew.

This is just a peek at what’s to come (See more pictures on flickr). We’re making plans to do more activities like this, thanks to your great input. Also, we’ll be sharing info on the great organizations we were able to visit while in Bali. Happy Friday and keep brainstorming small ways you can make a big difference in your community.

“Dream big, work smart, start local.”

~Dwight (@insearchofsanuk)

The students began the day by touring the facility and becoming familiar with the status of refugees in Bangkok. In the picture above, everyone is surprised to hear how many patients come through the center’s tiny clinic facility.

After the tour, the students began to clean litter, rocks and debris out of places where they planned to plant the flowers they purchased. The center is one of the few places it is safe for refugees to venture beyond their homes, so making the place more beautiful was a task everyone wanted to participate in.

These students not only had to do physical labor, but they were responsible for much of the project management aspects of their volunteer day. They wrote budgets in their teams, went shopping for supplies, and each team made a presentation to the staff at the refugee center.

Their presentations suggested what type of plants should be grown, the needs of the different species of plants, and even included menus of dishes the center could prepare with the veggies from their new garden.

They went over and beyond what they were asked by donating food, clothing, seeds for the future garden, and even pooling their money to contribute a donation. This should be an inspiration to all of us of what we can accomplish with a desire to help and a little teamwork!

Thank you to NIVA International School, all the BRC staff who participated, and everyone supporting this project. There is more work to do and we will need your support to continue into the next phase.

More before and after pics on flickr:

We don’t usually think about overcrowded slums and packed out apartments when we’re discussing going green. However, ISOS is proud to announce it’s first “green” project to assist the urban poor.

Project Managers: Dwight Turner, Hy Martin

Target: The urban poor (Bangkok’s poorest residents including Thais, refugees, and Burmese migrants).

Goal: Make a garden accessible in poor communities to educate residents, supplement their diets, and instill proper care for the environment.

Benefits: More discretionary income. Gardening is highly therapeutic, educational and the activity will encourage the interaction of foreigners and Thais without requiring much translation.

Potential Sites: Khlong Toey Slum, Bangkok Refugee Center, and if the budget allows we hope to add additional locations.

Activity: “Play In The Dirt Day”

• We will arrange a day for volunteers and the local community to join hands and “play in the dirt” by building a garden in an area accessible to the urban poor.
• Upon completion everyone will have lunch together and community residents will return home with seedlings to nurture.

Need: Appropriate space for a garden. Materials, gardening tools, and a group of carefully selected species to plant. Also long term community support to insure gardens reach full potential and are properly cared for.

Cost: ISOS events and donations from volunteers will fund this project. Sponsorship is desired. Please contact us to sponsor a garden.

Check out the original Urban Garden Project website and imagine the impact similar activities can have in Bangkok. Thank you for previewing our concept and make suggestions by leaving a comment.

The Story: One woman’s strength, Mrs. Prateep (aka The Slum Angel), has inspired and transformed the community in and surrounding Bangkok’s oldest and largest slum, Klong Toey. She has been on a mission to educate the urban poor since she was sixteen and now her organization cares for them beyond the classroom too. The Duang Prateep Foundation (DPF) has over 100 employees who serve the approximately 140,000 squatters in Klong Toey. DPF prides itself in responding to the needs of the urban poor at the grassroots level and focusing on long term, sustainable solutions to poverty. Get the whole story on their website.

Goals & Projects: A wide variety of projects exist to educate, create a stronger community, address health concerns, and provide emergency/disaster relief. This includes kindergarten programs, rehabilitation of at risk teens, a mobile puppet troupe and more! Please see the website for more details.

Need: Financial support. Long term volunteers in Bangkok. Short term (at least a week) or long term volunteers at their New Life Projects in Kanchanaburi and Chumporn provinces.

Final Word: This is the largest foundation ISOS has had the privilege to collaborate with. Their dedication to serve the community has stood the test of tragedy, and political turmoil. In the coming months we hope to invite many of you to join hands with this dynamic organization.

Website: The website is available in four languages (Thai version is the most often updated) and explains the endeavors of this foundation in great detail. You may also use the site to submit an application to volunteer with the organization. http://en.dpf.or.th/