We would like to welcome to the Chiang Rai Village Project team two new recruits who have joined us in June: Thawat Bekaku and Somboon Kittisirimongcon. 

Thawat Bekaku is originally from the Akha hill tribe from a village in the province of Chiang Rai. He has been able to pursue Primary and Secondary schooling thanks to scholarship support and as an exemplary student, he completed his professional school at the Chiang Mai Technology School with a Diploma in Electric Technology.  Thawat is completing his research Thesis this year at the Chiang Rai Rajabhat University that will lead him to a Bachelors Degree in Logistics Engineering and Management. He has been working hard in perfecting his English as well in recent months. His knowledge of the Akha language and culture and his skills will be an important asset to the Project.

 Thawat will oversee the projects in the Akha Villages and be responsible for the Education, Infrastructure, and Agriculture and Income Generation Programs for those villages.

Somboon is originally from the Hmong hill-tribe community and was able to attend school thanks to the help of his older siblings' support who were working to help the family.  Somboon is the brother of Watchree (Ann) who has already worked for three years as the Administrator for the Chiang Rai Village Project. Somboon has a Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering from Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna Changrai.  He also has work experience with the Thai Royal Project in charge of Electrical Systems.

  

Somboon Kittisirimongcon on the left and Thawat Bekaku on the right with a group of sponsored students at the Mae Ha Pai Rai School in Pha Taek village.  On the far left is one of the teachers of the school.

Volunteers Francesca Ferrari and Silvia Alfero travelled to Azrou in June to oversee the progress of the Morocco Back to School Project launched in 2010. They met with beneficiaries and other stakeholders, accompanied by Country Manager Mohamed Lasry.  The Foundation supports 40 former street children from the ages of 8 to 16 at the Azrou Center for Community Development.  Since the start of the program, some of these children have learned to read and write at the center, as they had formerly been out of school for many years. The children follow an accelerated non-formal national curriculum whereby they complete two years in one to catch up for their lost years and thereby be able to be reinserted into public school at their age appropriate grade level.  Older children can opt to join our two year Professional Training Programs at the center. 

 

The challenge we are facing now is that we have learned that part of the reason these children have abandoned public school in the first place was the violence in the classroom on the part of the teachers, in addition to their poor socioeconomic conditions. Some children are brought to tears in recounting their personal traumatic journeys before arriving at the center. The students are now finally happy and thriving at the Azrou Center and do not want to return to the public school system. The risk would be to have them return to school only to drop out again and end up once more working on the streets. While we envisage exploring with local authorities the reasons for these persisting and widespread issues in public schools, and what solutions can be found, we are also rethinking the program to extend the children's enrollment at the center, for those who wish to do so, to more than two years as initially planned, so that they can complete their schooling with us and then join directly a Professional School which will enable them to obtain a job subsequently. 

 

Classroom at Azrou Center. One student also brought her little sister to class that day, who listened quietly, as she could not be supervised at home.

"My name is Karima and I am 16 years old. I am pleased to study in this institution because I am able to learn many things  in various subjects and how to be independent in the future by developing my technical knowledge in the vocational training programs offered here: wood carving, hairdressing, sewing, and embroidery. Also, I like to exercise doing sports. Thank you for your help." 

 

Karima comes from a poor family. Her parents do not have a fixed income. 

 

She left school because of violence from the teachers and she cannot talk about it as it brings her to tears.  After dropping out of school, she begged for three years on the streets before joining the Azrou Center.

 

From Karima's mother

"My name is Leila. Despite the very difficult circumstances in my life, I do my best to try to make my children happy. My current experience showed me clearly that the illiterate person cannot be effective. For this reason, I decided, 2 years ago, to enrol my daughter in the program of non-formal education.

This is a very important opportunity for her. At the Center she has learned to read and write and she helps us even in deciphering certain documents such as postal mail, electricity bills, and telephone  text messages sent by the family . Thanks to the Center, she has also participated successfully in the National Day of Song of the Child in Rabat. I am proud of her because she is making a better future for herself by learning vocational training skills."

  

 

Burkina Faso Village Project A letter from Ramdé, a Grade 5 student, from the village of Savilli who is enrolled at the Nibagdo School.    "In my family, I want there to be health. In my family, I want there to be joy.  In my family, I want there to be peace.  I want my parents to live for a long time.  I want my family to be able to earn enough money t o buy food.  For 2013, I want for my father to own a motorbike.  I also want my mother to have one.  I want God to bless my family, and I want God to help us.  I want to pass to secondary school in 2013 with my brother and sisters.  I want my village to be well.  In my family, I want us to be safe.  In my family and in the village, I want there to be food. Thank you."

 

 

 

Thank you to Mercedes Hamilos, volunteer Sarah Meisch, and Tennis Tonic for collecting 6 boxes of used clothes, children's books, toys, and sports equipment for a total of 67 kg of items that have been shipped to Thailand and will be distributed to villages and preschools in Chiang Rai.

Gala Dinner 2012

Don't miss our upcoming Hollywood themed Gala Dinner  "Golden Globes for Golden Hearts"!

 

This is a great opportunity to contribute to projects that directly benefit underprivileged children!

 

100% of proceeds from the dinner will be devolved to projects on location.

For those who cannot make it, you can still contribute by making a donation online on our website at www.pistoriofoundation.org 

 

For more information on the Gala Dinner, please contact singapore@pistoriofoundation.org  

Date: Thursday November 1^st

Venue: Tower Ballroom, Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

Time: 7 pm