KID’S CORNER
HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Contract signed for a unique Building Project in Ban Chang

Regent’s Round Square Service Group meets the School for Life at Asian University

Tears from children and parents as 30 youngsters from Sai Yai Rak Camp No 2 return to society

Mayor presents certificates to school graduates

Contract signed for a unique Building Project in Ban Chang

(Front row, pictured left to right) Reangrit Choechoerd, Burapa Law; Fr. Giovanni Contarin, Camillian Social Center; Ms. Dolores Carr Wickes, Ms Helle Rantsén, Dr. Atithep, mayor of Ban Chang City, Jirasak, Ban Chang Municipality.

The mayor of Ban Chang City, Dr. Atithep Charuyawetwatana signed a contract with members of the Rayong Ladies Circle to confirm the allocation of municipal land on which an initial 10 houses will be built for underprivileged families in Ban Chang.
The families chosen to live in the houses will be elderly taking care of grandchildren whose parents have died from AIDS, or very low income families with children who are now living in the slum areas of Ban Chang. The families will not have to pay to live in the houses, but will need to pay for water and electricity.

Pictured left to right: Ms. Dolores Carr Wickes, Rayong Ladies Circle; Ms Helle Rantsén, Rayong Ladies Circle; Dr. Atithep, mayor of Ban Chang City.
At a ceremony in Jorkoo City Hotel, Dr Atithep explained that Rayong Ladies Circle is an international group who aims to foster friendship between members and their local Thai neighbours, as well as promoting goodwill in the community by charitable and other work. As part of their welfare programme they have initiated a Building Project, which to date has built three new houses and added toilet extensions to three existing houses since the project started over one year ago. He, the mayor of Ban Chang City, and his staff were very happy to co-operate with the building project by providing the land on which the houses would be built.
The formal signing of the contract was the culmination of months of discussions between Rayong Ladies Circle and Dr. Atithep who in turn sponsored the proposal to the local government Senate and Provincial authorities.
Speaking on behalf of Rayong Ladies Circle, Ms. Dolores Carr Wickes, building project coordinator, stated that they were very happy to be able to give this gift to the people of Ban Chang on behalf of their families and friends back in their home countries. She hoped that this would be the first of many such joint projects.
Ms. Helle Rantsén, RLC welfare coordinator added that, “As expatriates we are honoured to live in Thailand and are delighted to use this building project to assist low-income families in the area.”
Building of the first 10 houses commenced on April 20, 2006 and they are expected to be completed in two months. The small development will be called “Muu Baan Éire” – “The Irish Village”, in honour of the Irish people who so generously donated the money for building this first phase. In addition, each house will have an individual name that reflects the wishes of the family or organisation that made a new home for a Thai family possible.
Anyone who wishes to find out more about this unique building project, or make a donation, please contact Dolores Carr Wickes; Tel 061-421 093, email: dcarr1 @eircom.net or Ms. Helle Rantsén; Tel. 016-368 165, email: helle_rantsen@access. inet.co.th


Regent’s Round Square Service Group meets the School for Life at Asian University

Gaby
(Year 12 IB Student)
Hearing the title of this project, a mixture of thoughts immediately prompts my mind. How can a life be taught in a school? Or is it lives that are being built up there? Does it give life? It simply gives a chance.

The Round Square Service Group enjoys the presentations at Asian University made by the School for Life students from Chiang Mai.
The School For Life - ‘A project for orphans and underprivileged children in need’ was founded in 2003 and presently deals with AIDS orphans, extremely poor children as well as victims from the tsunami catastrophe, in Chiang Mai. The people who work in the School for Life, however, do not distinguish between the children, for them they are all the same-children like everyone else, like us.
The Regent’s School was invited to attend a presentation by a group of these students from Chiang Mai, who are currently staying at the Asian University for a four week camp, where, as they said are “exchanging knowledge”.
As the group of Regent’s students arrived at the Asian University on the 24th of March they were warmly welcomed by one of the teachers from the School of Life and the next two hours flew by unnoticed. The group of around 40 students was as prepared as we would have been for one of our school performances. The show they had put together was flawless and amazing. The activities ranged from unique music performances from the North of Thailand, choir singing, a musical, a presentation of some of their art pictures accompanied with an explanation of the feelings that were being expressed and painting-in English.

The children were truly amazing.

The children were truly amazing. They were able to sing in four different languages, which showed how hard working and enthusiastic the students are. Positive energy was in the air throughout the whole time making everyone in the audience smile and feel touched by their happy faces. They gave everything, forgetting their shyness and just enjoying the moment. It made you think how, despite all the traumas they may have experienced, they are still able to enjoy life; it made you wonder...
On the journey back to The Regent’s School, the group of our students commented on the fact that the children we met looked and acted exactly like normal kids - wanting to make friends and just be accepted and indeed they are and were.


Tears from children and parents as 30 youngsters from Sai Yai Rak Camp No 2 return to society

Narisa Nitikarn
The official closing ceremony of Sai Yai Rak Camp No 2 for vagrant and delinquent children was held at Pattaya City Hall on April 10 with tears from parents and children and vows of intent from the youngsters to become responsible members of society from now on.

Parents and children alike shed tears as the camp ended.
Sai Yai Rak Camp was conducted under the Problem Solution and Wandering Child Support Project, with 30 children attending over a three-month period from January 9 to April 20. The guiding principle was to train the youths to respect the rules of society, and to provide occupational knowledge for them to earn a living after leaving the camp.
Deputy Mayor Wattana Jantanawaranon led the closing ceremony, which was attended by Somchai Sirorat, head of Social Development and Human Stability Affairs in Chonburi, Captain Sutad Imurai, deputy commander of the Coastal Defense Force in Region 1 and director of Sai Yai Rak Camp No 2, and representatives of the Supanimit Foundation, YWCA Bangkok- Pattaya Center, and Chonburi Provincial Court along with parents waiting to take their children home.

Supanimit Foundation officers present roses to the children.
Supagon Noja, director of the Child Protection and Welfare Center, said that the difference between the first and the second camps was that the initial project had only one month in which to train the children. The time was too short. The second camp had three months, which allowed a lot more time for instruction and learning. None of the 30 children had attempted to escape from the camp.
Occupational training was used to reduce the dependency of the children upon providing sexual services and to steer them away from drug use. Some of the children had expressed a desire to continue with a newly learned skill as a career, and the process team was ready to help them achieve this.
Eleven children had gone back home with their parents, fourteen went to the Children and Youth Security Center, two went to live at the Redemptorist Center, one went to Mahamek House in Bangkok, and two have become apprentices who will later return to their homes. Four of the children had expressed a wish to become novice monks.
Parents and children alike shed tears as the camp ended, and Supanimit Foundation officers presented roses to the 30 children. All children sang the “Promise” song together, promising to return to society with specific goals and the intention to succeed.

The children paid their respects to the King Taksin Monument in front of Pattaya City Hall.


Mayor presents certificates to school graduates

Vimolrat Singnikorn
Mayor Niran Watthanasartsathorn on March 31 presided over the presentation of certificates to 275 students who have completed their sixth year of secondary school education, at a ceremony at Photisampan Phitayakarn School. The mayor, who was welcomed by school director Prasit Luongthong, also presented plaques to top students of the school.

Mayor Niran Watthanasartsathorn presented certificates to the graduating students.
Mayor Niran said that the presentation of the certificates and plaques was to support education at a certain level for students who had completed their basic education and to encourage them to continue their studies to higher levels.
Amongst those receiving plaques was Miss Benjaporn Tanruonwong, who had completed her secondary school studies and who won a district level science competition, and Master Rattaphumi Ruamanmanee, who won a district project competition.
Benjaporn said that the school had not only given her an education, but had taught her many other skills to apply to her everyday life. She added that she was happy to have completed her studies there and if she has the opportunity she hopes to bring fame and success to the school.

275 students completed their sixth year of secondary school education at Photisampan Phitayakarn School.