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Regent’s Students attend
Global Issues Network conference in Beijing
Hyun Jin Chung
(Year 12 IB student)
From April 4 to 6, three senior students and a teacher from the Regent’s
School attended the Global Issues Network (GIN) conference in Beijing. It
was held by the Western Academy of Beijing, based on the theme, ‘Earth’s
Hope’. GIN is based on Jean Francois Rischard’s book, ‘High Noon; Twenty
Global Problems, Twenty Years to Solve Them’. There are numerous GIN groups
within international schools across Asia working towards solving those
twenty global problems and this conference was the opportunity for us to
come together to learn more about them and share ideas on how we can solve
them together.
 Hyun
Jin, Boon, Chang and Blake represent The Regent’s School at the GIN
Conference in Beijing.
There were 8 keynote speakers who inspired all the conference delegates with
their amazing speeches. Jean Francois Rischard and John Liu helped us
broaden our knowledge on global issues. Marie So shared her experience
working as a social entrepreneur. Hafsat Abiola told us how she has seen
young leaders making differences in her life. Jane Goodall and Marc
Kielburger, the co-founder of Free the Children, encouraged us to believe in
ourselves and start making differences because it is young leaders like us
that can do it. Mechai Viravaidya, who battled against AIDS in Thailand,
informed us on what he did and how we should think outside the box. Austin
Gutwein is a 13 year old boy who founded a charity event, Hoops of Hope,
when he was only 9. He talked about his visit to the school he supported to
build in Zambia. His speech was truly inspirational and made us wonder how a
13 year old could be so big-hearted.
Another exciting part of the conference was the workshops. Every school that
attended had to prepare an interactive workshop on global issues and how
they have tried to tackle them. My fellow conference delegates and I
prepared a presentation on what GIN at the Regent’s did to tackle
environmental problems, which included recycling paper and cans, holding a
‘No Rubbish Day’ to promote wasting less, and our plans on making our school
carbon neutral by reducing energy wastes, painting the roof white and
planting more trees. Moreover, we held ‘Trash Fash’, which was an
interactive activity where the conference delegates had to make clothes out
of rubbish such as plastic bags, juice cartons and plastic nets. We not only
shared our ideas but we also had the chance to find out what other schools
do through workshops. They helped us to learn more about global issues,
discuss our opinions on them and what actions we can take to solve them.
The Global Issues Network conference was truly inspirational. The three days
seemed liked three months as we had so much to share, experience, and learn.
We all came back with lots of ideas that we can implement at our school. In
addition, we were given the courage to believe in ourselves, to step up and
make a difference!
The auditorium is packed with
delegates
at WAB as they listen to a keynote speaker.
New uniforms for Kate’s Project children
Kathleen Petras
PILC Welfare Co-Chair
On Wednesday April 30, a few members of the welfare team from Pattaya
International Ladies Club; Ingrid, Brooke, Mari, Kathleen and a new PILC
member Anthea, visited Top Victory Star Shop in Naklua to buy new school
uniforms for children from Kate’s Project on behalf of PILC.
 The
sizing and distribution of the uniforms were smoothly organised with the
help of Noi from Kate’s Project.
This is a new project that has been going for about a year. Rosin and
Andrew are the devoted couple who run the programme with their motto
being, “Bringing a little sunshine into the darkness”. They are a
helping hand to the poorest and abandoned, especially in and around the
Mabprachan Lake area.
Approximately 50 children ranging from 5 to 14 years old were kitted out
with shirts, pants/skirts and shoes. These children live in a slum area
near Mabprachan Lake and were brought to the shop by their grateful
parents, grandparents or relatives.
The owner of the shop, Manoch Vongthaiwan gave a discounted price of 15%
off everything so we had no trouble getting all the children everything
they needed.
The sizing and distribution of the uniforms were smoothly organised with
the help of Noi from Kate’s Project who is employed to run things for
the Irish couple who started the project and fund it from overseas.
Noi had provided general sizing information to the shop beforehand so
that all that remained was for each child to try on their clothes and go
out the back to be fitted for shoes. The helpful staff at the shop had
all the children fitted out and ready for a group photo in a shorter
time than we thought was possible.
A great morning’s shopping with some happy children and caregivers ready
to go home all ready for the start of the school year in the next few
weeks.
Pattaya International Ladies Club members are proud to be able to help
this project and hope to start a food delivery programme in this area
very soon.
If you would like any more info on this project or can help in any way,
please email our welfare chair, Ingrid Cunliffe at
[email protected].
PILC members, Kate’s
Project help and shop staff.
The helpful staff at the
shop had all the children fitted out and ready for a group photo in a
shorter time than we thought was possible.
Your Jesters Care for Kids donations at work
The kids of the inmates of
Rayong Central Prison with their scholarships for the new upcoming
school year along with the warden and his staff and members of the
Jesters Care for Kids committee.
Lewis Underwood
Rayong Central Prison: Children
of Inmates
On Tuesday, April 29, we visited the Rayong Central Prison on
Hwy 3191 en route to Pluak Daeng for the second consecutive year to
distribute scholarships to the children of the inmates. Of the 50
recipients, 43 were able to attend on this day to accept their 1000 baht
scholarship. Of this number, 18 were returning students, who also
received scholarships last year. We were delighted to hear this as our
goal is not only to give disadvantaged kids the opportunity to get an
education, but also that they stay in school as long as possible.
 On
Friday, May 2, Norm Aylward of the Jesters MC handed over his 30,000
baht donation to Khun Piangtah at Ban Jing Jai for this month’s food
costs.
Ban Jing Jai
Our goal with Ban Jing Jai, a small orphanage of 55 children
on Soi Nern Plub Wan in Nong Prue, is to employ a more hands on approach
this year in effort to give them more quality assistance. This includes
weekly visits to assess their needs and offer suggestions regarding the
health and welfare of the kids. We also are providing a monthly stipend
for their food costs this year, which is usually around 30,000 baht.
Pattaya Drop In Center
The Pattaya Drop In Center on Central Pattaya Road just east
of the traffic lights at the intersection with Carrefour, is a temporary
shelter for kids off the streets, many often abused as well. We have in
the past, along with the Pattaya International Ladies Club (PILC),
provided them with equipment and repairs to their building. On Thursday,
April 24, we gave them 30 of our latest black promo shirts.
The kids at the Pattaya
Drop In Center with their new black promo shirts for this year’s charity
drive. Also in the photo is Joe, the new director of the center, as well
as Ingrid and Woody.
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If you would like to join us
this year in our quest to continue to provide for the needy
children in the region, please visit our website:
www.care4kids.info |
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