Care 4 Kids - 2003 Pre-Event News Article No 5

Our slogan this year, “Build a School, Buy a Scholarship, Brighten a Future”, refers to what we are doing with our beneficiaries in 2003.

Specifically “Build a School” refers to one of the two school buildings we are renovating at the Eastern Child Welfare Protection Institute in Huay Pong, Rayong. “Buy a Scholarship" relates to the scholarships we provide each year to children attending the Fountain of Life Center in North Pattaya in order to continue their education in government schools. And “Brighten a Future” refers to the goal for all our beneficiaries, which is to better the children’s lives through the provision of education and vocational training. For the students at the Pattaya Redemptorist School for the Blind in Naklua, this is especially important as they view the education as the means of becoming qualified for a profession, and not being a burden on society.

Overall, the Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive, now in its sixth year, continues to support those institutions giving otherwise disadvantaged children the opportunity to get an education, learn a vocation, and look forward to a brighter future.

This organization, which provides both education and vocational training to abandoned and orphaned children under the auspices of the Department of Social Development and Welfare, is located at the crossroads of Maptaphut and Sukhumvit in Rayong province. The site of the institute lies on the grounds of an old prison and for the most part still utilizes the original 50-year-old buildings. Fortunately, the building material used then was hardwood (teak) and it has survived well, especially given the severities of the tropical climate. However, the rains over the years have taken their toll mainly due to leaking roofs and lack of drainage around the footings.

After renovating the dormitory of the youngest boys last year, we then decided to take on the two school buildings (we will renovate the second one next year). The one we have taken on this year was especially in need of a new roof and support beams. Otherwise most of the wood making up the walls, floors and railings has just needed spot replacement. We are also installing new toilets and washbasins, new blackboards and replacing the wooden steps with concrete ones. Drainage is also being diverted so that rainwater does not pool under the structure. Work started in June and we hope that this school building will be ready for use early in September.

The Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive 2003 has just received its unprecedented 11th Platinum Sponsor (100,000 baht) from Standard Chartered Bank. The Human Resources team for Standard Chartered in Thailand has a “Seeing is Believing” theme this year for the benefit of blind children. So, when our Graham Macdonald heard of this he approached them and their donation was forthcoming.

Principal Aurora Sribuapun at the School for the Blind was delighted when we gave her the news about the donation. (The entire donation of the Standard Chartered Bank will go to the School for the Blind.) When asked what she would like to do with the money, she emphatically said, “We need new musical instruments and a music room". For those of you that might not understand or have not heard the School for the Blind Choir and Band, you will have an opportunity to do so as they will perform at the Jesters Children’s Fair on Sunday, September 14th at the Diana Garden Resort and Driving Range on the soi parallel to North Pattaya Road behind the World’s Largest Gem Store.

Fountain of Life Center

Our original target charity still gets the lion’s share of the monies we raise and for good reason. After the governor of Chonburi visited our Children’s Fair in 2000, he hastened the registration process of the Fountain of Life Center, finally becoming official under the auspices of the Good Shepherd Foundation. Suddenly things became easier for the Sisters at the Center, and the procedure for obtaining documentation, or birth certificates, for kids of the slums born out of the government hospitals became less difficult. Now the word is out amongst the poor that the Center is the stepping-stone for their kids to get into government schools. As a result kids are now flocking to the Center.

With this onslaught, and around 150 kids attending daily, the operational expenses for the Center have increased considerably. Except for the Center’s administrative costs, we (the Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive) cover all other costs that directly affect the children, such as food, transportation, dental and medical care, as well as the ultimate goal, scholarships. Medically, we also cover special operations, such as that for a 6-year old girl who recently needed a heart operation, as well as another girl of the same age, who required surgery for disjointed elbows and deformed legs due to pediatric arthritis.

Recently dental bills have exceeded those for food, usually the biggest monthly expense. In fact, the dental program spearheaded by Diane Connelly, can no longer be handled solely by the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, and requires private clinics and government hospitals to be sought out. The reason for the increased expense in this area is due to the Sisters and Volunteers realizing the importance of paying more attention to the dental problems of the older children with permanent teeth (and teaching them regular brushing) before moving on to the government schools through our scholarship program.

Of course, the ultimate goal for these children, besides better health, is to continue their education in the government schools via scholarships. Last April the Jesters ‘Care for Kids’ Charity Drive provided scholarships for 54 children to continue on the path of education, and a further 48 children are near to qualifying.

We are always trying to expand our beneficiary database and continually look for other worthy projects on the Eastern Seaboard within our means. And though our slogan, “Build a School, Buy a Scholarship, Brighten a Future” is specific for this year’s goals, the latter part, “Brighten a Future”, is always our goal for disadvantaged children. For more information go to our 2003 links page or send us an email JCD2003@care4kids.info.