Monmen Before Monmen After

We visited Monmen and Songkran on the 24^th of April in the Chonburi Hospital. The first time we met them was in the Banglamung Hospital a few months ago. Monmen is doing so much better than before, he is really gaining weight and growing hair. Songkran is doing good as well, in 7 months he will go out of the Hospital. We spend time with them and we found out the mother of Songkran is also looking out for Monmen, since Monmen’s bed is right in front of Songkran’s bed. The real mother of Monmen is back to Cambodia for her passport, when she comes back to Thailand she will take Monmen in her home in Pattaya. We will try to get a passport for Monmen so he can stay in Thailand. Pai is going to track down the father of Monmen and check if he has a Thai ID card (then it will be easier to get Monmen  a Thai passport)

We are pleased to confirm the venues for both our events this year.

Due to the Diana Garden Resort being unavailable for the foreseeable future, we are delighted to announce our Children's Fair this year on 8th September 2013, will be held at the picturesque Regent's School, Pattaya. We are very excited about our new venue and are looking forward to working with The Regents School to create a memorable and fun Children's Fair.

Our Gala Party Night on 21st September 2013 will be held again at the Amari Orchid Pattaya in the grand Aranda Ballroom. Our ticket price this year is 2,200 baht per person. To reserve a table/ticket, please here

L to R - Lewis 'Woody' Underwood, Deborah Philbrook, Brendan Daly (GM at Amari), Laddaphan Supatee (Ass. director of events at Amari), Tony Malhotra (Pattaya Mail)

Along with all of the normal stimulation children need to grow up healthy, we have designed a physical therapy routine especially for Fah Sai, our goal, seeing her walk on her own.  We will not give up on her and seeing her steadily improve in the time she has been here gives us hope that this goal will be reached.  Shortly after her arrival here she began using her arms to scoot across the floor.  She has recently received Botox injections in her hips and legs in order to help relax the muscles in this region, thus combined with daily physical therapy has strengthened her leg muscles and given Fah Sai a greater range of motion in her lower extremities.  As a result she has learned how to pull herself up and crawl on her hands and knees.  This is great news as it is a natural progression for children learning how to walk.  She is currently able to stand with assistance and even take a few steps.

Fah Sai is now able to feed herself, and at mealtime will frequently verbalize her likes and dislikes.  It should be noted that her progress is much more than physical.  She is able initiate conversation, understand the conversations around her, and give appropriate responses when asked questions.  She even understands many commonly used English words.  Her speech has become clearer and she is easily understandable to those around.  She is able to express her feelings, her desires, and even speaks up when she needs a diaper change.

The Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Abuse Centre was established in Pattaya in order to deal with problems of human trafficking and child sexual abuse. The main target groups are street kids and children at risk.  Khun Supagon Noja, the Director, has many years of experience in this field and established their current home less than a year ago.
 The centre’s main objectives are assisting these children in obtaining education and life skills that will enable them to return to their families and society. It is important that these children are cared for in a safe environment during this period.
    Jesters Care for Kids recently installed a water filtration system at the premises and while there we were told by Khun Ja that there were several young girls that he was unable to help owing to lack of accommodation. At a subsequent committee meeting, we agreed to fund the construction of a bungalow that would accommodate 5 children.
As usual the construction was carried out by the older boys at the Centre under the guidance of Khun Ja. This system works to keep the cost down and has the added benefit of teaching the boys some valuable skills. Jesters applaud the contribution made by this organization in confronting what is a serious problem in our community and are happy to be of help in some small way.

For more info, please visit www.atcc.or.th

Last month, on February 14^th The Links Challenge held their second annual charity golf tournament for the benefit of the Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drive. The major sponsors for this event were Inspire eMagazine, Club Nevada, and the Pattaya Sports Club, as well as many minor ones.

The popular 2-man scramble format was continued this year but at a different venue, namely Khao Kheow Country Club, which is also known to host other charity golf tournaments.

Last year for their inaugural event The Links raised 121,300 baht and vowed to surpass that figure this year. They kept their word too by ultimately raising USD 5,000.

The Jesters would like thank all of the participants and sponsors for this great result, and, especially, the organizers, Russell Exley, Mike Contoni and Homer Kemper from The Links Hotel, Restaurant and Bar on Soi Buakhao.

Pictured (L to R), Mike Contoni and Chilly

2012 was Pattaya Mail's 10th year of continuous Platinum Sponsorship to Jesters Care for Kids. Thank you from all the Jesters Care for Kids committee and all our project kids.

Pictured below: (L to R) Peter Malhotra (Managing Director, Pattaya Mail), Lewis Underwood (Chairman, Jesters Care for Kids), Tony Malhotra (PR/Media rep, Jesters Care for Kids), Paul Strachan (PMTV rep, Jesters Care for Kids) 

Every month the Jesters Care for Kids and Pattaya Street Kids Project make a combined donation of 15,000 baht for poor families with disabled children in the Nong Prue municipality, under the Share Love with a Friend banner. In the photo are Bernie and Bill handing over their allotment of rice to the twins, Nat and Nan, who were both born with deformed legs.

At a recent visit to the Camillian Home in Lat Krabang for kids living with HIV and disabilities, we visited Fahsai, who is the little girl that was abandoned and has been afflicted with palsy since she was an infant. We discovered that her wheelchair needed repairing and offered to fix it. When we took it to the shop in Sri Racha, they said it could be fixed, but it was going to involve fabricating a part, which was going to take some time. So, in the meantime, we decided to buy her a new one; after all once the ‘old’ one is repaired, it can be used as back up or for another child.

Here is Fahsai in her new wheelchair thanking all of you with a big ‘wai’.

Dear Supporters and friends,

We are gearing up for a road trip. 1800 kilometers in 5 days. Bangkok to Chiang Mai, from there to the jungle village Baan Mae Gon. From Baan Mae Gon to the school of Baan Huai Krataai. From there back via Mae Sot to the urban jungles of Bangkok!

I am looking forward to it! And so are all volunteers as we are all running around and taking care of the final details. 

Here are a few photos, from bottom to top you see some of the shopping Scott and I did at Macro's, a yearly event and always fun. Just the usual stuff, cooking material, dried food, protein, pots and pans, garbage bins to try to teach the kids to keep the place clean, and more.

A photo of donated blankets by two kind Thai ladies. There is a little gift from me and a few friends and that will be a small fireworks show; never been seen in the jungle. Do not worry, the photo is in the firework shop, that is not our collection haha. I can just imagine the amazement in those little eyes.

Most of the equipment is already on location. We have heard from the director of the school that the building of the dormitory has been going smoothly. The floors should be done when we arrive. We will help finishing it in the next few days. 

A lorry with donated mattresses, blankets, rice, sanitary towels, two brand new sinks and much more is on its way to Baan Mae Gon as well. And so will be the playground for the young kids, that will arrive with us on the 12th of January.

The Kharma Foundation is on the road again! Thanks to you :)

So a big thank you and I will write to you upon return!

Kind regards,

Martin and all volunteers