Skip to main content

Visit to Safe Haven orphanage in Mae Sot, Thailand


January 1, 2010:

During the Christmas 2009 break, Debbie and I visited an orphanage along the Thai-Burmese border in the northern part of Thailand. Our Foundation has recently built water towers to collect and store water for the children throughout the year for this orphanage. Our trip to this area was to visit several orphans who are currently sponsored by the Foundation. These children are from Karen tribes who are refugees from Burma.

It all began about 15 years ago, when Mrs. Tasanee Keereepraneed received a frantic message from a local villager in Tha Song Yang, which is about 3 hours north of Mae Sot province on the Thai-Burmese border, that a little girl had lost her mother during birth. In Karen culture this is interpreted as a bad omen, and the child is often killed. Having lost her own father at a young age and her children also having lost their father when Tasanee’s husband was murdered, Tasanee decided that she, if anyone should be the person responsible for caring for the orphaned children of The Karen. Tasanee now has 48 children to care for in the Tha Song Yang facility and several children go to school in Mae Sot for education beyond grade 10.

The orphanage, consisting of several huts is located next to the Moei River, and is surrounded by jungle and beautiful limestone mountains. Before the water tower was built, water was carried from the stream daily to provide for the needs. The children now have access to safe drinking water as well as for all their other necessary requirements all year around.

During this trip we also met two Karen children, who are orphans and recently brought to the orphanage. 14-year-old Corde and her brother 8-year-old Nataphong. Both witnessed their mother being beaten to death by their step father in a village near the border. They are mentally disturbed. Our Foundation has agreed to look after their welfare and education.

There are many refugee camps along the Thai-Burmese border. It is sad the Karen tribes had to flee from their land in Burma. Every dry season bring fresh offensives by the Burmese regime and new waves of refugees fled to Thailand. Today there are more than 140,000 refugees housed in nine camps along the border. Majority of the refugees are from Karen tribes, but also including some minority tribes, such as Mon, Karenni and Shan. These people have fled the fighting and abuses by the military in their homeland.


Debbie is holding an orphan child who joined the orphanage a month ago.
Khun Tasanee (left) is also seen with an orphan

Nataphong and Corde (extreme left) are seen with Tasanee and Debbie

Tasanee is seen with the children before they leave for school

Our "hotel room" at the orphanage where we stayed

Huts where children live

Debbie is seen with one of the orphans

Comments

Tomba said…
HOME SWEET HOME..THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME. A PLACE WHERE CHILDREN ARE LOVEd, LEARN TO LOVE:)
January 13, 2010 at 9:46 PM
Unknown said…
I don't know if it is the place to say it, i read from many pages and am impressed by many of the actions taken in this Hope-ful project. Thank you for getting involved and for sharing.
March 22, 2011 at 10:53 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

VISIT TO ABDUL BAHA VILLAGE IN MYANMAR (BURMA)

In 1989, the military government in Burma, officially changed the English translations of many names dating back to Burma's colonial period, including that of the country itself: "Burma" became “Myanmar.” The name Burma has been in use in English since the 18th century. Burmese are very friendly. Highlight of our visit to Burma included a visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda and Abdul Baha village. Shwedagon Pagoda is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar. It is sacred to Buddhists from all over Asia and it is believed to contain relics of the four previous Buddhas of the present kalpa. Myanmar's military yielded to a civilian government in 2010 and has dramatically reshaped its economy, opening up various sectors, including energy and infrastructure development, to direct foreign investment. Many foreign investors, especially from ASEAN countries rushed to set up factories and raze old neighborhoods to build luxury housing estates. New hotels and large condominiums
5 comments
Read more

BUILDING A COMMUNITY IN A VILLAGE IN BIHAR, INDIA

Bihar is a State in India, where Lord Buddha, the founder of the Buddhist Religion is said to have attained enlightenment under the Banyan tree. Millions of Buddhists around the globe go on pilgrimage to this place. But, in a small village in the Bihar sharif cluster, about 80 km from Patna, the capital city of the State of Bihar, the villagers are striving hard to build a community that will contribute to the spiritual and material transformation of society. I had the distinct opportunity of visiting the Bihar sharif cluster and meeting with the villagers and the chief of the village. To create such a society, it is essential that every one in the village be empowered to participate in the constructive process that will give rise to it. It is just happening in this small village of population 2,000. The village is called Hargawan. I visited this village during my recent trip to India and my trip was coordinated by Mr. Rajnish Singh, an Auxiliary Board Member (ABM), an appointed mem
2 comments
Read more

PREPARING CHILDREN IN VALUE EDUCATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Preparing Children in Value Education in the 21st Century ( a paper developed by me when I was working at RiverDale International Residential School, in Pune, India as the Vice Principal) ABSTRACT Facing a worsening moral dilemma in today’s complex world, everyone recognizes the need for educating youngsters about the importance of moral values. The decline in ethical standards, poor parenting, dishonesty by government and business leaders and violence have come to characterize the present day society all over the world. However, social changes and scientific progress during the past decade have been enormous. A new social media culture is silently taking over the world. Therefore, the current environment of political, social and religious decay  has lead to a renewed interest in teaching moral values to our children. As we enter the 21st century, character and good moral values must become an important part of social life during the periods of childhood and youth if we want t
Post a Comment
Read more