FOUNDATION UPDATES 2005 (2006 UPDATES )
The Foundation has been quite busy with several projects, and with your generous support helped many people recover from this disaster.
January 2005
The foundation purchased a computer for the Phi Phi Island school administrators, to use in their temporary offices, to build a database to track and monitor the students.
The children have experienced a trauma beyond belief, in an instant, many have lost their families, friends and loved ones. Most all have lost their homes. The children are having difficulty in adjusting to their new homes in Krabi because they have been separated from friends and family – a vital support system in this time of need.
January/February 2005
The foundation is sponsoring a weekly Phi Phi Island school reunion for family and friends, the response has been overwhelming, as the children have enjoyed the music, activities and games organised by the ‘Helping Hands Group’. The foundation would like to make this a four weekly activity for the future.
Finally the foundation is working with the school and local government aid projects to identify orphans and their needs. Almost 40 children lost at least one parent and another 14 are parentless.
February 1, 2005
Just over one month from the day the Tsunami hit, the foundation has rebuilt and re-launched 51 long tail boats. The foundation purchased wood, nails, engine shafts and parts to allow these boats to be rebuilt and their owners to get back to work.
The total expenditure for materials and labour was 499,364 Baht or approximately $12,500.
The foundation has been working closely with the Phi Phi Island elementary school. That school, with 180 students was destroyed, as was mach of Phi Phi Island. Fortunately, the wave hit on a Sunday, when school was closed, not so fortunate were the parents, many of whom died and left their children behind.
The 180 students have been placed in various school districts throughout Krabi Province. While this lessens the burden of any one school district, it creates logistical and record keeping nightmares.
March 1, 2005
The foundation is supporting an ‘Adopt an orphan’ program to provide long term support for these orphans. School scholarships and tuition room and board, uniforms and supplies will be provided in conjunction with government aid to help these children rebuild their lives.
For those of you interested in this orphan program please contact us by Email and we can discuss the details for each child. Your donations will go a long way to restore smiles to the faces of these children.
For more information on the latest events please see our ‘Adopt an Orphan’ and ‘Training Workshop’ pages.
July 2 - Reunion for Tsunami Orphans
On July 2nd, the Sriphong Phukaoluan Foundation sponsored a reunion day for the orphans and their families. For the children, it was a day of dancing, music and games. A buffet lunch was served for over 40 children and their families, while the Mayor of Krabi Town and the Vice Governor of Krabi Province were on hand to help distribute aid packages. The families received their monthly financial aid stipend, along with school uniforms and clothes. In addition, the Foundation set up a free medical clinic and pharmacy. All the families received a free medical check up and medicines.
July 15-20 Foundations sends staff to Social Worker Training
The Department of Social Development and Welfare and UNICEF Thailand sponsored a training course entitled “Community Based Follow-Up of Orphans and Vulnerable Children: A Basic Skills Training for Field Based Social Workers.” The Sriphong Phukaoluan Foundation sent two staff members to take part in the training seminar, which covered such topics as Family Preservation vs Institutional Care, The Role of Communities in Child Protection and UNICEF Guidelines for Child Protection. Mr. Aphichat Lanlongsa, Manager of Field Operations for the Sriphong Phukaoluan Foundation attended the seminar with his assistant, Ms. Laddawan Jundang. The training course and knowledge gained were most welcome as The Foundation continues to grow, and now is supporting over 60 children.
August 1, 2005 Sriphong Phukaoluan Foundation has sponsored 62 children to date.
August 3 –Trip to Jum Island and Poo Island
On August 3, 2005 the Foundation lead by its President, Khun Chuan Phukaoluan, visited the islands of Koh Jum and Koh Poo with a team of six staff. Khun Chuan made a personal inspection of the 15 children being sponsored by the Foundation on those islands. The islands are inhabited by Chao Lay or Sea Gypsies, who, make a living off the sea by fishing and trapping crab and lobsters. Their proximity to the ocean and their isolation made the affects of the tsunami even more pronounced. These people live a simple life, and due to the inaccessibility of the islands have received little aid for tsunami relief.
The Foundation delivered food, school uniforms, clothes, kitchen equipment, and fishing nets to those families adversely affected by the tsunami. All of these families sponsored lost at least one parent and family member, some lost several. The foundation will continue to support these families until they can rebuild their lives and support themselves.
Sept. 2, 2005- Klong Hin section of Krabi Town – Free Medical Clinic
The Foundation sponsored a medical clinic and family day, with activities including arts and crafts, games and learning instruction being provided for the children. The medical clinic was established in conjunction with Krabi Hospital, providing three physicians and five nurses to give free examinations to all in attendance. A pharmacy dispensed free medicines to those requiring treatment. This clinic was extremely successful as many of the families are living in the outer islands or areas which do not have access to proper medical care. Other children with long term or permanent medical conditions who are being sponsored by the Foundation were also able to have their progress monitored.
Oct. 8th, 2005 – Children’s Adventure Day – Tex’s Adventure Camp
With the cooperation of the Aree Foundation, an Adventure Day was set up at the scenic site at Tex’s Adventure Camp in Krabi. This outdoor wonderland saw the children and families enjoy outdoor games, climbing, rides and a natural playground. A medical clinic was set up for free medical check ups and in attendance were the Mayor of Krabi, The Chief OrBorTor of Ao Nang, the Chief of Police for Krabi Province and other government officials who came to lend a hand. A painting station was set up under the supervision of trained psychologists to monitor the children’s progress and good food was enjoyed by all.
November 16-18th, 2005- The UNICEF Thailand Annual Review meeting – Bangkok
The Foundation participated in the UNICEF Annual Review meeting by sending Field Operation Manager Aphichat Lanlongsa and his assistant Laddawan Jundang to Bangkok for the three day meeting. The Annual Review included workshops and group sessions to establish work plans for the year 2006. Included was the project to strengthen the Child Protection System on a national as well as a sub-national level. Other projects the staff participated in were community based programs for the prevention, early warning, monitoring and reporting of children at risk to abuse.
These programs and training and the knowledge disbursed are key to re-establishing stability in those communities that were torn apart by the tsunami. Our staff gained valuable tools that can be applied to the betterment and protection of the children of Krabi that were affected by the tsunami.
December 3rd, 2005- His Majesty the King’s Birthday Celebration- Thara Park
In honor of His Majesty the King of Thailand’s birthday on December 5th, the Foundation gathered all the families and children of the tsunami in Thara Park in Krabi Town. A free medical center was established, which included health care services, a barber and skin clinic along with a pharmacy dispensing medications. Local school officials set up learning activities and group games. Of course there was lots of good food and ice cream for the children and their families. It was a special day to honor the King and aid those families in need.
2006 UPDATES
