Community - The Stratton ABC Foundation Childrens Home Chiang Mai

February 2012
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Community Work

Jan 182012

Yesterday was Anna and Toms 4th day with us and it turned out to be a very interesting one. After a phone call the day before, from Khruu Khem of Huay Sai School, 14 kms from our Foundation home, it was arranged that we would visit the school to help the children with English vocabulary.

It turned out that the school is getting various visits this week with a view to inspecting its standards. Yesterday they were visited by the Governor of Lamphun Province, within which Huay Sai is situated.

Our day began as usual with the school run, taking the four Mattayom Students to their school in Sarapee, picking up Anna and Tom on the way. From there we went to the vegetable market in Sarapee and got the weeks supplies.

Having dropped the veg back home we then headed off to Huay Sai , arriving a little after 9am.

Shortly after our arrival we were treated to some cultural performances laid on for the Governor, including Traditional Thai Dancing, Hula Hoop Dancing and a display of Muay Thai/stick fighting by the boys.

Then it was into Khruu Khems English classroom, which had been laid out to imitate a small market, ready for the children to go “shopping” using English language.

Anna, Tom and myself spent time helping the children practice their vocabulary, both with the shopping exercise and with a performance of ” Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”.

We all had lots of fun and when it came to the children doing the exercise in front of the visiting inspectors they all did a great job.

Jor Entertains For Xmas

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Dec 262011

Mae Salaab is not such a typical Thai village , in that it addition to the villages Buddhist Temple it also boasts a Christian Church.

Tradition has been formed that a show is put on every Xmas Eve, with performances by local residents and school children.

Year we watched Yong doing her bit on stage and this year was the turn of Jor , who with her Prathom 6 classmates put on a contemporary dance performance to the jolly sounds of Jingle Bells.

Other performances included on exercise routine by elderly members of the community, hula hoop dancing by Mae Salaab schools little ones and a Nativity Play by some of the older children.

Free food including Pad Thai and other local cuisine was provided for all who attended and many gift prizes were given out in between the performances.

yet more prizes were given out by Santa who arrived around 9pm at the end of the show.

Our children benefited by many small prizes including snack food, washing powder, toiletries and, most impressive, a toaster.

It was a great show and everyone had lots of fun…loved Jors dancing…though I’m not sure she should give up her day job..555

Ernestos Dream Continued.

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Jul 062011

Earlier this year The Stratton ABC Foundation benefited from a bequest by the late Ernst Weber. Ernst was a regular visitor to Northern Thailand and developed a love for its people and its culture. He very much wanted to do something to help disadvantaged children in Northern Thailand.
On receiving the donation we agreed to use it to secure land on which we can construct a purpose built, permanent facility including services for the wider community as well as more placement availability for disadvantaged children from Northern Thailand.
With inflation raging and costs rising we desperately need all those who know or see our work and like what we are doing, to pitch in and help.
Last week we made a deposit on land, which will be bought in The Foundations name. On completion of the purchase next month we will the begin the challenging task of designing the facility and finding sponsors to fund the building work.
We would like to ask for suggestions for naming of the facility.
We would also like to ask if there is anyone with access to an architect who may offer their services free, for the official design.
With thought to the children’s future, we very much want to make the facility as environmentally friendly as possible. We will be incorporating re-cycle and composting ideas into the design stage as well as researching the possibilities of using solar panel roofing to produce our own electricity.
Any serious input is very welcome.
The ground is due to be cleared this month as part of the purchase agreement so look out for updated photos and a better idea of the size of the site.

Tanya on The Stratton ABC Foundation

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Jun 092011

This was the first time volunteering with kids in Thailand, so I didn´t really know what to expect. What I found in Mae Salaab, was an absolutely amazing bunch of kids and it has been a lot of fun to “work” with them for a while.

As I found out pretty quick, there was no schedule for volunteers you had to follow, just be out and about with the kids all day.

I brought some games over with me, a jigsaw, a memory and some bubbles, which the kids liked a lot.

So we played a lot of card games, ping pong and badminton.

When the kids are at home, they have to do one hour of community work in the morning, so when I was there, we did a bit of gardening, which was fun!!

It was sometimes a little hard to communicate, as some of the smaller kids are only at the beginning of learning English, but they make the effort, which is brilliant to see.

What I also liked a lot, where the meals together.I was absolutely amazed, to find out, that the kids, set the tables, wash the dishes afterwards and that, all without moaning or anything.

They´re just one big family and every single one appreciates being there and helping out a little. That´s how it felt for me.
When they´re going to school, there is one hour in the evening when they have to sit down and do their homework or study.

And they just do it!! For me this is fantastic to see, as I have a little sister, I saw her growing up and I know, how kids can be when it comes to studying

Anyways I felt very welcome in the Stratton ABC Foundation, I would always do it again (hopefully I´ll find time soon) and I can recommend it to everybody, as it is a fantastic experience.

With John, these kids found somebody, who would probably give his last shirt, to keep up the Stratton Family. It was great to see, that there is people like that out there!!

Same, same for Boon and the lovely house mothers

Well thanks to everybody for a GREAT time and I hope to see you all very soon.

{ From all at Stratton House…..thank you you very much for the time you spent here and we really hope we will see you again}

Back Home Plus Two

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Apr 262011

After three weeks family time for the children and R&R for me, we arrived back at Stratton House on Sunday early evening.

The number of children being cared for here at Stratton House has now risen to 11 with the arrivals of; B0ng, 13 year old brother of Gu our eldest child; and Zak, 7 year old brother of our second eldest child Tai.

Bong had been due to come last year, being the one his parents first asked for a place for. At that time Gu was 14 and at the limit age for new entry here. As we were also at our limit for new intake last year, it was decided that Gu would come first and I promised to keep a place for Bong this year.

Although the health of their Mother has apparently improved, problems with Zak, dissapearing from home to play miles away, had already set in and caused similar concerns to those that brought his elder brother Tai here. The poor living conditions and lack of adequate supervision for Zak led to the decision that he would be far better here, under the guidance of Tai who has done so well during his time with us.

My time in the Mounatain village where Gu and Bong hail from was just what I needed and gave me even greater insight into the lives of the sort of communities we aim to help. Although the inspiration behind The Stratton ABC Foundation has always been strong in my heart, the past three weeks has strengthened and boosted that inspiration.

There will be posts appearing soon on preperations for our first “Outreach” Project. We are still very much a fledgling organisation and we still have much to do to consolidate our present operations; but with your support and all the effort I can put in to gain the necessary sponsorship, then we very much want to reach out, and work towards giving the sort of help that may mean that there is less reason for children to leave their family homes to get the better chance we want them to have.

Having made a strong bond with the community in which I lived for 3 weeks, my hope is that we can create a program of support that will, with time , show clear and tangible results that help give that better chance to, not just one or two children but all of the children in that community.

There will be no point in starting such a project without the necessary support, giving hope that can not be sustained is not what we are here for.

I would like to say to all of you that believe in my commitment; who share my hopes; who have seen what we have done so far; who have come and helped and want our work to continue; who have found this website and like what you have seen; your thoughts and words of encouragement are much appreciated, your support and assistance with raising the funds we need to continue our work and increase the help that we give in the future is what we need.

Spread the word; hold a jumble sale; a concert; a raffle; speak to your boss about the PR benefits of sponsorship; sponsor one of our children; if you see one of our collection boxes please give; every little bit helps. As a small organisation it is hard to find big sponsors. We rely on the idea that many small sponsors, doing their best, accumulates.

Dreamcatchers–Craft Workshop With Art Relief.

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Oct 152010

Thursday 14th saw our first Art Relief workshop at Stratton House. Five volunteers from Art Relief came armed with all that was needed for the children to learn how to make Dreamcatchers.

Along with five of our children from Stratton House the workshop was also attended by five local village children.

Pee Bat was the leading instructor, with the other volunteers helping the kids out when they got stuck.

The workshop went very well and was popular with all the children who attended.

I was impressed with their attention and how well they all listened and followed instructions. The class was very relaxed and informal and all the children clearly had a lot of fun.

I think the volunteers had as much fun as the kids did too.

Everyone here at Stratton House looks forward to the next workshop and doing much more with our friends from Art Relief.

Once again I was particularly happy seeing Jack so enthralled and proud of himself afterwards, as he came speak to me, checking that I had seen that he had listened closely and done a good job.

He didn’t need to tell me, I had noticed and was so happy to see his self esteem rising.

We have started to see a vast and sustained improvement with Jack and more of these sorts of activities are sure to enhance those changes.

A big thanks to all the Art Relief Team for giving the kids such an interesting activity.

Looking To The Future

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Dec 182009

Another important day(16th) for me and a chance to further ensure The Stratton ABC Foundations involvement in the local community.

khruu A couple of weeks back, at Jacks sportsday, I was approached by Khruu Khemtong Punyoyai from Huay Sai school. She told me about a weekend English Camp, that she has been running for the last few years. This years camp is taking place this weekend at San Kampaeng Hot Springs. At the time she was simply interested in me going a long to observe and possibly advise on further improvements for the future.
Unfortunately one of the Dutch volunteer teachers, who was supposed to be taking part, has had to return home and so Khruu Khemtong has now asked me to take her place.
Not only that, but, thanks to a very nice , constructive conversation today, it is my hope that we can work closely together on a common objective.This is to help improve English language use, understanding and pronounciation throughout the local area.It appears that we have very similar views on this subject and have discussed numerous strategies that we may employ in the future.
Although the main aim of the Stratton ABC Foundation is to give a safe, secure and caring home to disadvantaged and at risk children in and around Chiang Mai, looking around I see that the term disadvantaged could relate to many many children in the area of Education, and especially English language learning. To this end I am happy to use what spare time I can find to work in partnership with Khruu khemtong to further her efforts.
Any organisation looking to help the disadvantaged has to look to the future. It is very much the case that fluency in the English language leads to much better career opportunities, which would hopefully then lead to a lessening of the sort of circumstances that leads to children needing placements in homes such as our own.
It has to be the best aim, not only to offer the placements to those in need, but to do all we can to reduce that need.

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