Educate Thailand's Most Vulnerable Children

Since our last report in 2016 we have seen significant changes, namely COVID-19 and its challenges to our work and operational plans, and a period of rebuilding through the post-COVID period to where we are now entering 2024. We have been grateful that over these years we have continued to support the children in our care with education.

In 2021 we wrote to our community about the challenges that we were facing with COVID-19, mainly to highlight that:

With the onset of Covid-19, in early 2020 our operations which had delivered so much to Hands were initially postponed and then with a realisation of the enormity of the impact and likely longevity, they were cancelled. All of the momentum that had been created in building a profitable social enterprise was if not gone entirely, certainly severely impacted. Without the ability to hold our events that generate the funds, we couldn't continue to operate as we had.

The community that Hands Across the Water has grown to support in Thailand is a very different entity than that which we first started with and every company and person who has donated, ridden in one of our charity bike rides, or supported us should be rightfully proud of the change we have achieved. We have brought about significant change to the lives of the children.

The Board of Hands Across the Water resolved that as a direct result of the impact of Covid 19 that a small percentage of charity funds will temporarily be used to support the work of Hands Group, therein ensuring the survival of the charity during these challenging times that have been forced upon us. Arriving at this decision the Board considered all alternatives and consulted with external stakeholders prior to arriving at our position.

For 15 years we were able to ensure that 100% of donors funds went directly to the children and communities we support in Thailand. It has taken a global pandemic to interrupt our operations and bring about this change which is undesired but will ensure the children receive the same level of care and support with access to education and university scholarships. The most pleasing aspect of this all is that the standard of care for the children has not been compromised in anyway. Read more at the link provided below.

In 2023 a second update to this strategy was provided that highlighted where we were up to:

We are still feeling the impact of cancelled bike rides and events. Add to that the increased pressures on the cost of living, and the natural disasters across Australia and NZ keeping fundraising dollars closer to home, we haven’t returned to pre covid levels as quickly as we had hoped.

On the back of what was the most challenging two years that we faced at Hands, we have jumped into 2023 with excitement and confidence that we are pushing towards a more financially stable operation, but, in all honesty, we are not quite there yet. Which is why we have agreed as a board to continue the funding from charity into Hands Group for a further 12 months as our recovery continues.

During this time, we are advancing our work and setting up operations in Thailand that will increase our presence on the ground from a fundraising perspective, and allow us to service and work closer with our corporate clients.

However, our standard of care has not changed. It is important to remember the reason why we are doing this. Every decision that we have had to make over the last three years was to ensure our kids receive the same level of care and support with access to education and university scholarships. We currently have 350+ kids across our homes that receive education as part of our care. We currently have 23 students at University.

We remain committed to providing a life of choice, not chance and to give our kids access to future opportunities and job pathways through the work that we do and the support of our generous donors. The standard of care has never been compromised, and we intend for it to stay this way.

In April, the older students from all of our homes will have the opportunity to participate in a careers weekend that Game, the Director of BTN, is putting together. This weekend will provide insights into the types of study and employment they can explore once it is time for them to leave the home. Helping the kids firstly aspire to something they can’t see, and then creating pathways for them to pursue their new found dreams, is our focus. Read more at the link provided below. 

Thank you for your ongoing support of this project supporting Hands Across the Water. We will be sharing our 2024 strategy update in the coming months.

Links:

• Note from Hands Across the Water Founder Peter Baines 2021
• Note from Hands Across the Water Founder Peter Baines 2023