Send 70 At-risk Children to School in Thailand

Half Day School Back in Session!

For new readers and possible donors, allow me to introduce you to DEPDC/GMS's Half Day School in brief:

            The Half Day School, in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai, Thailand, provides education to children who are at risk of being trafficked into the sex industry and other forms of exploitive working conditions. Our students tend to be children of stateless persons and migrants from neighboring countries who are unable to receive an education through other means. Providing the children with a mid-day meal, shoes, school supplies, and various other needs assists the children directly while also providing an incentive for their parents to let them remain in school. Keeping children in school can often be a challenge, one which becomes more and more difficult with each passing birthday. This free education provides them with a safe environment to grow and learn, a basic human right which all children should enjoy. Additionally, the Half Day School provides an education with a focus on prevention strategies and the life skills needed to develop and maintain a self-sufficient life.

HDS Returns from School Break with Some New Faces

            September 13th through 17th was the first full school week back in session for the Half Day School after a month long semester break. We are grateful that our students have returned safely with happy faces, excited to get back to their studies with their friends and proud teachers.

            To begin, we welcomed two new students this semester, a brother and sister. Being a new student at the Half Day School can be just as challenging as it is exciting. Many of our students come to us speaking little to no Thai, the language in which all instruction is provided, and typically no previous education. Many of our students speak Burmese, Shan (Tai Yai), Akha, or Karen before learning to speak and write in Thai at the Half Day School. Lovingly, our students assist the teachers in supporting their new classmate to learn Thai in both a natural and formal manner. Once comfortable in Thai, our students quickly dive into studying the English language. English classes are offered as part of the weekly curriculum and in the evenings for students who cannot attend the HDS or would like to improve their speaking abilities through additional classes.

In addition to new students, several other very important events took place since our last update:

            First, the Royal Cremation Ceremony for King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IV) took place on October 26th, 2017. Millions across Thailand offered traditional sandalwood flowers in homage to their late king. Students from DEPDC/GMS's Half Day School, with a little help from their teachers and families, hand-made a total of 739 sandalwood flowers to be used in the Dok Mai Chan (sandalwood) flower-laying ceremony. Like the sandalwood flowers, HDS students learn to create many handmade items, such as scarves and purses, to increase their financial independence when they enter the workforce.

            Second, a new International Volunteer, Kristin Moreau, arrived in September and a former volunteer, Katie Crosman, returned to visit all the children at HDS. DEPDC/GMS relies on volunteers like Kristin and Katie to assist with multiple areas within the organization; this includes teaching English and additional extracurricular activities at the Half Day School. Please see our webpage (below) for more information if you are interested in an international volunteer position or internship and would like to gain valuable experience in the areas of education, migrants and refugees, youth empowerment, and human trafficking prevention. We have an immediate need for volunteers at this time within the DEPDC/GMS International Department and at the Half Day School. Please, kindly spread the word!

            Thank you for all the donations raised through Global Giving. Donations go directly to support our students and Half Day School teachers. The staff at HDS works long hours and weekends to provide the children with the support they need to have a positive and fruitful learning experience. One to one parent/family sessions are frequent to protect our students from dropping out of school and falling into the hands of "recruiters" who feed them into exploitive and harmful situations. It is also important to mention that our teachers graciously pass up higher paying positions at government funded schools to work with the at-risk and underprivileged children at the HDS.

Thank you again for your support and for your time dedicated to reading this update. At this time, I kindly ask for your continued support and fund raising to keep the Half Day School possible for future Daughters and Sons.

Sincerely,

Kristin Moreau, MS, CCC-SLP

International Volunteer

Links:

• Read about DEPDC/GMS on our webpage
• Volunteer or Intern with DEPDC/GMS