Prevent Child Trafficking Through Education

Dear friends,

I live next door to a school in Oakland that has sat dormant for most of the summer. Last week, it began to buzz with preparations for the new school year. Teachers are setting up classrooms, kids are shopping for school supplies, and parents are both mourning and celebrating the last few days of summer. All in all, change is in the air, and it's exciting.

For our students in Thailand—whose school year started months ago—the experience is so similar and yet so different. They spend their summer months at The FREEDOM Resource Center in art classes, English camps, and whatever else our creative staff can think of to fill their days with fun and learning. Their parents know that our Resource Center is not only a positive place of learning and mentorship for their kids, but it is also a safe place. Safety is an immeasurable value for our at-risk kids.

But today the Resource Center is busting at the seams. We are in need of a second classroom as a dedicated location for our important after-school tutoring program. This allows our first classroom to continue to be a vibrant community center and program headquarters while allowing a separate, more focused space for the vital learning programs we offer.

This new classroom will provide:

• Two new classrooms, including a dedicated computer lab
• Spaces for private meetings and counseling sessions
• A small kitchen/cafe area
• Secure storage for student information
• An office for on-site staff

We broke ground on the building this spring, but due to a substantial (30%) increase in Thailand's minimum wage earlier this year, which we proudly support, the cost of labor and materials has gone up considerably. Will you help us finish this project this year?

The opportunity to learn makes all the difference to these kids. Thank you!

With gratitude and hope,

Rachel Goble

P.S. — GlobalGiving is hosting it's first-ever Fundraiser Campaign all through September. Raise $500 from 10 people to qualify for prizes (like airline tickets)—and help a lot of kids in the process! Start your fundraiser.