By Charissa Murphy | GlobalGiving's In-the-Field Rep in Southeast Asia
The following is a postcard from Charissa Murphy, GlobalGiving's In-the-Field Representative in Southeast Asia, about her recent visit to The SOLD Project in Thailand.
Two of the boys' mother died a few weeks ago. The stepfather completely vanished from the picture afterward, which is apparently not uncommon here. The alcoholic father reappeared. He claimed to be equipped to take care of the children, but The Sold Project expressed many concerns that they will address immediately. They haven't been coming regularly, and when they do they haven't been fed or bathed. They just lost their mother. They need (and deserve) support and love; not neglect.
Though this just happened a few weeks ago, it is typical of many of the children in this area in northern Thailand. The parents are addicts or alcoholics, creating harsh environments for their children. The safety the children feel with The Sold Project team is evident. It's a place where they can both laugh together and cry together. Their ability to be vulnerable and learn here helps empower them to focus on optimistic futures where their dreams can become their realities.
One of the girls who came after school (for The Freedom Project) during my visit was having eye irritations. She had an eye surgery relatively recently. The staff was immediately making making calls to ensure she received care that week. I could see the ease on her face despite how much she didn't want to show the pain she felt or the difficulty she felt in sharing it with her family. Here though, she felt more comfortable sharing. Counseling is a huge need in the community here, and The SOLD Project is dedicated to establishing an open, trusting environment so the children feel safe to express their feelings. The team shared, “Here we laugh a lot together, and we also cry a lot together.”
The after school program serves many purposes, including more formal education on health, goal-setting, and self-esteem building, as well as creative art and sport releases. In addition, as previously mentioned, it is a time when the children build relationships with one another and the staff, helping them to gain a support system to grow above the pressures and pains they face at home. With your support, they’re continuing to deepen existing relationships, as well as reaching more and more of the children (and adults) in the surrounding area. I look forward to hearing about the new building completion and greater opportunities it brings for space to increase the number of students and programs they support!
Upcoming Event on GlobalGiving - TODAY, this Wednesday, July 16th, is a Bonus matching day!:
Today, July 16th (Wednesday), beginning at 9AM EDT, GlobalGiving will match 50% of any donations (of up to $1,000 from any individual donor) to The SOLD Project. There are $130,000 in total funds available for matching that day for all of GlobalGiving’s partners. To ensure your donation is matched before the funds run out, please consider donating early today shortly after 9AM.
I want to thank The SOLD project for allowing me to visit!
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