Gift of Happiness Foundation is pleased to have completed yet another essential aid and show giving tour to Mae Sot in the north of Thailand during the first weekend of September 2015.
During this long weekend project we served around 800 poor migrant kids and a few hundred more adults who attend the Mae Tao Clinic close to the Thai/Burma friendship bridge across the Moei River. We gave a performance for around 100 outpatients and some great donations of clothing, bedding towels and hard wearing baby strollers to act as wheelchairs for sick children.
The lucky kids away from the Clinic are from Hope Migrant Learning Centre, Agape Orphanage, the SAW Safe house for abandoned children and the village of P’ Ya Naung “Buddha’s Mountain village” .
Photos courtesy of CoJo Productions: http://www.cojoproductions.com/
ALSO SEE MORE FABULOUS GREAT SHOTS FROM THIS PROJECT HERE!
Gift of Happiness says a "Big Thank You" on behalf of the children
for all the kind support given to make projects like this happen.
for all the kind support given to make projects like this happen.
We were delighted to have the support of two great volunteers, Jon and Pru Colville from Australia who accompanied the foundation director, Eddie Haworth and two drivers on the long trip to the northern City, then right out into some remote parts of the mountainous Province.
Project report by Pru Colville. Mae Sot 4-7 September 2015
Friday
Monsoon season in Thailand and Eddie Haworth from Gift of Happiness Foundation was heading off on another trip to Mae Sot to bring some laughter to children who don't get much in the way of fun. We set off on the long drive north - a convoy of two trucks loaded to the gunnels with donated goods as the rain clouds gathered on the horizon. It was late afternoon before we passed through the police checkpoint and began the climb up through the mountains to Mae Sot and dark and wet when we finally reached our hotel.
Saturday
The next morning we were fed and watered and on our way by 9am. It's only a short drive to the famous Mae Tao Clinic which was our first port of call where we were greeted by willing workers who unloaded bedding and linen, clothing and children's car seats, strollers and chairs and Eddie's assorted boxes full of props for the Clown Eckie shows he would perform throughout the tour. There was no stage, the rain was coming down so Eddie set up for his show in the waiting area outside the children's clinic. Somehow the news spread that Clown Eckie was there and from seemingly nowhere a crowd materialised. The show was warmly received by children and parents and even the medical staff took a break from their relentless labours to share the laughter.
Then it was time for lunch and meanwhile the heavens really opened up. The downpour turned the ground into a muddy lake in minutes so we waded back through the now waterlogged car park and set off on the drive to the AGAPE children's orphanage where a large quantity of toys, bedding and clothing were donated. The children at AGAPE are mainly victims of the fighting in Burma. Some have lost both parents while others have been abandoned. For the affluent Westerner the bags of cast offs and pre-loved toys might not seem much but for the children at AGAPE they were magical.
On the return drive to Mae Sot we stopped at a little village called P’ Ya Naung or Buddha’s Mountain village. Here The Gift of Happiness Foundation had installed a water pumping system and toilets some months ago and Eddie wanted to check on how things were progressing. Visiting the village was like stepping back in time, experiencing a traditional Thai rural lifestyle now pretty well lost ... the stilted huts roofed with pandanus leaves; the deep stone well; the people going about their lives as they'd done for endless generations. Then it was back to Mae Sot for dinner and then sleep.
Sunday
Off again at 9 on the hour long drive to the Hope School. In the distance the mountains of Burma were shrouded in mist as we passed through miles of fertile farming land lush with crops. The Hope School has been set up for the children of Burmese migrants who work the land. Despite it being a Sunday the whole school had turned out to see Clown Eckie - many of them proudly sporting the Gift of Happiness uniforms donated on a previous trip. Small hands quickly had the trucks unloaded and bags and boxes lugged down the muddy slope and into the school. The show was a huge success as were the donated toys and clothing. The appreciation shown by both teachers and children was so heartfelt it was humbling.
Then it was back to Mae Sot where Dr Htin Zaw - a Burmese doctor has set up SAW - Social Action for Women - which takes the form of refuges for women, including those with AIDS, a medical clinic and an orphanage for abandoned and orphaned children. It was the orphanage we visited - again with toys and clothing. These gifts were met with such delight that Eddie vowed to return at a later date with more donations and to put on a show for the children.
Monday
Eight hours of driving and we were back in Bangkok. A fantastic, never to be forgotten 4 days. The work that Gift of Happiness does cannot be overestimated in bringing laughter and goods to these mostly forgotten children in the border regions of Thailand and Burma.
Friday
Monsoon season in Thailand and Eddie Haworth from Gift of Happiness Foundation was heading off on another trip to Mae Sot to bring some laughter to children who don't get much in the way of fun. We set off on the long drive north - a convoy of two trucks loaded to the gunnels with donated goods as the rain clouds gathered on the horizon. It was late afternoon before we passed through the police checkpoint and began the climb up through the mountains to Mae Sot and dark and wet when we finally reached our hotel.
Saturday
The next morning we were fed and watered and on our way by 9am. It's only a short drive to the famous Mae Tao Clinic which was our first port of call where we were greeted by willing workers who unloaded bedding and linen, clothing and children's car seats, strollers and chairs and Eddie's assorted boxes full of props for the Clown Eckie shows he would perform throughout the tour. There was no stage, the rain was coming down so Eddie set up for his show in the waiting area outside the children's clinic. Somehow the news spread that Clown Eckie was there and from seemingly nowhere a crowd materialised. The show was warmly received by children and parents and even the medical staff took a break from their relentless labours to share the laughter.
Then it was time for lunch and meanwhile the heavens really opened up. The downpour turned the ground into a muddy lake in minutes so we waded back through the now waterlogged car park and set off on the drive to the AGAPE children's orphanage where a large quantity of toys, bedding and clothing were donated. The children at AGAPE are mainly victims of the fighting in Burma. Some have lost both parents while others have been abandoned. For the affluent Westerner the bags of cast offs and pre-loved toys might not seem much but for the children at AGAPE they were magical.
On the return drive to Mae Sot we stopped at a little village called P’ Ya Naung or Buddha’s Mountain village. Here The Gift of Happiness Foundation had installed a water pumping system and toilets some months ago and Eddie wanted to check on how things were progressing. Visiting the village was like stepping back in time, experiencing a traditional Thai rural lifestyle now pretty well lost ... the stilted huts roofed with pandanus leaves; the deep stone well; the people going about their lives as they'd done for endless generations. Then it was back to Mae Sot for dinner and then sleep.
Sunday
Off again at 9 on the hour long drive to the Hope School. In the distance the mountains of Burma were shrouded in mist as we passed through miles of fertile farming land lush with crops. The Hope School has been set up for the children of Burmese migrants who work the land. Despite it being a Sunday the whole school had turned out to see Clown Eckie - many of them proudly sporting the Gift of Happiness uniforms donated on a previous trip. Small hands quickly had the trucks unloaded and bags and boxes lugged down the muddy slope and into the school. The show was a huge success as were the donated toys and clothing. The appreciation shown by both teachers and children was so heartfelt it was humbling.
Then it was back to Mae Sot where Dr Htin Zaw - a Burmese doctor has set up SAW - Social Action for Women - which takes the form of refuges for women, including those with AIDS, a medical clinic and an orphanage for abandoned and orphaned children. It was the orphanage we visited - again with toys and clothing. These gifts were met with such delight that Eddie vowed to return at a later date with more donations and to put on a show for the children.
Monday
Eight hours of driving and we were back in Bangkok. A fantastic, never to be forgotten 4 days. The work that Gift of Happiness does cannot be overestimated in bringing laughter and goods to these mostly forgotten children in the border regions of Thailand and Burma.
This project was only made possible because we received financial support or goods from Monroe Consulting Group, The Crackers Ladies Group, Len Penn Music Academy, Park Plaza Sukhumvit Hotel, Opus Consulting and individual donors via our website donation gateways.
Please give to this cause...
Thank You.
|
|
|
|
|
Almost 6,000 people
Bangkok charity volunteers to get that lovely warm fuzzy feeling inside again! http://t.co/NNMdbFkTUa pic.twitter.com/CPrKk2oV27
— Gift Of Happiness (@gohappiness) September 2, 2015
