The last few months in Thailand have been pretty hectic as always. I have managed to assist my organisation with a few exciting projects that have taken up a lot of our time. We collect some medical supplies to send into Burma, into a particularly rural and inaccessible clinic where villagers often have to walk to days through the mountains to be able to reach, and even then the clinic has such limited resources villagers have to make do with traditional medicines.
As such, help from organisations is a lifeline, without medicine children die young and suffer from malnutrition, diarrhoea and malaria. However, medics like those who run this clinic come to Thailand for training and take health education and medical supplies to villagers in Burma and changes are slowly being made.
I have also continued my involvement with the wheelchair project it is just so rewarding to see children with severe disabilities being granted some independence. Not to mention the considerable physical benefits when the child is in the correct position for eating and drinking. It also relieves some of the stress from the parents who have to provide care around the clock, as well as other domestic duties.
We have conducted Burmese language training and also Thai language training and even hope to be able to have a training session in Burma!
Additionally, some staff and I donated blood to help one of our patients who suffers from thalassemia and needing four packets of blood transfusion a month! We assisted with a dengue fever campaign to try and spread awareness about the diseases, how it is caused and how best to prevent it. To do that we went into the Burmese community, held talks, distributed leaflets and put up posters.
The clinic also distributed free mosquito nets and small packets of sand to put inside water containers to stop the mosquitos from laying eggs.
As I wanted to continue albeit indirectly my involvement with my old school in Mae La Refugee Camp, I discussed the possibilities with the headmaster and some teachers. There was one student of mine, Eh Tah who has a particularly difficult financial situation and is exceptionally bright. Eh Tar has ten siblings living in Burma, all of whom are younger than him and his parents, who are subsistence farmers are unable to support his education.
As a result his condition was dramatically different from when I had seen him the previous year. He was substantially thinner and admitted that he often had to miss meals and as a result his academic progress was also suffering, as well as his general well-being.
Therefore, I have used some of the money granted to me to support Eh Tar with his education. Not only will it allow him to buy more food but, delighted, he informed me that he would also be able to have computer lessons outside of his school, buy some new books and smart clothes. He told me, education is most important but without money all almost impossible.
My future goal is to be a computer teacher, so I have to focus, I will be able to learn more about computer and I will try hard because my Karen people need my help. If I get education I will share to my people.
As I thought these words were particularly lovely, I wanted to share them with you too. So you could see into what far corners of the world your support is reaching. He is truly delighted with the sponsorship as I am he shows so much promise for the future!
During the past few months, I have met lots of new interesting people, Ive managed to do a little bit of travelling to Chaing Mai and Umpang, absolutely beautiful towns. Ive also been able to see some waterfalls, attended a traditional Karen wedding and learnt to ride a motorbike! Im living with a friend from Mae La in a small apartment, it is simple but it suits us just fine. In the coming months I am hoping to do some more cycling, swimming, climbing of waterfalls and maybe, even, make it to a beach!
