Thailand Project

At-risk children who participate in the Thailand Save-A-Child program at the Phayao Center near Bangkok, Thailand receive health, sewing, cooking and other life skills training in order to improve their skills, build their self-esteem and prevent their being lured into a life of prostitution. For the past ten years, contributions from members and friends of the Westfield Rotary and Westfield Area Y have been of tremendous support in perpetuating the work of this program. A child can be supported for a year at the Center for only $350.

The children come from very poor hill tribes in northern Thailand. They learn how to embroider traditional hill tribe designs. They learn about nutrition and health. They learn basic skills like cooking and receive occupational training in sewing and organic farming. They also receive a basic education with additional classes in critical judgment and reproductive health. Directed by a social worker, the program literally rescues young girls, and recently, young boys, from child exploitation in sex tourism in Thailand. Unfortunately, the incidence of this crime is growing at an alarming rate, and continues to threaten the lives of the very young from poor families.

The Bangkok YMCA’s comprehensive program also involves parents in training programs aimed at economic self-sufficiency. There is a revolving fund to stimulate savings and a shelter for counseling and legal services.

Extreme poverty can cause people to lose their sense of judgment. In the hill tribes, poverty stricken parents are offered promises of better lives for their children. They lack education, information and the ability to feed their children and believe the rogue recruiters who then sell their children. This project truly benefits the entire hill tribe community and help prevent this horrible crime from being committed. The program serves between 50 and 60 live-in children at a time. The program currently has 87 children that attend on a daily basis.

Westfield Rotary, the Westfield Area YMCA and Rotary District 7510 are all working in tandem to raise funds for this most important project.

Thanks to the efforts of Westfield Rotarian Bill Henderson, a retired executive of the Singer Corporation, the sewing school at the Phayao Center previously received a donation of sewing machines.

In 2002, Rotarians, YMCA staff and YMCA Board and Committee members visited the Phayao Center. The American visitors can attest to the degree of thanks the children in the program exhibited. They fully understand the role the Center is playing in their lives, and know that without sponsorship from abroad, they wouldn’t have the opportunities they are now being given. Westfield Area YMCA staff and Board members still receive letters from the children, and the Phayao Center keeps in monthly contact with Westfield Area YMCA and Westfield Rotary representatives. In fact, both the Westfield Area YMCA and Westfield Rotary have regularly scheduled international committee meetings. One of the agenda items is always the Thailand Save-A-Child program.

Since 2002, the Westfield Rotary has supported the program through various fundraisers. Rotarian Bill Henderson has been instrumental in raising awareness of the work being carried on at the Phayao Center by traveling throughout Rotary District 7510, giving a power point presentation and providing a first hand account of what he, himself, has seen at the school. Last year, the Locust Valley Rotary in Locust Valley, New York, contacted us, wanting to see our presentation. They have since joined forces with our Rotary in securing additional funding for these children.