We will offer free education, meals and health care to the needy children in the Nong Ook community. We have already enrolled 39 Shan and Chinese children whose families were too poor to send them to the public school. Three fulltime teachers will be hired in order to provide the students with an appropriate variety of educational subjects. The first year we will teach the students Thai, English, Shan and math for 1-4th standard. We will also try to engage the students and their families in monthly workshops on E.G. basic health care and first aid. To impart some vocational skills in the students we hope to start agricultural projects near the school.
A local Thai teacher in Nong Ook has told us that the biggest hindrance for a better future for the unfortunate children and adults in Nong Ook is the lack of basic speaking/reading/writing skills in Thai. With a little support, such as desks and chairs, he would be able to run an evening school for the poor adults in this area using the children's day school facilities. The evening school will offer lessons in Thai language.
During talks with nurses at the local clinic, we were told that many of the children whom we aim to offer free education also have severe health problems such as malnutrition, skin diseases and eye problems. This is a problem Schools of Hope wishes to solve as well and is currently looking into a separate health care projects in this area. In the meantime we will- in collaboration with the local health workers - provide the students under our care with proper health care and 2 meals a day.