Thailand: Aid from JDC Rebuilds a Village and Brings Hope

A little boy dangles his long, lean body by his left arm and then his right, focusing intently on making his way across the monkey bars, while nearly a dozen kids clamor for their turn on the slide. The swings, too, are in high demand. The sound of the children’s laughter is music to the ears of their parents and teachers. "We have to limit how much time the children can play on the equipment," explains one educator at Khao Thong School, who quickly adds that they are welcome to come back after-hours to enjoy the facilities. "As you can see, we are all still very excited about this new addition to our school."

The state-of-the-art playground, funded by JDC in partnership with the local Thai NGO, Population and Community Development Association(PDA), is part of a larger project to rehabilitate fishing villages in southern Thailand that were devastated by the tsunami. Using a holistic approach, JDC and PDA are adopting villages for a period of three years and engaging the residents in all areas of community rebuilding.

In Khao Thong, where 70 of the 148 households lost fishing boats and equipment that was essential to their livelihoods, assistance from JDC and PDA is already making a difference.

Thanks to equipment donated by JDC, more physical education and sports are being introduced into the curriculum at the school. The kids are even learning the rules of basketball and football now that they have nets.

In addition to these facilities, a computer lab has been established by JDC and PDA at the primary school — one of three public buildings in the village. Using the lab’s 15 computers, children are receiving basic skills courses that will improve the outlook and their preparedness for the future. "This will help us to keep up with the standards of schools in the cities where computer training is already a part of the curriculum," explains the computer instructor, who is also conducting classes for his fellow teachers after-hours.

One ten-year-old boy, fixated on the computer screen, could hardly contain his excitement: "I learned how to use the keyboard and a mouse and how to type words in different colors and styles," he exclaimed. Others have learned to use the Internet and to draw using software. An official technology curriculum for the children and adults in the community will be established once the needs have been assessed.

Asked how they felt about receiving aid from a foreign source they had not previously known, the local Imam answered, "It is a wonderful gift and very useful, as we are able to use the gift for what we see as our own needs." The Muslim leader praised the partnership for fully engaging the village residents in the creation and implementation of the rehabilitation programs.

Still, the road ahead is a long one for villages like Khao Thong that were so severely impacted by the deadly waves. "Life after the tsunami has not yet returned to normal, and the village is still very unstable," said the Imam, who is also the leader of a center for religious studies and subjects related to being a good citizen and public servant; ethics; sharing and solidarity; and respect, using Islamic teachings. He has 80 students between the ages of 5 and 10 years of age.

Among other projects, JDC and PDA have established a Village Bank — a savings account in which every member of the village is a share holder. For some, it is the first time that they have had a bank account. Funds earned partially from deposits of village residents, are used for future community projects and to mobilize savings, the absence of which compounded the impact of the tsunami on this village. To encourage the community’s self-sufficiency, JDC/PDA has also set up a school lunch farm, through which children are growing their own vegetables and raising fish farms.

JDC will fund a new kitchen and dining area as well as latrines for the school once plans are prepared by Khao Thong’s Village Committee President. Once the project is approved, members of the community will be implementing the works. "I am often so wrapped up in my tasks here that were initiated by PDA and JDC that it has been known on many occasions for me to miss a good night’s sleep or a few meals," says Committee President Gulamat. "But it has all been worth it."

January 2006