Project Mae Usu

The month I spent in Mae Usu working with the Karen children has told me that I can not stand by talking about the needs and not work to do something about supplying those needs.

Currently the Abbot (Luang Por Thammasak) of Wat Mae Usu (the local Buddhist temple) is fostering almost 200 Karen children from villages all over the area. He is providing them a place to live so that they do not have to walk back and forth to school 2 hours each way. He has gotten some charitable support. Tsu Chi purchased land and built a dormitory for the girls several years ago. A dormitory for the boys has been built under the main sala (temple building). Usually several times a year a foundation from Bangkok comes in and provides medical/dental support and other charitable contributions. They are also contributing toward feeding the children. The school at the children are attending has provided some support with mats and blankets and perhaps most importantly with a lunch meal 5 days a week.

When I left, we heard that the government support through the school is stopping for some un-explained reason.

Currently, the girls cook their own meals in a living situation where they are largely unattended and unsupervised. They badly need an adult living with them to help provide guidance particularly for the younger girls (kindergarten ad early primary). This person would also provide some one to overseen school attendance and be there to help sick children. Currently, the food that the children eat each day is delivered while they are at school. With no one there, sometimes some of the food turns up missing. The supplies that they get are already meager and the loss of a package of meat can cut their already inadequate protein allotment.

I estimated that currently the children are getting something like 10 grams of protein a day. They should be getting, on average, more like 20-45 grams. They get no fruit in their diets and all vegetables are cooked to a point where their vitamin content is questionable.

I believe that the following additions would help to make the situation better in the short run while long term plans are developed and implemented.

1 A mother of one of the children or perhaps a group of mothers rotating into the position could stay at the dormitory with the children to provide supervision and security. I believe that this could easily be accomplished with a wage of 5,000 baht a month.

2 1 Fruit portion could be provided each day for each child at a cost of 7,500 baht per month

3 The protein in their diets could be doubled for the same 7,500 baht.

The major problems facing 200 children right now could be dealt with for 20,000 baht a month or about $670 US. This would not only deal with the malnutrition that fall of the children are suffering from but would also generate a job paying 5,000 for someone in a community where the average income is about 6,000 baht a year. The local purchase of food would further stimulate a weak economy.

I can not do this myself. I only bring home a bit more than that 20,000 baht a month with my job. If anyone is interested in supporting this project, please contact me and I will arrange some way that we can manage the funding.

Last comment added: Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:22:51 PDT

Comment 1 on Project Mae Usu

I've got a feeling that the Ned community could rally around this (at least to some degree).

Few questions.

Is there electricity at the school?

Is there connectivity anywhere close by?

Could it be done in steps where 15,000 baht may by the food first, then as more funds are raised the money goes towards mom/helpers?

It seems like if mom/helpers are being paid about 10x what the average income range is per year that might possibly create some conflict within the community.

Comment 2 on Project Mae Usu

There is electricity at the school. They even have internet (and wireless at that!) It was the only place I could get to in the area with internet!

It could certainly be done in steps. It could be done in a number of ways - a person could sponsor, fruit, or a day (week). I am open to anything that works for people.

The thing that would be most ideal is to have this in place when they return to school in May.

Comment 3 on Project Mae Usu

Hi - this is a super quickie as I'm at work.

I hope this is OK with Linda for me to mention publicly (if not, I'm sorry - flog me later, old girl!) but we spoke about this at length a few days ago.

I know there are some other possible longer-term avenues in Thailand that need to be explored as soon as possible but even in the short-term (next 6 - 24 weeks) can we also send links to this thread (with Linda's number) to every major NGO program dealing with this type of problem???

I'm going to send this to Plan Australia and World Vision Australia - and if I can get a clean swing on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week - try and get a meeting with one of the project co-ordinators in person.

Can others (as many as possible) send the link to World Vision and other orgs in the USA as well? I REALLY think this has long-term written all over it and seriously needs the attention of a major sponsoring org with solid infrastructure as well as anything we can do in the short-term.

Comment 4 on Project Mae Usu

Linda, could you please set this up so people can sponsor daily fruit in a similar fashion to what LiA had done for breakfast sponsorships in Gulu? People could then sign up in a workspace, and PayPal you (or whoever you assign) the funds.

I've got some other ideas too, but this might be a way to get some initial traction.