The Nong Tao Six getting ready to go to school for the first time

For this group of six Lahu children this was a special day... last saturday they were taken shopping to buy school clothes and supplies to go to the government school for the first time in their lives! These children have either parents who are too poor or have none at all. See the June report for some more details.







Most of these kids are used to walk barefoot or wear slippers/ thongs and most of them never even wore a pair of shoes before. Pui was again of great help.
















This is Darika, living alone with her mom. Father gone. She was really over the moon with her new school bag!

















Monday, the first day at school. On the couch you see Pratoom, their new teacher and next to her is Pui. On Monday all students, teachers and government workers have to wear a yellow shirt out of respect for The King. Even Ben has adopted this sunny look ;)







This is Darrin, she has no parents anymore. Her father left before she was born and her mother left for Bangkok to work as a prostitute. She was taken in by a lady in the village with whom she has lived with ever since she was a baby. Napa, her new mother, also had the care of a boy with no parents left. His name is Nougen, now 25, married with Nassii, 15, and they have a 2 year old. Nassii was 12 years old when she married and she never had any education.

Darrin is 12 years old and starts in grade 1 with the 6 year olds. She doesn't mind it because she wants to work hard so she might be able to go to grade 2 in a few months. Darrin is lucky that she always went to Free School for the last 1.5 year so she learned so much already. She knows the Thai alphabet, can speak, write and read quite well.

Her health is not good but she is a fighter; she has TBC and will be on strong medication for the next 6 months. We took her to the hospital last month for treatment. Darrin was already ill last year and went to the hospital but wasn't able to pay the medical bill. So she could not go back to follow up on her TBC treatment because she was too scared. Because she was abandoned she has no papers and no ID card.

Knowing you are seriously ill,,, but no one can not do anything because you don't have a Thai ID card..... Yes people... Even in a modern country like Thailand... this is our world...