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Elementary Philanthropy

By Kelly Phipps
05-Oct-10

Setting the Scene, and the Standard, for Citizenship at International School Bangkok

Here is a quick multiple-choice test for you:

My child is __________ to get involved in our community.

a) too young

b) too selfish

c) too lazy

d) ready, willing, and able

If you picked anything but “d)”, you could not be more wrong. At a time when the world economy has everyone protecting and hoarding their own assets, International School Bangkok’s (ISB) Grade 2 students proved that they know what it means to be good and caring world citizens.

They joined ISB’s effort to provide a quality library to the underprivileged children who find safe haven at the Mercy Centre, a shelter run by the Human Development Foundation in downtown Bangkok, Thailand.

Once they’d learned about the hardships faced by the Mercy Centre’s children—orphans, homeless children, children and mothers with HIV/AIDS, to name a few—the students knew they needed to help. Soon afterward, our young philanthropists could be seen around the school and in the community, selling brownies, lemonade, and ginger snaps; shining shoes; running laps; hosting bake sales; and doing whatever it took to earn money.

Little by little, the baht came in: 10 baht (~$0.30) here, 20 there, 100 there… When all was said and done, the Grade 2 students had raised over $1,800! Drawing on a selection of high-quality, Thai-language books offered by bookseller Plan for Kids, ISB students hand-picked the ones they thought the Mercy Centre children would enjoy.

What is more, under the direction of coordinator Cynthia Crowder a supremely dedicated group of students gave up their recess time to turn the book The Rainbow Fish into a puppet show, preparing a script, building puppets, and rehearsing their lines. And while the puppeteers were honing their performance, another group was preparing to take the stage, on camera, as on-the-scene reporters.

Finally it was D-Day—Delivery Day. Once in the Mercy Centre library, Khun Jurairat explained the story of The Rainbow Fish before turning the stage over to the Grade 2 puppeteers. Their grand performance was met with resounding applause.

Next: the book delivery... It is one thing to speak of the joy of giving, but as our Grade 2 representatives found out, words can not compare with the real thing.

The excitement and delight were electric as box after box was emptied, and books went from hand to hand. Young readers forgot about language barriers as they shared treasured stories and then exchanged books with their neighbors.

It is hard to say who got more out of this experience. Certainly the children at the Mercy Centre will enjoy their books for years to come, and many will remember the day the books arrived. The ISB students will remember the thrill of accomplishment, perhaps a fleeting sense of celebrity, and the pleasure of bringing joy into the lives of others.

Hopefully, all will remember the most important message: each of us has the power to make the world a better place, and together we can do great things.

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Comments

11/22/2010 - bangkokjoy
Hi.
I read your article with enthusiasm and much gratitude in my heart for you, your school, and particularly, your students. It is an awesom thing that they did and that they continue to do!

I formerly lived in Bangkok for 15 years and have seen the vast poverty and its affect on children, particularly in the area of Bangna. I would like to suggest a name to you for your next project. The name: Khun Oratai Thaweesin, or Dang as she goes by.

Dang is the Executive Director of CWEFT (Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation-Thailand. CWEFT does a whole myriad of human care and educational projects throughout Thailand. There is a day care & community center for slum children and their families located at Bangna which might be a good option for your students next time they do a project like this. There are also projects ongoing in the north among the Karen, Mong, and Akha hilltribes among many others throughout the country.

Dang can be contacted at the CWEFT office at: 02-982-8977 or by email at [email protected]

Please do connect with her if only for a brief outine of projects and/or perhaps a tour through the slum at Bangna and a visit to the center there.

Cheering you on for all the good you are doing in Thailand!
Christie Nelson
Former CWEFT board member

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