Mid-term (1 to 6 months) "work with children/teenagers" project in Thailand

Possible to participate all year through. Volunteer have to stay at least 2 months and there will be max. 4-5 volunteers.

Roywan Pan Pba Alternative School, Community Living, Activities with Kids & Agriculture in Kuan Mai Bong, Nakorn Sritammarat Province

Kuan Mai Bong is a Buddhist village located in Cha-aud district of Nakorn Sri Tammarat province, Southern Thailand. The population of the village consists of approx. 720 people (212 homes). Most villagers make a living on their property such as rubber plantation and fruit orchard. Some others are temporary workers earning wages from occasional hire. The village was named Kuan Mai Bong deriving from its abundance in timber (Kuan Mai Bong = hill of timber). Due to its fertile of natural resources of hardwood and minerals in the past, this province as well as the neighboring provinces, Trang and Pattalung, was announced a concession of forestry by the government in 1971 along with mine industry. The concession had continuously taken away lots of valuable trees and minerals for years. In the meantime, the government challenged an uprising of anti-government communist groups at the time, it therefore launched a campaign of communist crackdown throughout the nation; the mountainous landscape of the three provinces was thought to be a hidden place of the communists. The forestry and mine concession and throughout the area covering the mountain range of the three provinces were permanently restrained and being under surveillance of the concerned government. Years later after the situation improved, the government allowed people to make a living on the once-spoiled land. It was possessed by newcomers from nearby villages and soon after that an agricultural community founded. In 1982, the presence-running government proclaimed this area to be restricted and turned it into a preserved forest covering 70,000,000 square meters throughout the 3 provinces, Nakorn Sri Tammart, Trang and Pattalung and launched a policy of pushing settlers to relocate. The villagers rejected but after a negotiation with the government, they were allowed to live on under the dealt agreement.

Year 2005, Kuan Mai Bong villagers began to be aware of their forestry resources. Losses in natural abundance in the past made them concern on how man and nature can live in balance. Serious forestry preservation and rehabilitation were taken place. They gathered to explore their forest, paid more attention to natural resources management concerning protection of flash flood and soil problem. They came up with activities such as building a natural dike, making a wildfire-defending range and building a boundary mark between villagers' land and preserved forest, for example.

Roywan Pan Pba Alternative School was started from nothing but motivation and solidarity in March 2011 by the initiatives of a local environmental activist Pi Ju along with endless support of Kuan Mai Bong villagers and the work of the pilot international volunteers from Finland, Denmark, Germany and Thailand. The main aim shared with the local community of Kuan May Bong is to make the next generation (local kids) be able to stay self-sufficient in their environment and to respect it as a vital part of their life. Actually it could be done only with the transmission of elders’ local skills and knowledge, but we believe the growing temptation of parents to send their kids to study in the city (for “better education”) and the dream of some young locals to leave their village for the consumption world can be refrained by organizing activities, learning and sharing with volunteers from outside.

The alternative school is located in a mountainous village of Ban Tad Mountain Range. It is approx. 16 kilometers far from the main road reaching up to the mountain. It is surrounded by rubber plantations, fruit orchards and scattered settlement of villagers’ homes. This project is strongly recommended to ones coming with motivation to be embraced with nature, loving in tranquility and rather to stay the distance from civilization because there are few chances for town as it is not easy to go out often. Volunteers should bear in mind that you’re going to work in a team, everything shared, and responsibility taken equally. Above all, full involvement in community matters is a must.

Volunteers should keep some time before or after this volunteering if they wish to travel around by themselves

This project is to build and run this alternative school together. (the main building and toilets are now already done-Aug 2011). Volunteers also dedicate themselves for community work when there’s need. You can this way experience real solidarity in this strong community where money is not as important as some would like to make us believe.

There are still some accommodations to be build and in the clearing around the school, volunteers will grow their own fruits, vegetables, raise chickens and fish. One of the school plans concerning the campaign of agricultural self-sufficiency is that people need no buying food from a market but to grow or to raise whatever edible and make it into meals for their families.

On week-ends, the kids gather at the school to do activities with the volunteers. About 25 children come every week-end to spend time at the school. The volunteers decide together how the school days are spent. The opportunities are endless: teaching different subjects such as Basic English, art, agriculture, games… The kids vary in age, the youngest ones are approximately 7, and the oldest about 20. This is never a problem. They like to participate in activities together. If you know any activities worth arranging for the kids from your country or any teaching ideas, please bring supplies you may need with you.

Apart from staying at all times with your volunteer friends and the host family, this is another way to get deeper understanding of the village lifestyle. Volunteers will have an opportunity to stay with a Thai family in Kuan Mai Bong village.

- To support Roywan Pan Pba Alternative School
- To learn from each other among volunteers themselves, and from volunteers to villagers vice versa through "learning by doing" concept
- To build good relationship between volunteers and local people
- To be part of Kuan Mai Bong community
- To let children be familiar with volunteers and learn in international/multi-cultural atmosphere

Volunteers will stay with a host family where separated single huts for 2 people will be shared. The huts located in the vicinity of the school area.

The minimum period of staying is two months.
The fee will be used for living expenses (gas, water, electricity, food) and for materials used in projects/activities. Also some part of the fee will be used to support Thai volunteers and our organization.

MLTV volunteer pays 15,000 THB (about 305 GBP), if you stay for 2 months.
MLTV volunteer pays 21,000 THB (about 425 GBP), if you stay for 3 months.
For each additional month of stay after the 3rd month volunteers will pay 6,000 Baht (about 120 GBP) a month.

Cha-uat district, Nakorn Sri Tammarat province, Southern Thailand.

Hat Yai (from Bangkok you can choose to travel by plane, bus or train).