COERR organized the Summer camp activity for poor children under the Enfants du Mekong scholarship during March 27-29, 2014.

There were 61 children from 5 schools in Sakaew Province: Ban Sa-ngae, Ban Khlong Wah, Ban Thai Samakki, Petcharatratchasuda and Taptim Siam 03 attending the training at Thai Red Cross Society’s Ratchakarun Centre in Ban Khao Lan, Trad Province. The Center was a former “Khao Lan Refugee Camp” during 1979 -1986, in which refugees from Cambodia were accommodated and COERR was providing humanitarian services by means of food and vocational training, etc. to the Cambodian refugees at that time.

The summer camp activities, trained by the Royal Thai Marine Control Group 3’s officials, started with ice-breaking activity on the first day, as to introduce children to know friends from other schools.

On the second day, children were led to some exercising practice including a 6 - km. walk uphill passing forest and downhill along the sea-view rock path. Then they went through challenging physical obstacle courses like crawling, balancing, climbing, etc. with the purpose of encouraging endurance, consciousness, bravery, helpfulness and friendliness. After dinner was the time for watching video about COERR and Enfants du Mekong, and then the children’s performance promoting patriotic spirit, culture and tradition, drug abuse, and environmental protection.

On the third and last day, children reflected on the experience and impression they had learned from this summer camp that they would be able to use to improve their lives. COERR has provided scholarship to the poor children under the Enfants du Mekong since 2005. There are currently 134 children in Sakaew and Surin Province receiving monthly scholarship which supports schooling by means of food, clothing and transportation to school.