During January 14-15, 2016, Enfants du Mekong and COERR paid a visit to Ban Thai Samakki School in Sakaew Province, Ban Samrong School and Ban Rundeng School in Surin Province. Since 2005, Enfants du Mekong and COERR have been providing scholarship to children in these two provinces. This year, there are almost 150 children who have benefited from this program.

Ban Samrong School, Surin Province

Ban Rundeng School, Surin Province

Wan Chalerm, Level 4 Primary Student, lives with his grandparents, parents, elder brother with multiple disabilities and a younger sister. The scholarship helps his family to spend less on his education supplies and stationeries, etc. His elder brother, a disabled who neither see nor speak but can hear, smiles when he hears us. He enjoys the snack offered to him.

Pinpetch, another sponsored children, continues her secondary education in another Secondary School but joins her mother who is a cook at Ban Samrong School today.

Thidarat, studying in Secondary School, Level 3, lives with her mother and her younger brother. She plans to be a nurse.

Krisakorn, Level 3 Secondary Student, is preparing to apply in a Vocational College, in hoping that he would be able to acquire skills and get a job to support his family, like his older friend who has graduated from this collage.

Salika is living happily with her grandmother, her elder sister and a nephew. Salika’s parents are working upcountry and return home twice a year, during New Year and Songkran Festivals.

Supakorn, Level 5 Primary Student, is living with his mother who works in a garage.

At Ban Thai Samakki School, Sakaew Province (photo by Dina Pinard, EdM)