All our efforts go to helping underprivileged children, who lack opportunities or access to education facilities. Children at potential risk of falling into the trap of drugs, prostitution or begging. We support schools and/or education institutes/groups that struggle to help these children. Their financial transparency, their proactivity and the love and care they give to their students is the main reason why we took the decision to give our contribution.

Since 2010 ChuayDek, first as a group of friends and then as a registered charity, has been supporting the children of the rural school Buddha Kasettra (Khun Yoam, Mae Hong Sorn, Thailand). It is not just a school but a house and a family. This is a school for 120 to 150 underprivileged children, for whom poverty is not their main problem.

Buddha Kasettra school

The school was established by the Pra Chaiyot Chaiyayaso in 1986. He tried to provide a safe shelter and an education to kids coming from one of the slums in the surrounding of Bangkok. The school subsequently welcomed children from hill tribes (Thai Yai, Akha, Karen, Lahu, Hmong), who had divorced parents, drug problems or who were even orphans. Pra Chaiyot Chaiyayaso did prevent many of them from falling into dangerous lives or human trafficking. 

In the last 20 years the school gradually transformed itself into a large welcoming center providing free education and hosting. During the years of high pick, up to 300 kids from 4 to 18 years old are in the school. With relevant efforts and support from different donors - especially Japan - infrastructures significantly improved through the years, and kids can now enjoy basic buildings where to attend their classes, spend their nights and eat. The institute consists of a main building with class-rooms and of other buildings in different status of construction. Girls and boys sleep in seven separate basic houses, in groups of around 15 kids and one teacher. Learn more on the School and meet the class...

How does the school sustain itself? 
The boarding school runs through basic financial support from the Ministry of Education of Thailand, irregular donations from groups or individual, and, especially, the good will of its ten teachers. The government support reach only one fourth of the operating costs and covers only 200 days out of the 310 days of programme.

With the available funds the teachers manage to provide three 4 THB (10 USD cents) meals per kid, including breakfast, lunch and dinner consisting often of the same dish with rice and vegetable soup; dinner is every day only boiled rice. While cost of living in Thailand and in Mae Hong Sorn permit cheap meals, 4 THB do not ensure an appropriate diet. To have a comparison think about your last simple meal: fried rice, water and meat. How much did it cost? 30 Thb (around 1 USD) at a market or 300 Thb (around 10 USD) in a standard restaurant in Thailand.

An image of Pang Uung, Mae Hong Sorn, one of the villages of the kids.

Some of the girls of the Buddha Kasettra School during their lunch.

Phop Pra, Tak, the bed that Suchart share with 3 other kids during the days he is not at the school