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COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS
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Since 2004 the MRVR, with visiting international schools and businesses, has organized improvement projects for schools in the district. Each year's projects can be viewed as well as those we hope to carry out in the future.
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Select Visiting Schools Projects link for details and photos of examples of schools projects.
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About the Community Project
The Community Project, set up in 2002, was initially based on our organic farm which was established to offer a training programme in more sustainable farming methods to disadvantaged Thai teenagers from the region. The farm continues to go from strength to strength offering its training programme and developing new ideas. Our second group of nine students began their training in December 2004. The principle of using tourism to fund the project by the supply of vegetables and fruit to the resort restaurant is augmented by increasing support from visiting international schools to our student centre, as well as, generous donations from a wide range of visitors.
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Contributions to the MRVRI from visiting schools
Visiting schools from Australia. Hong Kong, Singapore, UK and from within Thailand have already made substantial contributions to our community project. In the early stages of development certain schools raised funds and came to work on the farm providing invaluable time and effort to move the farm project on. For example, West Island School, Hong Kong, provided funding for extension of our irrigation system which included digging a lengthy trench system from river to farm for water pipes as well as providing the technology for the water pump. Three different schools have provided labour for clearing extensive areas of the farm for development and others have given time to help with planting or harvesting rice and other crops. Younger groups have helped in the cleaning and food preparation in the animal section or mixed and spread the organic pesticides in the orchard section and planted fruit trees. Not only have students given much, they have also learned from their experience, as many had little or no previous knowledge of farming and the tremendous time and labour it entails.
As the whole Community Project has developed we have, in addition to assisting and supporting the Farm , organised for school groups to visit local schools and orphanages in the area and these visits have comprised a variety of activities from English language teaching to sports. Usually these visits have been for a half day over a three - five day period. But certain school groups have provided a more intensive week or more of English language training. Schools have also generously donated money, clothing and educational materials which have been gratefully received. The interaction between the different groups of students and the shared enjoyment have been a pleasure to see.
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IDEAS FOR FUTURE PROJECTS
Although most schools visiting our Student Centre are with us only for an average of five days much interest has been expressed in committing more time over a longer period to a particular project. Schools in the surrounding area would certainly welcome such support and commitment. English language training (see Gap Year opportunity at Education Center external site)) is seen as highly important to the successful future of all students but is greatly lacking in local government funded schools. The schools themselves in many cases are poorly resourced and furniture, building fabric etc is in a dilapidated condition As such, the following are suggestions for more extended projects:
• the setting up a library or small language centre to provide the teachers in these schools with better facilities and materials for teaching English. On subsequent visits students could undertake planned language activities with the local students.
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• more basic provisions to help improve conditions in schools, such as better toilet facilities, painting classrooms . If schools could raise funds we could provide materials and expert guidance for student groups to help build, improve or renovate such facilities. There are often long waiting lists for schools who apply for government funded improvements.
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The Maekok River Village Resort is close to a number of hilltribe villages where the provision or improvement of educational facilities and other basic necessities are needed eg
• a school room built in bamboo or extension and improvement on what exists already
• installing an irrigation system
• implementing an organic farming system could all be the basis of a longer term project for training and helping hilltribes towards more sustainable and cheaper methods of farming.
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Rosie Massingham has particular responsibility for overseeing the Maekok River Village Resort Community Project, a development established at the resort 4 years ago. She has a degree in Humanities and has a special interest in the history of the region, from the early Lanna period to more recent events, such as the settlement of Nationalist Chinese who migrated to the area via Burma after fleeing China in 1949. Before coming to Thailand, she taught history at Shatin College Hong Kong and amongst other responsibilities took several history fieldtrips to Vietnam. |
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