The Presentation Slums Mission, Bangkok To assist children today to help themselves and their families tomorrow.The Education ProjectThe Education Project supplies children and young adults from Klong Toey and other slum communities in Bangkok with school uniforms, shoes, socks and a bag. Many students also receive assistance with school fees, books, Insurance and camp fees. In the past three to four years the Education Project assisted over 600 students per year. Assistance is provided to underprivileged students from the age of about 3 (commencing pre-school) to undergraduate students in their 20’s.
Some students need just a pair of shoes while others require much more assistance.
Two students have been given 100% financial support thus enabling them to continue their studies without undue stress with regard to food, clothing and shelter.
The majority of students assisted through the Education Project are at Kindergarten, primary or lower secondary school levels with a growing number enrolling in Vocational and Poly Technical Schools.
Each year a small number of students opt to continue to Year 12 some of whom will in the future enter University. Up to the present at least nine students have graduated from university.
The Education Project provides an opportunity for children and young adults from Klong Toey and other slum communities in Bangkok to gain an education which is vital if they are to come to an understanding of why they are poor and how it is possible for them to break out of this seemingly never ending cycle of poverty.
Fares and Food Project (2xf)The Mission is concerned with the total development of each child as far as that is possible. This is an important project. The money spent helping children gain a place in school and to keep them there is of no value if the students do not have the means to travel to/from school. It's also very difficult for a student to concentrate on learning if he or she has not had anything to eat all day. Many students need to buy a bowl of rice before starting school each morning. Once in school, they often need to buy their lunch and drinking water as well.
Infant Milk Programme less formally known as: “The Milk-Run”This is a life support for many families and runs every fortnight. "Sister Joan started this project in 1992. At first, she knew the women to whom she gave the milk and would walk to their homes. She now supplies almost 200 babies with milk at a cost in excess of 30,000 baht (A$1200) every fortnight".
The Baby-kits ProjectThis project provides essential items for new babies born into slum families. The baby kits contain items such as feeding bottles, nappies, baby powder and lotion, a small mattress and pillows, towels and mosquito net as well as toiletries for the mother. Often, the new mother cannot afford to buy these items.
Health Care NeedsAilments range from the common cold, fevers, diarrhoea to more serious illnesses such as sugar diabetes, high blood pressure, various cancers, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and so much more. Many hours in any week are spent in the hospitals, local clinics and in homes too supporting the sick, their families and meeting the various needs.
Elderly Care and Support Most slum dwellers are young to middle aged. Older people are in the minority: however, they are most certainly present. Often, they can be very poor and depressed, especially those without family. They are in need of the occasional visitor dropping in to check on them.
It is also the elderly and children who often are in most need of assistance with regard to medical care.
Family Food PackThe elderly and the infirm are the main recipients of this project. The families included in this project are very poor, some desperately so. With the present world-wide economic problems their numbers are increasing. At times, they have no rice. They have nothing.
The Family Food Project supplies these families with basic food supplies of rice, cooking oil, noodles, eggs and fish. A family food emergency food pack costs approx. 240 Baht (A$10). At the time of writing there are 55 people, mainly the elderly receiving the rice and the food packs.
Sister Joan
14/5/2552 (2009)
Thanks again to Catherine for the additional photo.
