Living Waters Phuket Foundation – Building Brighter Futures
With Valentine’s Day being marked last week, we wanted to show our communities that it is not just a day for romance, but more importantly a time to show love and care for others. For many of the recipients of life bags, this gave them the reassurance that the wider community does care about them, as well as providing much-needed staple supplies.
Pupils from Headstart School graciously gave up their time to pack life bags last Saturday, some of which were funded by local hotels as part of the Phuket Hotels Association (PHA) Life Bag Initiative.
With Living Waters Phuket as the catalyst, and in the true spirit of Valentines, a real sense of community is beginning to develop. Individuals and organizations are coming together to work on existing projects and to identify vital others, where help is most needed.
The next few weeks will see new partnerships and projects develop, as communities build and work together for a more strategic response to the challenges being faced in Phuket and the surrounding islands.
Just 140 THB can feed a family of 4 people for up to 4 days, so please donate now to help: Weeboon
Networking in the Community:
This week, the Foundation focused its community leader meetings with the President of the Red Cross Phuket as well as meeting various OrBorTor leaders to discuss current and future needs.
Food Security Update:
Life Bag Packing / Distribution Update
- 2,500 life bags were packed and distributed in the 7 days (leading up to 18th February)
- This was in addition to the 100 packed and distributed as part of the Phuket Hotels Association Life Bags Initiative
Marketing:
There were a few articles highlighting the efforts of the first PHA to roll out the joint-life bag initiative, we look forward to more hotels joining in the efforts:
Article in The Thaiger regarding the PHA joint initiative, focussing on The Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon:
Article in The Phuket News also covering the PHA joint initiative focussing on The Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon:
Fundraising
We are grateful for all donations to our Weeboon campaign for Life Bag Food Supply which has raised another 12,300 THB in the last week bringing the total to 431,600 THB.
In addition, donations totaling 306,975 THB have been made directly to the Foundation
Please donate to help those in need at this critical time; any amount is appreciated: Weeboon
Approved Projects in Progress:
- Seeds of Change
This sewing center support project saw funding for sewing machines that have been ordered for delivery on 22nd February to their Vocational Sewing Centre which is located at The Good Shepherd Migrant Work Centre Phuket (GMSW). The purpose is to provide employment alternatives and skills development for young Thai or migrant people.
- Koh Samui Life Bags
This new project aims to raise funds through donations, purchase food, pack Life Bags and distribute to communities in need on the island of Koh Samui. It is currently awaiting dates for the go-ahead.
- The Red Cross Phuket
This wheelchair assistance project saw funding from our Foundation to purchase 1,800 wheelchairs for use in hospitals, clinics, and vaccination centers across Thailand to assist those with mobility issues. This project is ongoing.
- Life Home Project
Education assistance funding has been paid, and the project to help with educational opportunities for HIV-positive Thai Children at the Life Home Project is underway and the first progress report has now been delivered.
Completed Projects:
- The Good Shepherd BanYa Literacy and Learning Centre
This project saw record speed completion for the purchase of ATK test kits for over 400 children in order for testing to take place to allow the school to reopen. This completed project was achieved in under a week, making it a rapid and successful project for everyone involved.
- The Red Cross Back To School
This completed partnership between Living Waters Phuket and the Red Cross where LWP provided the equipment necessary to allow for 390 students across 13 schools in Phuket, to get back to school. Prior to this funding project, these students were unable to attend school as they did not have uniforms, school supplies, funds for transportation, and the minimal fee to go to school.
- Disadvantaged Students Project
The Foundation has provided funding for Phuket Has Been Good To Us to allow 500 disadvantaged students access to a new computer lab. This project is now completed.
- Under Privileged Children
The provision of portable water for 300 students at the Coconut Island School, as well as critical equipment for the school’s kitchen including a fridge, freezer, and fans, is completed. The acquittal report is currently being prepared.
- The Good Shepherd
The project for The Good Shepherd for Solar Panel Installation for the Good Shepherd Phuket Town (GSPT) Learning Centre is now completed.
- Sustainable Farming and Food Production – Phase 2
The Kathu Wittaya School’s phase 2 funded project is now complete. This was around sustainable education for farming and food production and the provision of buildings to help store and sell the food from the funded phase 1 project.
- Tambon Phunai Koh Yao Yai Orphan Education Funding
The Foundation funded the purchase of school supplies for parentless children from this Orphanage in January 2022. LWP donated funds for school supplies and this directly allowed the children to return to school to get the chance to continue gaining an education. Funding will cover 1 full year of schooling needs for around 35 children.
- Kathu Wittya School
The Sustainable Education on Farming and Food Production (phase 1) is complete. This long-term initiative was designed around teaching almost 1,000 children how to farmland using proven Thai techniques and processes in order to produce and harvest food.
- Phuket Has Been Good To Us
Living Waters Phuket Foundation completed this project to fund and provide brand new IT equipment for over 500 disadvantaged children for the school. This project helped teachers, volunteers, and administrators to be able to deliver their English classes more effectively and efficiently.
- Super Life Bags
This completed project was the largest single order of life bag supplies in the last 22 months and saw over 8,700 large bags packed and delivered to Phuket and the surrounding areas in November 2021, helped by Government officials and 5 Star Marine.
Weekly Summary
Living Waters Phuket facilitated working together and community this week; and took the true spirit of Valentine to heart by developing a real sense of local community. LWP is happy to have helped individuals and organizations to come together to work on existing projects as well as helping to identify areas where help is most needed.
Shaun Stenning commented on the weeks events; “For our work at the Foundation to be more effective and efficient, we will focus the next few weeks on developing our new partnerships and projects. As we see communities build and work together for a more strategic response to the challenges being faced, it gives me an anchor and spirit to keep going, no matter what.”
LWP remains 100% devoted to helping the most vulnerable communities.
Please contact us for more information.
+66 99 341 6799 | [email protected]
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