Living Waters Phuket – Monthly Update January 2023

Summary

‘Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.’.

Francis of Assisi

At Living Waters Phuket Foundation (LWPF) we had a busy start to 2023.

A quick summary sees;

Our Equivalency Determination reapproved for 2023.

2100 back to school kits distributed as part of Children’s Day in January.

Another iCare dormitory officially opened.

iCare completing the distribution of bicycles.

Seeds Of Change (SOC) fitting out their new training and production facility supported by The Foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS).

The next round of 985 wheelchairs arriving and awaiting assembly and distribution.

The Spinal Boards Project, in partnership with LDS approved and started.

A new year brings new beginnings and new ambitions. From helping just a few people, LWPF is now making a difference to thousands of lives in Phuket and across Thailand and will continue to do so. This may sound boastful but by enabling small differences, these can make a huge difference to an individual and by default to the wider community.

The delivery of assorted mobility aids and another 985 wheelchairs will give a greater degree of independence to those using them. Empowering an individual to become more self reliant gives them confidence and a greater sense of self worth. This may translate to being able to work, or to free a family member from some of their care responsibilities. It also decreases the stigma around the disabled, as the individual is seen more for their inherent worth, rather than for their disability.

At LWPF we do not shy away from seemingly Herculean tasks. The relentless packing of life bags over two years is testament to this, peaking with 8738 super life bags being packed in just over 2 days.

The logistics involved with projects of this size are huge. From funding, procurement, transportation, paperwork through to distribution. Each stage involves teamwork and cooperation from any number of individuals and organisations and is not always without problems.

The latest wheelchair delivery saw 3, 40ft containers held up at the port in Bangkok for several months, while the necessary documentation was completed and the shipment finally released. The three huge containers were then driven down to Phuket Red Cross Headquarters. Arriving late afternoon, it took around 5 hours for the fully laden containers of wheelchairs and mobility aids to be unloaded by hand, counted, serial numbers recorded and everything stored. Before distribution, the customisable cross terrain wheelchairs must be checked and assembled. It is estimated that at a conservative rate of one wheelchair per 30 minutes, this will take at least 500 man hours to complete.

The spinal boards project is also underway. 7,500 spinal boards will be distributed on behalf of the Ministry of Health and the National Emergency Foundation across Thailand. This will greatly assist emergency services particularly in rural areas, who currently often have to improvise when extricating a casualty at the scene of an accident.

Although the size of LWPF projects may have grown, smaller projects are still very much supported. They too may be scaled up in time if the need and opportunity arises. However, LWPF never forget that making a difference to just one individual’s life may ultimately benefit many.