Dear donors, supporters and friends of the Kharma Foundation,
We have returned! We are safe and sound, many experiences richer and with some muscle aches and soreness. The 15th project was a success from my view and a great success for the kids, the teachers and the newest volunteers. This year the schools were Baan Thi Ya Phoe (Thiyaper) and Baan Huay Chai Yong. Both schools are under the control of the head teacher Santichai and are apart about 15 minutes.
First, a message we received from the head teacher (translated from Thai):
”A heartfelt thank you. On behalf of the teachers and students of Ban Tiyaper School and Ban Huai Chai Yong Branch, we would like to express our sincere gratitude for your kindness in giving valuable items and opportunities to our children. The 4 days and 3 nights were a wonderful time for us. The activities we did together will be engraved in our hearts forever because our students rarely have the chance to meet foreigners. Your visit was a great opportunity for them. Every item you gave us was not just an item, but also hope, encouragement, and smiles that filled their hearts. Your kindness not only brightened the children’s day, but also inspired them to step into the future with dreams and determination. It also opened their eyes to the world. May your goodness return to you as happiness, success, and good things in life always. With deep gratitude and gratitude, Santichai & the teachers”
The details and results… We managed to raise 322,800 Thai Baht: thank you all for your donations! Together we managed a great amount and we managed to spend it carefully. We built 3 toilets / shower rooms, with flushing toilets! This was a first ever for our Kharma trips and just a little luxury goes a long way. We supported the build of a mess hall and kitchenette area next to the nursery. We donated beds & blankets for the little ones that sleep at the nursery in the afternoons. We donated dry food, canned food, rice, noodles, snacks and kitchen equipment; also cooking oil, sauces, herbs and spices. For learning we bought the schools books, notebooks, stationary, learning games, all kinds of pens, coloring, calculators, and so on. For both schools we donated 5 Lenovo laptops each, 10 in total, which were filled with learning programs, games and tools. We also purchased sports equipment like badminton sets, volleyballs, takraw balls and other sports stuff. We had loads of secondhand and new clothes donated and many footballs from the Pattaya based football club Planet Football. We bought warm hats and socks for the cold months and every kid got a new backpack to travel from home to school and back with their belongings. The toys we bought are arriving late as we had some late donations come in, but they did not arrive in time, so we look forward to see some pictures of happy faces when they do. All in all, together we managed a great project for the 15th time.
We, the volunteers of this year were Mark & Gina, Scott and Justine (newbies) and of course Noodle & Martin travelled together by plane, Somphong and his friend Tuk came by car. The flight to Chiang Mai was fine, the minivan was waiting; a quick stop off at the supermarket for some essentials and snacks, and off we were to Mae Sariang. Stayed in the same hotel as we always do and the met up with the head teacher at dinner. The next morning we loaded up 2 pick-up trucks with our bags, the volunteers and essentials as water, beer and fresh food.
We stopped at Doi Pha Tang (https://maps.app.goo.gl/9HN22yKyssgEboBQ7): an amazing viewpoint that had to be climbed up to enjoy; it was a struggle but great to challenge the body sometimes. From there we drove to the school Baan Thi Ya Phoe (https://maps.app.goo.gl/APEHy3zrruvgJz2XA) and had a warm welcome by the teachers, kids and local stray dogs. The first afternoon we spend setting up our sleeping quarters. As usual you get many stares and many worried and wondering faces. What are these white people (and unfamiliar Thais) coming to do here? From a young 17 year old kid who spoke very good English, learned at the Christian missionary nearby, this was the second time white faces came to his village, a speck on the map of 90 houses about 800 to 900 meters high above seawater. Noodle and Gina with help of teacher Ob and Ploy prepared a fantastic meal and the evening was spend drinking beers and the locally made rice whiskey Lao Tom, and the more we drank, the less preserved and wary the teachers became.
The second day we had breakfast together, and the children of the second school came by pick-up truck. We divided the donations for the two schools with the older kids helping and the younger kids playing games with the teachers. Scott noted that it is strange to see 60+ kids for days and not once a teacher had to raise their voices, not once some unruly behavior by the kids and not once kids were arguing or fighting. The European youth should take an example of the politeness and gentleness of their Thai counterparts.
After lunch we took pics with the kids and the goods, had a little walk around the village and the children made drawings and played some football and volleyball or on the playground. It was during this that I finally saw the ice melt in the head teacher’s heart. I will explain. We stood there and I advised him to put one pile of goods in 1 class room and one pile in another so you keep it separated which is easy. He looked a bit bewildered and asked in Thenglish (Thai- English) “Can Keep???”.
Yes of course was my reply. He looked puzzled for a second and then the biggest smile appeared… We came to donate, just donate! We didn’t come to take pictures and take it all away again, which happens, sadly. We didn’t come for their daughters. We didn’t come with bible in hand trying to buy their religious affiliation with beads and blankets… no! We came to give the stuff, have a little party with the teachers/locals, see happy kids and off we go. No Strings Attached! He was visibly touched and from that moment on he must have shaken my hands at every possibility, hugged and smiled nonstop till we left 2 days later.
In the late afternoon we took a pick-up truck down the mountain with all volunteers and some teachers to the river Yuam. Up till 5 years ago there was no direct road to the village and all goods would come via the river. It was a hell of a drive, as off road driving as you can do, scary, exciting and painful… but well worth it. We had a lovely swim, impromptu bbq in one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. So serene, so quiet, so desolate, but so untouched, no trash, no sign of human life, it was humbling and amazing.
Another great dinner by our dinner crew (without them the trip would be so much more difficult, food is fuel), of course paired with cold Leo beers, Lao Tom, music, a little herbs, and a great vibe between a group of lovely teachers from all over Thailand placed there by the government and a group of volunteers aka the Kharmateers.
The next day was very warm so the sports day was first a play day in the shade with the classics of chair dancing, some weird powder game and the balloon popping game. The afternoon was volleyball between the kids and teachers/volunteers (the girls were really good!) and a game of football in the 41 degree heat. Well done Scott in participating in both games, as it was roasting. And of course this was all followed with another dinner made by the girls and the teachers. Everyone was very tired after the 3 days of travelling, heat, pollution in the air from the fires to clear the leaves and fields, so it was not a late one and everyone had their best sleep of the trip.
The morning of the 18th we packed up our stuff, had a great breakfast and the pick-up truck drove us down to the river again, where 2 very old long tail boats waited on us to take us up the river back in the direction of the hotel. I had requested this as a special treat for the 15th anniversary. We all chipped in and paid the 2 captains from our own pockets. About half way, in the middle of a rapid, our boat broke down and with a visibly stressed Noodle (she cannot swim well), we were swept down the river and had to try to fix the engine. This could not be fixed so the 2nd boat went to drop off Mark, Gina, Scott and Justine, to then circle back and come to pick us up. It was definitely the adventure I had hoped, a bit more even. All was well in the end and we arrived back in Mae Sariang to a proper bed and a hot shower!
We all conclude that it was a great expedition. With the civil war raging just over the border from Thailand and Myanmar, I am happy we chose a location a little less remote, not right on the border and not from the border patrol police. The KNU Karen army is fighting fierce battles that can be heard on the Thai side. We could not pick something too close to potential danger.
What you might notice on the pictures is that this school is well kept, although when looking at the details, it is often a layer of make up on a monkey. That it looks good and runs good is due to the hard work of the head teacher and his staff. Some schools look terrible but get the same funds. When the heart of the leader is good, the place prospers. It was very nice to be supporting teachers with passion. Their kind message after we came home shows their involvement and not taking it for granted!
I will leave you with some words of the Kharma virgins Scott & Justine, as it is great to see a trip like this through new eyes: “Wow, what an incredible experience—one that I’m still trying to fully process even after returning to our ‘reality’. I anticipated the physical challenges of the trip, but I wasn’t quite prepared for how emotionally overwhelming it would be, in the best possible way! While many of us may have wealth in the traditional sense of money and possessions, the people I encountered there are undeniably rich in kindness and love. The hospitality and warmth they showed us throughout our stay is something I will carry with me forever. Having visited Thailand for 18 years, there were always aspects I struggled to understand—especially seeing so many workers putting in long hours for wages we would consider minimal. But after spending a few days in a rural village, where many of the Thai workers come from, I now see things in a completely new light. Most of these individuals come from nothing, and I’ve gained a deep appreciation for their resilience and the strength they embody. It was an incredibly heartwarming experience to witness firsthand the joy on the faces of both the kids and teachers that The Kharma Foundation brings. We can’t wait to do it all again!”
And in the words of Justine: “What a wonderful, worthy cause—the Kharma Foundation. It exceeded my expectations and all the “what ifs” I had prior to the trip. The serenity of the mountains, lush green trees, and the humblest Thai people I have ever encountered really made this an unforgettable, life-changing experience. The children were so polite and content, their faces full of joy from all the generosity supplied by our sleeve’s & our generous donors (this would not of been possible without you!) The most rewarding and humbling experience we have ever had. We are proud Kharmateers!”
Thank you all once more, without you none of this is possible.
Kindest regards, The Kharmateers!
