Repairing clothes, making a tablecloth or teaching the girls how to sew is something a number of our ‘mothers’ like to do and know how to do well. A while ago we were able to buy one new sewing machine which we are very happy with, but we are so happy that we were able to buy a second sewing machine thanks to a donation especially for this purpose, because with three families on two different sites it is practical to have one on each site. The mothers really want to teach the girls how to sew, even if it’s only the basics, so they can manage over time. Maybe some girls like sewing so much they want to pursue it. You never know.
The summer holidays here in Thailand start mid-March and the girls are free for two months. We always try to go on a three-day holiday with the girls, but at the last moment we decided to do something different this year. We took the girls out on daytrips divided over the holiday period. We went to the province of Phayao for a day with a water park and petting farm where you can bottle feed the lambs and pet the rabbits. We spent the second day with a team of nine women from America at a river where we had a wonderful time playing with car tyres and such. The third day we went to a zoo where we could feed the elephants, crocodiles and lions. After that we went to the mall for shopping and lunch. On these days we take all the girls and the ‘mothers’, a large group and a lot of fun, everybody had a great time.
The grown-up girls who are learning to be independent hadn’t had a television for a while now. They kept asking for one but they had to wait until we had enough money to buy one and until the renovation of the living room was finished. We hadn’t told them about the donation we had received and so when they saw the refurbished room with a television in it they were very happy and grateful.
The girls’ home Baan Phak Phing falls under Thai law and almost every year there are changes that we have to comply to in order to renew our license. At first we only had to have camera surveillance outside but since 2024 we must have cameras in all the public places as well, with the exception of bathrooms and bedrooms. We didn’t have the necessary funds, but thanks to donations we have been able to install them.
The multi-purpose room had windows with wooden frames. Despite regular maintenance they were not in good working order due to the hot and humid climate here in Thailand. Some windows did not close properly and when opened they risked falling apart.
Being able to sit well while doing your homework is important. Because the chairs are used all the time the old seats were frayed and we had to fix the frames more than once. This got to a point where we could no longer do this, and they became an eyesore.
