Help 500 Thai children get an education

Why do so many children need help to go to school in Thailand? The simple answer is that people here are poor, but there is much more to the story. To better understand why the need here is so great, you have to understand the family dynamics and social norms of Thailand. Phrao’s story is a great case study.  Phrao was born into a typical Thai family with a mom, a dad, and one older brother. Life was good for a while, but a couple of years after she was born, her parents were divorced. In Thailand, a father can walk away from his family without any legal obligation to provide for their care. The burden falls entirely on the mother to provide for her family. Many women in Thailand do not even have a 12th-grade education, so the best they can do is make a few dollars per day. A better solution is to find a new husband who has a good job. But often, the new husband will not accept her children from the previous marriage.

This is exactly what happened to Phrao. Her dad left with no support, her mom remarried, and Phrao and her brother were passed off to their grandmother to take care of. But no one was helping grandma take care of Phrao, and they were not the only grandchildren she had to care for. This scenario is widespread in Thailand, and there are no laws or systems to take care of these children who are essentially orphaned by divorce.

Phrao’s grandmother was working as a day laborer, but she could not work and take care of Phrao and her young cousins at the same time. She was struggling to provide enough food to survive. When Phrao turned five and needed to go to school, there was no way Phrao’s grandmother could pay for the school uniforms and school supplies that were required in order for Pharo to start school. 

By receiving a scholarship through Education Matters, Phrao received the help she needed to start kindergarten. She even got a new dress! Phrao is a quiet child, but she is learning to speak up, and she enjoys participating in activities at school and Church! Her grandmother is very grateful that she does not have to carry this burden all by herself! Your support makes all the difference in the world for children like Phrao!