Thailand/Burma Program

Directed by Dr. Samantha Tavares

The Thailand/Burma program was developed in partnership with the Grassroots Human Right, Education & Development (GHRED) organization located in Phang Nga Province of Thailand, bordering Burma.  The following are some of the children in this program:

Zaw

Age:14

Sex: Male

History: Zaw’s father died while he was young and his mother remarried but died 2 years ago. He has been living in CCCC for over 2 years and is like the big brother who looks out for all the other children there. He is pleasant, helpful and considerate and is friends with everybody. Zaw Winn Htun is currently studying in a local Thai School and was top of his class in every subject last year. He is very interested in sports, particularly football, and he plays for the Grassroots Grippers youth team.

 

 

Dr. Samantha Tavares

Phone (808) 261-3731

Fax (808) 342-3377

E-mail: drtavaressam@yahoo.com

To contact us:

Aung

Age: 9 (approximately)

Sex: Male

History: Aung’s history is not known although it is believed that both of his parents are dead. He was found living alone on a construction site at the age of about 6. He was receiving food from the workers and running errands for them. He was brought to Tokamein house where, after a long and difficult adjustment process, is doing well. He now attends Thai school and is very interested in sports. He won 11 medals at his last sports day. This year he has a new pair of trainers and hopes he can win more.

 

Medical Needs: Aung Kyaw Phyo is very healthy and active, however his active sporty life has brought him many minor injuries (cuts and scrapes) which have to be cared for and cleaned by the staff. He has in the past shown signs of psychological trauma (temper tantrums and screaming )although now, he occasionally loses his temper, he is much improved since his arrival at CCCC.

Medical Needs: Htun is in good health and is growing tall and strong. He does however become out of breath and tired when playing sport and has fainted at school. He has been seen by the school nurse but nothing abnormal was found by her.

Thar

Sex: male

Age:11

History: Thar’s background is not clear. He was living with his grandmother and older sister before he came to CCCC. Both of his parents died in quick succession 2 and a half years before and his grandmother could not take care of him and wanted him to come to the CCCC so he could have better care and a chance to go to school. He has previously been living in a monastery in Burma and has had a lot of disruption in his short life. He was taken under the care of Mr Htoo Chit the director of GHRE in May 2006 and has been at cccc ever since. He has had problems with discipline and with his temper in the past but is currently doing well and attending Thai School. He is also involved in a youth football program which he loves.

 

 

Hla Hla

Age: 10

Sex: Female

History: Hla Hla came to CCCC more than 2 years ago. Her father brought her to GHRE after her mother became paralyzed after the birth of her sister. The family could not support and care for her on her father’s low  income and the family moved around constantly in search of work. Her father wanted education, stability and good care for her so she came to live in CCCC. Hla Hla Htet is a smiling extrovert who loves to perform songs and dances for the other children and staff with her friends. She is currently attending Khuk Kak Thai and was chosen to be in the school Thai dancing troupe to perform for guests and other student.

 

 

Soe

Age: 8

Sex: Female

 

History: Soe came to GHRE in early 2007 her mother works as a housemaid in Bangkok and her father is in Nepal. Her mother works long hours and is unable to care for her adequately. She is in touch with her mother by telephone and her mother has been to visit her once. Soe Yatha Nar is a very loving child who loves to sing and dance to karaoke DVDs but also when she is alone, she sings to herself. She is currently attending Thai School in Khuk Khak where she tries hard and has learned to speak Thai very well.

 

 

Chan

Age: 12

Sex: Male

 

History: Chan After Chan Myat Wai’s Mother remarried, he did not get along with his step father. He was living in Tap La Moo and was not attending school there and would stay at home during the day. He was brought to the attention of Tokamein (cccc) staff by a member of staff from Map foundation and CCCC staff offered him a place to live and come to school. Now he is attending Ban Niang Learning Centre and has a lot of friends. Chan Myat Wai is a very talkative and popular boy and like  ll the boys his age he is football crazy. He plays for GHRE Grippers youth football team and loves to sing karaoke with the other children in the evenings.

 

Medical Needs: Chan Myat Wai is fit and healthy and has no medical problems.

Lwin

Sex: Male

Age 11

History: His parents work in the local tourist town of Khao Lak cleaning bungalows. They said they have no place for him to stay with them as their work site accommodation is not good. His parents really want him to attend school. In the high season, his parents can make a good salary and send money to GHRE to support Tet min lwin but in the low season fiew tourists come here and they make very little money. H is a little shy of adults and does not like to talk to adults. He is a quiet boy he will often not speak up if he needs something. The staff have to watch him more closely than the other children as they know he will not tell them if something is wrong. He has closer friends at CCCC and follows them on adventures around the local area. Packarrang Learning centre.

 

 

Me Me

Sex: Female

Age: 8

Me Me arrived at Tokamein in March 2007 She is ethnically Tavoi. Both of her parents live on a remote prawn farm in Taguapa. She cannot attend school as there is no transportation for her. Her parents approached GHRE to ask if we could help her to go to school. She sees her parents around twice a month and goes to stay with them for weekends. She misses her younger brother and likes to go and visit him. Her parents help out financially when they are able by sending money to cover some of her expenses while she is staying at CCCC.

 

Ei

Sex Female

Age: 10

EI Hlaing arrived at Tokamein in October 2007. Her parents live on a remote

construction site near Taguapa. There is nowhere she can go to school there. Her

parents came to GHRE staff and asked if they could help to take care of her as they have to move around a lot and are working in dirty and dangerous places. She now attends the Packarrang Learning Centre. She likes to stay at CCCC and plays with her friends. She is a popular and happy child. She sees her parents at school holidays and goes to stay with them wherever they are.

 

Aye

Sex: Male

Age 8

Arrived 2007 His parents are working in a remote rubber plantation in Kurraburi district not close to any of our other learning centers. He was a student on one of the mobile teaching program last year and was able to attend some classes with the team. His parents really wanted to send him to school and asked GHRE if he could stay at CCCC and attend the learning centre. His parents have a stable, relatively well paying job and the fully support him financially while he is staying at Htokamenin. He is always smiling and likes to play with the other children at the centre. He only sees his parents in the school holidays twice a year. Aye Theit Oo is too young to play for the GHRE Grippers but he loves to play with the older boys after practice and hopes next year he will make the team. He likes to swim in the river near cccc.

 

Saw

Sex: Male

Age 11

Saw came to Htokamein at the end November of 2006. He was born in southern Thailand in Rannong and has 1 sister. His mother and father separated long a go he doesn't know exactly when. His mother re married and he stayed with his birth father. Sadly his father developed paralysis and could not take care of him. His father brought him to meet with Htoo Chit and asked if the organization could help to take care of his son and send him to school. His father lives in GHRE's temporary shelter and is receiving medical care. Saw Yan Naing attends Khuk Kak Thai school. He is a very intelligent boy and loves to learn. He is kind to the other children in the centre and reads stories to them in the evenings. He sees his father most days.

Medical Needs: Saw Yan Naigh is in good health and requires no medication or special care.

Kyaw and Saw

Sex: male

Ages: 15 and 13

Kyaw and Saw are brothers. They were born in Kanchanaburri in the north of Thailand where their parents work in a construction sites. These two brothers are the nephews of GHRE director U Htoo Chit. They were previously attending Thai school in Kanchanaburri but their parents were not making enough money and could not afford to continue to send them to Thai school. Htoo Chit heard that they would be starting work soon and offered them a place at CCCC . Both these boys speak Thai very well and attend Khuk Kak thai school. They are keen footballers and both train 3 times per week with the

Grassroots Grippers team.

 

Medical Needs: Kyaw Min oo is in good physical health and requires no special medical care. Saw Min Oo has been taken to see the medic on 2 occasions after complaining of chest discomfort and shortness of breath while playing football. Aung Kyi is concerned he may have a heart problem and is referring him to Taguapa hospital in the coming weeks.

Medical needs: This year Htet broke her arm on a sea-saw at school but has made a good recovery. Our health team suspect she has an undiagnosed heart condition irregularities were detected in her checkups. Our medics say she may have a heart murmur. She sometimes becomes out of breath when running or playing sport.

Medical Needs: Soe has no chronic health problems but has had a number of outbreaks of Impetigo and was hospitalized last year after a mosquito bite on her leg became infected. She persistently scratches and picks at any bites she has and often has infected bites that need dressing. She also has very decayed baby teeth. She does have some psychological issues and sometimes becomes anxious and confused.

Medical Needs: He is quiet and needs to be supervised a little more than the other children but is otherwise a healthy happy boy who requires no special medical care.

Medical Needs: Aye’s parents informed the staff that in the past he had suffered from heart problems and had received treatment in Taquapa hospital. He is monitored by CCCC staff who have not noticed any symptoms or signs that his condition is recurring. He currently does not take any medicine or require any special medical care.

 

Medical Needs: Ei has had outbreaks of impetigo and other skin problems. She plays very closely with Soe Yadana and both of them scratch persistently at any bites they get, often causing sores that need dressing.

Medical Needs: Physically Thar Gyi is very healthy; however he has some psychological and behavioral problems which require extra attention. He can be aggressive towards the other children, ignores staff requests and can be hard to control.