Completed Projects
Add's Story
Add's House - Click to read the story of an elderly woman who chooses to raise 2 children who are not her own. She is poor and did not have enough to support herself, let alone 2 kids. See how SHE stepped in to help this woman!
Baby Moses
Baby Moses - Click to read the story of a baby Burmese boy was born premature and had troubles breathing. His parents did all they could to provide for the child, but with the medical bills, it just wasn’t enough. SHE saw the needs of this family and the community they live in, to help pay for formula and any doctor’s visits that were needed.
Waiminsei's Story
We were approached by a local Burmese pastor, Zaw, who introduced us to Waiminsei age 12 and his family. They asked if SHE was able to help with a medical need.
As you can see from the picture his hands are malformed. The main problem with his day to day life is that he kept getting infections in the small gap between the two fingers that are joined at the top and wished to have them separated. The family lives in one of the local migrant workers camps. These camps are constructed with tin sheeting and whatever else is laying around. Camps such as these and have a very poor sanitary facility which is not the best environments to say the least. As Waiminsei is Burmese he is not entitled to the medical assistance that is available here so the whole procedure would have to be in the private sector.
We sought medical advice both locally and In the UK and with the help of kind donations we were able to progress further with x-rays which proved that the surgery would be quite straight forward. The hospital completed the procedure as an outpatient and it was all finished in a few hours.
Waiminsei is much happier now and is adjusting to having his fingers separated well and the best thing of all is that he can clean his hands properly so no more infections.
The community is to the west of Phuket on Siray Island. The surrounding area has many migrant Burmese workers camps and these camps contain hundreds of Burmese workers and their families. Most of the workers from this area of Phuket are employed both legally and illegally within the fishing industry. The family support them selves by drying small fish for which they earn 2000 Thai Baht per month ( £30 or $60 ).
A huge thanks to all involved.
Blessings from us all at SHE
You can read more about SHE, our projects and our news from our web site www.shethailand.org
As you can see from the picture his hands are malformed. The main problem with his day to day life is that he kept getting infections in the small gap between the two fingers that are joined at the top and wished to have them separated. The family lives in one of the local migrant workers camps. These camps are constructed with tin sheeting and whatever else is laying around. Camps such as these and have a very poor sanitary facility which is not the best environments to say the least. As Waiminsei is Burmese he is not entitled to the medical assistance that is available here so the whole procedure would have to be in the private sector.
We sought medical advice both locally and In the UK and with the help of kind donations we were able to progress further with x-rays which proved that the surgery would be quite straight forward. The hospital completed the procedure as an outpatient and it was all finished in a few hours.
Waiminsei is much happier now and is adjusting to having his fingers separated well and the best thing of all is that he can clean his hands properly so no more infections.
The community is to the west of Phuket on Siray Island. The surrounding area has many migrant Burmese workers camps and these camps contain hundreds of Burmese workers and their families. Most of the workers from this area of Phuket are employed both legally and illegally within the fishing industry. The family support them selves by drying small fish for which they earn 2000 Thai Baht per month ( £30 or $60 ).
A huge thanks to all involved.
Blessings from us all at SHE
You can read more about SHE, our projects and our news from our web site www.shethailand.org
Bang Jo School Fencing Project
Recently, we were able to help with rebuilding a broken down fence at the Bang Jo School.
The sad part about this project is that the existing fence was intentionally broken down by neighbours in the community. Local people broke into the school, tore down pieces of the fence, tore apart the trampoline, and ruined some balls and other toys in the night.
Sister Sanders, one of the women involved with The Good Shepard who runs the school, told us that she was in desperate need of a team of people to help reinforce the pieces of the fence that were still standing and to rebuild another fence that would be taller and stronger to keep out others in the future.
SHE was able to step up and come help serve the Bang Jo School.
We assisted Sister Sanders in shopping for barbed wire, wire cutters, gloves, wood and anything else you could think of needed to build a fence.
Then, SHE staff and a visiting short-term team from Global Infusion, along with two other volunteers loaded up a truck of supplies and headed out to the school.
With the help of some other Burmese men in the community and two volunteers from France, SHE was able to build an entire new fence for the Banjo School.
Please continue to pray for the Bang Jo School and our ministry with the children.
The sad part about this project is that the existing fence was intentionally broken down by neighbours in the community. Local people broke into the school, tore down pieces of the fence, tore apart the trampoline, and ruined some balls and other toys in the night.
Sister Sanders, one of the women involved with The Good Shepard who runs the school, told us that she was in desperate need of a team of people to help reinforce the pieces of the fence that were still standing and to rebuild another fence that would be taller and stronger to keep out others in the future.
SHE was able to step up and come help serve the Bang Jo School.
We assisted Sister Sanders in shopping for barbed wire, wire cutters, gloves, wood and anything else you could think of needed to build a fence.
Then, SHE staff and a visiting short-term team from Global Infusion, along with two other volunteers loaded up a truck of supplies and headed out to the school.
With the help of some other Burmese men in the community and two volunteers from France, SHE was able to build an entire new fence for the Banjo School.
Please continue to pray for the Bang Jo School and our ministry with the children.
Earth Bag House/Coffee Shop
Section 1: The need
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly way way back on 10 December 1948, Article 25 states:-
• “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.”
Estimates on the number of people at risk though inadequate or no housing can vary wildly but using the statistics from the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in carried out in 2005 indicates:-
Section 2: A solution using approriate teachnology and local materials.
We wanted to construct at least 1 of the buildings at SHE to follow the principles of village level appropriate technology. We investigated different methods of construction and settled on an earth bag house design.
Earthbag construction is an inexpensive method to create structures which are both strong and can be quickly built. It is a natural building technique that evolved from military bunker construction techniques and temporary flood-control methods. The technique requires very basic construction materials: sturdy sacks, (we used rice sacks that are readily available in Thailand) filled with inorganic material usually available on site so idealy suited for rural areas. Standard earthbag fill material has internal stability. Either moist subsoil that contains enough clay to become cohesive when tamped is used or alternativly gravel or crushed rock can be used.
The founations were excavated to approx 1m deep and the width of a rice bag. We then filled the trenches with loose gravel to 450mm below ground level and compacted it well. Note in high seismic risk regions a reinforced concrete footing or grade beam would be recommended.
We then started to lay bags full of gravel three rows below ground level and 3 rows above this forms a water-resistant foundation Then we used bags full of soil.
Walls are gradually built up by laying the bags in courses — forming a staggered pattern similar to bricklaying.
I will not discuss the exact construction method we adopted here but for those who are interested I will go into more detail elswhere.
Our earthbag house has been in use for 2 years now and we have not seen any problems such as cracking etc to date.
One big plus is the insulation the walls provide makes it the by far the coolest building at the SHE Centre.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly way way back on 10 December 1948, Article 25 states:-
• “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.”
Estimates on the number of people at risk though inadequate or no housing can vary wildly but using the statistics from the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in carried out in 2005 indicates:-
- “An estimated 100 million people -one-quarter of the world's population- live without shelter or in unhealthy and unacceptable conditions.”
- “Over 100 million people around the world have no shelter whatsoever”
- “The health consequences of this level of homelessness are profound.”
Housing is a basic human need we can all agree on this but the reality is that we are failing to meet the needs of our neighbours.
Many of the women we meet working in places like Patong are there to provide income for their families housing needs. These needs can be caused by a number of factors and we list below just a few:-
- Poverty,Poor people are not in a position to pay for housing,food,childcare,health care, and education.
- Lack of affordable housing.
- Changes in the industrial economy leading to unemployment.
- Inadequate income from aggricultural sector.
- War or natural disaster can cause unexpected homelessness and loss of family members
along with a loss of income.
- The erosion of family and social support.
- Divorce: Anyone in a family whether mother, father or child can become homeless due
to separation. Single parents with dependent children are mostly at risk of
homelessness.
- Physical disability or mental illness
- Substance abuse.
- Domestic violence
- Peer pressure/self esteem ie “all my neighbours have concrete houses so why cant I”
By Far the best method for constructing housing is to use the local skills, tools and materials that are available within the community. If we stick to these basic princples then the community has access to all they need to replicate / duplicate and maintain the home.
Section 2: A solution using approriate teachnology and local materials.
We wanted to construct at least 1 of the buildings at SHE to follow the principles of village level appropriate technology. We investigated different methods of construction and settled on an earth bag house design.
Earthbag construction is an inexpensive method to create structures which are both strong and can be quickly built. It is a natural building technique that evolved from military bunker construction techniques and temporary flood-control methods. The technique requires very basic construction materials: sturdy sacks, (we used rice sacks that are readily available in Thailand) filled with inorganic material usually available on site so idealy suited for rural areas. Standard earthbag fill material has internal stability. Either moist subsoil that contains enough clay to become cohesive when tamped is used or alternativly gravel or crushed rock can be used.
The founations were excavated to approx 1m deep and the width of a rice bag. We then filled the trenches with loose gravel to 450mm below ground level and compacted it well. Note in high seismic risk regions a reinforced concrete footing or grade beam would be recommended.
We then started to lay bags full of gravel three rows below ground level and 3 rows above this forms a water-resistant foundation Then we used bags full of soil.
Walls are gradually built up by laying the bags in courses — forming a staggered pattern similar to bricklaying.
I will not discuss the exact construction method we adopted here but for those who are interested I will go into more detail elswhere.
Our earthbag house has been in use for 2 years now and we have not seen any problems such as cracking etc to date.
One big plus is the insulation the walls provide makes it the by far the coolest building at the SHE Centre.
Bang Jo School - Helping Children's Education
In partnership with The Good Shepherd, SHE has been able to broaden its ministry to branch out into various Burmese communities not only in Koh Sirey, but in Bang Jo as well, teaching English to the children who attend the Bang Jo School.
Many Burmese children find themselves without an opportunity to receive an education due to numerous factors. Therefore, families often resort to having their children and teens participate in full time employment in the construction field, fishing ports, rubber tapping or full time childcare for their siblings while both parents are working.
The Bang Jo School offers these at risk children a safe place in which they can learn, as well as getting some physical exercise and interaction with other children and teachers. Since children are the focal point in this ministry and also an integral component in SHE’s vision, SHE was eager to send their interns and teams to assist the two teachers as required.
Throughout the past seven months, SHE interns have taught English classes to the children and have participated in teaching various arts and crafts and games. The interns have watched the classrooms and school building literally transform before their eyes as the programme develops.
The hope and future vision for this school and our relationship with the children is to be able to share the love of Jesus with them and offer them a better future by providing opportunities to grow outside of their home environment through the English programs and simply by being a familiar face and a safe place.
"At that time, the disciples came to Jesus saying, 'Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?' Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name, receives Me."
~Matthew 18:1-5 (NKJV)
In partnership with The Good Shepherd, SHE has been able to broaden its ministry to branch out into various Burmese communities not only in Koh Sirey, but in Bang Jo as well, teaching English to the children who attend the Bang Jo School.
Many Burmese children find themselves without an opportunity to receive an education due to numerous factors. Therefore, families often resort to having their children and teens participate in full time employment in the construction field, fishing ports, rubber tapping or full time childcare for their siblings while both parents are working.
The Bang Jo School offers these at risk children a safe place in which they can learn, as well as getting some physical exercise and interaction with other children and teachers. Since children are the focal point in this ministry and also an integral component in SHE’s vision, SHE was eager to send their interns and teams to assist the two teachers as required.
Throughout the past seven months, SHE interns have taught English classes to the children and have participated in teaching various arts and crafts and games. The interns have watched the classrooms and school building literally transform before their eyes as the programme develops.
The hope and future vision for this school and our relationship with the children is to be able to share the love of Jesus with them and offer them a better future by providing opportunities to grow outside of their home environment through the English programs and simply by being a familiar face and a safe place.
"At that time, the disciples came to Jesus saying, 'Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?' Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name, receives Me."
~Matthew 18:1-5 (NKJV)