Written by Angela
Welcome to the first installment of “A month in the life of a charity worker!” Every month I’ll be bending your ear about the trials and tribulations of volunteering for a small charity in Thailand. So..without too much ado…here we go. I work for a small charity called the Phuket Has Been Good To Us, that delivers free English classes to schools in Phuket that were destroyed by the Tsunami. I spend most of my time finding fun things for underprivileged children to do after school.
July wins:
We were selected as the charity of choice for Events Thailand’s Wine List of the Year Awards. The staff at Phuket Has Been Good To Us are totally looking forward to some lovely samples landing in our glasses. Not to say that charity workers are lushes! But when you work for free, a free glass of wine never goes astray.
Pub Quiz is a go-go (for July see our event on Chicky Net). We fundraise to pay our teacher’s salaries and new / rehashed ideas are always welcome. Our lovely friend Peter at the Aussie Pub, Kamala, is going to host a monthly fundraising pub quiz for us on the last Tuesday of every month, starting in July. We’ll have great donated prizes and cheap drinks. The entry fee and raffle money goes directly to the Foundation. If you have any unwanted marvelous stuff that could be a prize…I’ll gladly take it off your hands.
David finally managed to get the teacher’s office lights at Kamala School fixed; they haven’t worked for 3 years. Talk about operating in the dark!
Not Quite FAMOUS. We are a children’s charity, so we are planning a teenaged friendly party! Not Quite FAMOUS will be an under age rage for 12 – 16 year olds at Phuket’s lushest club…FAMOUS! I did a little joy dance about this one….keep your eyes open for a September date.
July also saw the arrival of a new volunteer – new ideas, new energy, new enthusiasm. Welcome Hayley. Here on a 6 month contract to work in the office. She has a background in fundraising in Australia. But you can’t choose where you were born, right?
July frustrations:
Having your pillow peed on by the office cat, the day you arrive. A special Bisquit to Hayley welcome.
Intermittent (at best) internet at the school is a full time pain in the ear for our teaching staff. Island Technology have the matter in hand and we are hoping for a more productive world wide web.
Angela is a fearless and tireless ambassador for all that is good in this world – especially if it involves wine and cheese. This self confessed hedonist is taking a break from her life of international fame and fortune to volunteer in Phuket for 6 months with a charity called Phuket Has Been Good To Us. Although she has lived in some fabulous other countries, she is a first time migrant to Thailand, having previously visited a number of times to work on her tan and learn how to drink from buckets.
Phuket Has Been Good To Us Foundation was founded in the wake of the 2004 Tsunami. The purpose was to provide local Thai children with free English language classes, so they had a wider range of choices after they finish school.
Today, PHBGTU teaches free English classes to over 850 children, in Kalim and Kamala schools. We also run after school centers, called Coconut Club. In Kamala this is available to the 120 residential students who live at the school. These children are orphans or unable to live with their families. PHBGTU teaches these children swimming as well engaging them in arts, crafts and sporting activities – all designed to let them practice English in a stress free environment.
We are always looking for helpers and sponsors!
Angela asserts her right to be identified as the author of this work. All copyright and/or pictures are the property of the author.