We have been caring for orphans and at-risk children in Thailand for over 30 years. Thousands of lives have been positively affected simply because children have been given an opportunity for education, health care, good nutrition and a positive environment to grow in.
Our target group is orphans and at-risk children. We have discovered that children from this target group do not have an entitlement mentality and they excel when simply given a chance. As a result, our children have done very well in academics, sports and success after graduation.
Three different campuses house 272 children. Education is provided through public and private educational institutions. Every school day, 272 children are loaded into trucks to go to school anywhere from 5 to 25 miles from the campuses. This gargantuan task is accomplished by a fleet of eight vehicles. Four of our vehicles need to be replaced as they are all surpassing 300,000 miles on their odometers. Our vehicles are well maintained, but the trucks mentioned have come to the end of their usefulness.
We would like to replace the trucks with Toyota 16 passenger Commuter Vans. The Commuter Passenger Vans will be a great improvement over the converted pickup trucks we have used for the last 30 years. This upgrade will provide safety for our children and will provide a higher degree of comfort for their commute. The cost per Commuter Van is $40,500.00. With the excellent maintenance we provide for all our vehicles, these commuter vans should serve our needs for at least 15-20 years going forward.
The beneficiaries of the vans will be our college, technical, vocational and high school students; ages 15-23. When our students reach their higher education, they are allowed to choose the school that best suits their educational goals. Allowing our students this choice has produced a proven success record. The majority of our graduates succeed in good careers, public service or entrepreneurial ventures. To provide this opportunity, our students study at a wide range of schools, which necessitates transportation to multiple locations.
Thank you for your consideration of this project. Children’s lives will be positively affected as they are given the opportunity to pursue their educational dreams.
