“I am graduating (from high school) next year, who wants to help sponsor my education so I can go to university?” Ratree Pochae appealed to a group of visitors at Wat Sa Kaeo Orphanage in Ang Thong province back in 2013.
The teenager’s unexpected and courageous move gained attention from a kind-hearted Malaysian, Low Tong Wah and friends, who at the time were visiting the orphanage in Ang Thong Province, about 100km from Bangkok.
The girl from the Akha hill tribe received a scholarship from Low and friends in July the following year under Wat Sa Kaeo – Education Scholarship Programme.
Ratree, 26, graduated from Phranakhon Rajabhat University with first-class honours and is now a teacher at Watkrasattratirat School. She and Surachai Wopu, a teacher at Matharyom Suwit Seree Anusorn School, were the first batch of scholarship recipients from the orphanage.
Also, since then, Low and his network of contacts raised funds and started providing scholarships to outstanding students to further their studies at universities in Thailand.
To date, Low and his friends have raised more than RM1 million for the scholarship programme, which is managed by iCare Thailand Foundation. The programme has provided full scholarships for 28 students to attend university in Thailand, giving them a chance to build a brighter future.
“This scholarship programme helped me in every aspect of life. I was nobody and I had nothing at first. The scholarship changed my life. It turned me into somebody who could give back to the community.
“I am so grateful that I got this scholarship which has improved my life as well as the people I love around me, my family, my friends and everyone.
“Now, as a teacher, I can give back to society by helping more people,” Ratree told Bernama.
Though she could earn more teaching in a private school, this young and dedicated English teacher chose a humble path – to be a government teacher.
“I quit a high-paying job to teach at a government school for one reason, I want to improve the education of thousands of students who are left behind in learning English.
“I want to go back to my hometown in Chiang Rai, a province in northern Thailand, to teach the children there. After four years of teaching here, as a government teacher, I can move back to my hometown,” she said.
Meanwhile, iCare Thailand Foundation director Michael Andreassen said for more than 20 years, the foundation has been helping Wat Sa Kaeo Orphanage to provide the children with a better future.
Wat Sa Kaeo Orphanage, Thailand’s largest orphanage, houses and cares for 1,600 children and is one of the many institutions that iCare Thailand Foundation has partnered with on a long-term basis.
For the last 12 years, he said Low, a Sarawakian residing in Brunei and his friends including from Malaysia and Singapore joined the foundation to provide support, food and items to the orphanage.
“To date, Wat Sa Kaeo-Education Scholarship Programme benefitted a total of 28 students who have done exceptionally well academically, but without support, it is impossible for them to get to university.
“Through the help of him (Low) and other like-minded friends in Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore, we've been able to give these kids a better future. On behalf of iCare Thailand foundation we would like to say thank you to Low and everyone who helped and made this possible,” Andreassen said.
To date, seven of the scholarship recipients from the orphanage had graduated from local universities, mostly in the field of teaching and serving humanity.
Every year, Low and his friends would travel to Wat Sa Kaeo to present the scholarships to the recipients. However, they were unable to make the trip this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and travel restrictions.
iCare’s mission attracted the attention of Malaysian Ambassador to Thailand Jojie Samuel, who attended the iCare Thailand University Student Scholarship Award 2021 at Wat Sa Kaeo recently.
The Malaysian Embassy in Bangkok donated 20,000 baht while Kelab Malaysia Thailand (KMT) contributed 46,000 baht to Wat Sa Kaeo Orphanage.
Jojie and KMT president Bobby Tai as well as a few other Malaysians also presented 200 baht pocket money to each of the 100 top students and 50 baht each to other orphans at Wat Sa Kaeo orphanage to motivate them to continue striving for excellence.
iCare Thailand Foundation is a charitable organisation that is committed to long-lasting and meaningful community development through projects that empower youth and help the underprivileged.
The projects include education and youth development programmes, disaster relief, hospital visitation and music therapy, programmes for the disabled, and assistance to orphanages and other needy institutions.
- Bernama
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