URGENT!!! Please help a beautiful boy

We desperately need some support to help a beautiful boy from Childlife.

We have a boy called Leelong (about 15 years old) who we think has autism, maybe downs syndrome (he has not been diagnosed) and also epilepsy.
We used to care for him at the shelter but he returned to his village (last year) when we didn’t have enough staff to care for him. When we returned to see if he wanted to come back he was happy living in the village and working the fields with his foster family.

In addition to his existing conditions which require medication, he became very ill over a month ago, and his health has seriously deteriorated. He had an abscess on his leg which prevented him from walking. Leelong was left for over a month in his house to look after himself. He spent one month lying down unable to move to go to the toilet, and unable to walk. He has now become really weak, and needs a long period of recovery to build his strength back.

Kru Ngaow collected Leelong from his village June 9th, and he spent one night in Mae Sai hospital. He was then transferred to Chiang Rai, where he spent four nights. The situation is still very serious. Childlife needs to provide Leelong with medication, and round the clock care. He is unable to look after himself, or move, so requires constant help.

We urgently need funds to cover the cost of 6 months intensive care, including full-time care staff, medication, food, and general support, totalling £ 1000 (approx, 70,000 Baht).

If you can help in this emergency situation please donate online. He’s a really sweet boy but looks very sad at the moment and we urgently need to help him recover and put a smile back on his face.

Thanks girls!!!

This week Childlife said thanks and good bye to three wonderful volunteers from i-to-i, all from different corners of the globe. Belinda (Australia), Amy (USA) and MJ (Ireland) spent the past 4 weeks volunteering at Childlife, providing the children with lots of laughs, smiles and energy.

The girls spent their time teaching English at Sankong School, getting to know the children and people at the bridge and doing lots of cool activites with the children at the shelter.

The girls great energy and beautiful hearts will be well missed by everyone at Childlife.

Farewell and thanks Carla!!!

Last week, Childlife said farewell to Carla who spent the past 2 months volunteering at Childlife.

During her time at Childlife Carla coordinated international and short term volunteers, designed some wicked t-shirts for the Friends of Childlife Program, taught at the local Sankong School and provided some awesome support in the office (including a morning till 3:30am working on a proposal...how's that for committment!!!).

This is Carla's second stint volunteering at Childlife after spending 4 weeks falling in love with Childlife last year.

Carla will be missed by all the children, staff and volunteers at Childlife for her big smiles, beautiful heart and great ideas ... In particular her Class 4 at Sankong School will dearly miss their somewhat regular bingo lessons!!!

A huge thanks and a sad goodbye from everyone at Childlife...kit teung mak mak

BNN Post - Edition 2, May/June

Please click the following link to read the latest edition of the BNN Post, a newsletter about the activities of Childlife, Mae Sai.

A feature of this edition is the launch of the new 'Friends of Childlife' Scheme.

http://www.childlife-maesai.org/newsletters/Ed2_MayJune.pdf

Become a ‘Friend of Childlife’ today !!!

We would like to invite you to become a ‘Friend of Childlife’ to assist and support our activities to help children at risk of human trafficking, exploitation and other abuses that children should not have to face.

The program also aims to increase the awareness of the potential long term problems of Child Sponsorship Programs due to heavy administrative costs and creating an imbalance amongst the children.
 
This program will officially be launched at an exhibition in Bangkok on the 14th July 2007.  
To kick start our program for this official launch become a Friend of Childlife through regular online (Paypal) or bank transfer donations. Please click the following link for information about the Program and how to become our friend. www.childlife-maesai.org/newsletters/Friends_of_Childlife.pdf

Farewell to Emma and Christophe

This week Childlife said farewell to Emma and Christophe who spent the last 2 ½ months volunteering with Baan Nana. Emma was a volunteer through Global Youth UK, aiming to assist Childlife to build capacity and long term sustainability.

Emma’s passion of working with minority groups of Thailand, in particular the Akha, was a huge benefit for all the children and staff here. During her time she organised an Akha culture day and formed links with various partners of Childlife to ensure the long term cultural development of the children is nurtured and encouraged.

In addition Emma provided invaluable support in the office with fundraising, English lessons and land proposals.

During Christophe’s time at Childlife he ran a pin-hole photography project with the children. This involves producing photographs using a simple box. With this project a full day Art and Creativity Workshop was developed leading to the first ever Childlife Art and Photographic Exhibition held at Nana Buffet and Restaurant.

They will be missed greatly by all the children and staff at Baan Nana for their big smiles, great progressive ideas and very positive energy. The staff and children at Nana Buffet will miss their pancakes and the children at the shelter will dearly miss the nightly video sessions of the footage they had taken through out the day.

Together they were the brains trust behind the Friends of Childlife Project looking to promote the support of Childlife to continue its work at the grass roots, and at the same time to raise awareness of the long term disadvantages and problems of Child Sponsorship Programs.

A huge thanks from everyone at Childlife for their massive contribution to the organisation.

Donation Box at Johnnie's Bar

A big thank you to Uncle Johnnie's Bar and Restaurant, Mae Sai, who have been keeping a donation box for Childlife in their bar. Since December 2006, they have collected 1757 baht to support Childlife’s activities, which we gratefully received this week.