Introduction to Children’s Village | Moo Baan Dek
Founded in 1979, Children's Village, a.ka. Moo Baan Dek, School was originally located on the Kwae Noi River (the River Kwai); Tasao Sub-district, Sai Yoke District, Kanchanaburi. It moved to the present location on the bank of Kwae Yai River, Wangdong Sub-district, Muang, Kanchanaburi in 1985. The 80 acres (app. 32 ha) of land was donated by Chinda Iam-Chamriang Foundation, and the construction of initial buildings was funded by Foundation for Children.
Model of Alternative Education
Registered with the Ministry of Education of Thailand, the school provides education from kindergarten through to sixth grade. The pupils here are mostly orphans and children from poor or broken families, ranging from 3 to 20 years old. After sixth grade, the children are encouraged and are supported to pursue high school education with the Informal Education Program of the Ministry of Education, which makes them eligible to take the entrance examinations to study in universities. Apart from this, under the Latya Garden Home Project, students over grade 6 are also provided with vocational and artistic workshops which trains their technical skills, i.e. ceramic molding, batik and dressmaking, weaving, electronics, etc.
After graduation, Moo Baan Dek students go on to do various types of work such as in advertising or furniture companies. Some of them even start their own businesses. Students who wish to pursue higher education in universities have to save up to pay the tuition fees during their stay at Moo Baan Dek. This can be from the sales of woodwork and other artwork that they sell to visitors.
Funding
Moo Baan Dek is a project under the Foundation for Children, a registered non-profit Thai organization. Children here are provided with free education and accommodation. The costs are entirely covered by donations -- 80-90% of which come from within Thailand, whereas funds for specific projects or buildings come primarily from overseas. Donors include organizations such as UNESCO, Partage Foundation (France), CCFD (France), as well as Thai residents in Europe and America.
However, since the devastated atmosphere of the Thai economy due to Covid-19, the amount of donations have been dropped significantly. Therefore, the school seeks other ways of monetary support by selling the vegetables grown from the farm, or artwork from the batik, weaving, and woodwork workshops to visitors.
The People of Children’s Village
There are about 24 full-time staff members at Moo Baan Dek, of which there are 2 kindergarten teachers and 6 primary school teachers. There is also a principal, social workers, administrative staff, accountants and so on. There are also some volunteers from time to time, who help to teach and organize additional activities for children.
The students are from poor and/or abusive families. Their families live under the poverty line set by the United Nations, and are often not able to provide a healthy environment, in which the children can grow to reach their full potential.
The atmosphere and the educational curriculum in Moo Baan Dek are designed with consideration of the children's distinct backgrounds. The school believes that by setting a natural environment equipped with loving kindness, forgiveness, freedom, sympathy, and encouragement, the children's emotional stress and behavioral deviations can be cured. Besides creating this supportive environment, the school guarantees to meet the pupil's basic necessities. This helps to eliminate burdens which they may not be able to bear at their age, allowing the children to grow and mature at their own pace.