Our story
Miral foundation has been to Thai branch located in Phitsanulok and Chiang Mai for 8 days from 13th to the 20th October. 12 persons with disabilities are provided with food, special education and vocation rehabilitation training at Phitsanulok workplace. At the same time, Chiangmai workplace is running a child welfare business to help children to grow both physically and mentally healthy.
A visit to the workplace in Thailand ①
Hope delivered to disabled of Phitsanulok
Writer⋅Photographer Eaststone Park of International Cooperation Team
Phitsanulok, the first place we visited, is a historic and major city, which is located 377km away from Bangkok to the north. As it has been located in the intersecting point between North and Middle part of Thailand, it has been considered as important point of politics and strategy. Phitsanulok is one of the oldest cities in Thailand that were established about 600 years ago. It is also well known for the birth place of King Naresuan who made Thailand become independent from Miyanma.
40 minutes away from airport by car, there are white buildings standing in the middle of the old Thai city. These buildings are the Phitsanulok workplace where severely disabled people are taken care of. Song’s family adopted a disable Hmong child living in Kengnoi wold area in 2001, and that was the beginning of Phitsanulok work place. These days, 12 disabled people in the age group from teenagers to mid-thirties live as a family.
The 12 people have physical disabilities, mental retardations and some multiple disabilities. Even though special-education schools are established, one for every state according to supporting policies of Thailand, it is not enough to accommodate all the disabled children in Thailand. More of the private welfare organizations are needed to supplement the demand, however not many people are willing to pay any interest on it. As the result, disabled people are neglected by families and societies since 18 years old.
Our foundation has supported the welfare rehabilitation program run by Great Light Social Welfare Center of Phitsanulok to improve welfare and human rights since December, 2013. Most of disabled people have been abandoned and suffered from malnutrition before they come to the centre. The only thing they could do was lying down on the floors where there was no single light.
These people have been gradually changed since they met Milral foundation. A boy with multiple disabilities (retardation) who was adopted at the age of 17 was in critical condition due to malnutrition when he first reach to the center. After he was looked after with abundant love and interest by the center, there was a big improvement to his disability and he became able to play the guitar. There is also another case of 33 years old woman. She was abandoned by her own families. She was isolated, couldn`t contact with people and experienced severe depression. But now she changed in the center and became one of the brightest people who are enthusiastic for learning, singing and dancing.
There are various people with various disabilities in Phitsanulok workplace. Because they have severe disab ilities, we have lots of difficulties to take care of them. Even though we look after them with lots of love, it is true that they might not be able to live life without disability. However we can find a silver lining which is helping them to live independently as human being and We`ve already seen the glimpse by their improvements. We appreciate all the supporters who have supported the foundation with a deep interest and we hope you continue to work together with us, ‘Miral Welfare Foundation’.