The Rice Project
Food Program for remote schools
During the last 5 years the Norwegian football club, Vestkysten Sportsklubb has supported and financed rice for several schools, dormitories and one orphanage in the outskirts of Mae Sot. As of January 2017 PlayOnside took over the responsibility of the delivery, so every month we fill the PlayOnside truck with footballs and rice, and take a weekend road trip into the jungle.
Access to enough and nutritious food has been a challenge in this area, and as rice is the staple food in the region, and consumed for every meal, it is essential for the children’s education and individual growth and development. As school enrollment in this region is a problemfree school lunch is also a motivational factor for parents to send their children to school. Free food means one less mouth to feed during the day, and that is a financial incentive for poor families to send their children to school.
The project is externally financed through Vestkysten Sportsklubb, and the cost of this program does not affect the running cost of the PlayOnside program.
PlayOnside buys and delivers monthly 30 bags of rice, a total of 1.500 kilos to the Primary Schools Maw Kwee, and Gol La Hay, two dormitories in Noh Bo and Mae Salitt, and to Safe Haven Orphanage in Mae Tawo.
Maw Kwee Primary School
Maw Kwee is a small Karen School, hidden in the jungle in the hills on the Thai side of the border. It is a small school with around 60 students, and 50 of the boarding students. The children come from surrounding villages and live at the school during the school years.
Even though the school gets a bit of support from Karen Education Department it is not enough to cover the food cost for the children living at the school. This was the first school supported by the Rice Project, dating back to March 2012.
The Rice Project support the school and its boarding students with 6 bags of rice a month, totally 300 kilo.
The approximate cost of the rice is 3.600 baht a month.
Safe Haven Oprhanage
Safe Haven Orphanage is located around two hours drive from Mae Sot. It is home from around 60 children from a few months to 18 years old. The orphanage is run by our good friend Tasanee Keereepraneed, or "Big Mama as she is also called. At Safe Haven, the children get the love, care and attention they deserve, and it is a very good place to grow up. When PlayOnside delivers the rice in this region, we stay the night at the orphanage, and spent time playing with the children, or watching a movie at night.
The Rice Project support the orphanage with 9 bags of rice a month, totally 450 kilo.
The approximate cost of the rice is 5.600 baht a month.
Gaw La Heh Primary School
Gaw La Heh Primary School is located on the Burmese side of the border. Since the school was opended in 2009, has grown and is now hosting approximately 200 children divided in 7 classes from kindergarten to grade 6. Of these, approximately 100 residence in the dormitories. The school get some support from Karen Education Department, and some from Karen Youth Organisation, but this is hardly enough to cover the running costs of the school.
The Rice Project support the school and its boarding students with 7 bags of rice a month, totally 350 kilo.
The approximate cost of the rice is 4.200 baht a month.
Mae Salitt Boarding House and Dormitory
Along the Moei River, the border river separating Thailand from is the small village of Mae Salitt. Here there is a small boarding house, hosting 21 students from Burma.
The lack of secondary educational opportunities (grade 10 - 12) in this area on the Burmese side, means the students have to move across the river to the Thai side to continue their education.
PlayOnside and the rice project is very happy to support this small boarding house and its students with 5 bags every month, or totally 250 kilos.
The approximate cost of the rice is 3.000 baht a month.
Noh Bo Student Dormitories
Noh Boh is a medium sized Karen village on the river banks of Moei River. There are several good educational programs in the village, one of them being Noh Bo Academy. a big school with all the grades from Kindergarten to grade 12.
The Noh Bo Dormitory is home for 12 students from the Burmese side, getting their education at Noh Bo Academy.
The Rice Project support the boarding students with 3 bags of rice a month, totally 150 kilo.
The approximate cost of the rice is 1.800 baht a month.
Pah Deh Summer School
Pah Deh Summer School is an emergency educational program run by PlayOnside. Three days a week, PlayOnside together with our friends Sam Tack and Anna Morcilo Salas run a small school with focus on English, critical thinking, art and sports. Free and nutritious school lunch is imperative for the children's education and learning, and every day we serve a free school lunch. The staple food is rice, and the rice project supported this cost.
The Rice Project support the boarding students with 2 bags of rice a month, totally 100 kilo.
The approximate cost of the rice is 1.200 baht a month.