Flood Relief

An unprecedented flood crisis hit Thailand this year, and many people have been affected by this tragedy. Buildings, including schools, have been partially submerged in water. Often than not, these schools are in dire conditions and they unfortunately cannot afford the fees needed for repair, so that they can continue the process of imparting knowledge to children. In light of this recent catastrophic event, we have decided to raise funds to help Wat Bung Dua in Patum Thani.

With approval from Thailand’s Ministry of Education and the Singaporean Embassy in Bangkok, we will be organising a series of fundraising activities in the near future. We had our first Casual Day last Friday (25 Nov 2011) and will be having another one this Friday (02 Dec 2011).

While the name may suggest religious affiliation, Wat Bung Dua is in actuality a government school with no such ties, and in its historical context, meant for students from disadvantaged families. With its proximity to the Chao Phraya River, it was hit hard by a devastating flash flood. As the students and staff did not have enough time to respond to the flash flood, the furniture of the school is underwater and the books in the library are all soaked.

When our students visited the school, they saw the devastation that the flood had caused. The floodwater was around 1 metre high, and is expected to recede by January or February 2012. Thus, we need to use these few months to raise as much funds as possible.

The school has given us a list of items that they will need to begin teaching again. We will use the money raised to help them acquire furniture and books so that the children can have a proper environment to resume their education. We will also use the money to purchase tins of paint so that the algae-covered walls can have a clean and fresh coat.

After calculations have been made, we estimate that we will need around SGD$30,000 or 730,000 Baht. We are approaching many avenues to help raise this amount. In the case that we out do ourselves and raise more than the required amount, the extra amount will be used to help another school. As there have been too many schools hit by the flood, we need as much support as possible from everyone.

Through these fundraising events, we anticipate that our students in all levels will learn to sympathize and empathize with those in need and the importance of giving back to the society. We hope parents will work hand-in-hand with us in instilling these virtues.

Should you have any enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact the school or me. We thank you in advance for your support and generosity in these fundraising events.

See gallery below.