Pawinee, founder and director of Ban Meata, with chairs donated by Crossroads
The junior school library
Library with TV donated by Crossroads (which unfortunately has just recently died)... might be time to apply for another shipment?
One of the classrooms
Computers donated by Crossroads
The kitchen where the school provides lunch each day for all the students - currently around 1000.
Beautiful gardens and the infants school block
Play ground
School oval with mountainous landscape... it's very beautiful!
Pawinee's brother is the principal of the school
The highschool building. This is the second year of it being open so now there are year 7 and 8... each year another grade will be added and more classrooms are currently under construction.
The school has recently acquired a herd of cows. This year 12 babies were born, making a total of nearly 70 cows. Children are taught how to care for them, in particular those children who do not do well academically and who are likely to become farmers in the future.
The newest addition to the herd, just a few days old...
They are bred for meat, not for milking... I think I'd get too attached to them!
They are docile and affectionate, much nicer than our cows!
This is another of Pawinee's brothers... he was ill for some time and unable to work. Pawinee gave him this job, caring for the cows and now his life has new purpose.
Ban Meata's has a farm project for income as well as food to feed the children; there are serveral dams, 2 fish farms and about 20 different types of food trees, including: mango, papaya, banana, tamarind and lime...
One of the fish farms...
All the fish are female carp... their only job is to eat and grow. Then they will all be harvested at once and sold for income.
The container that Crossroads sent in 2004
The children's village, Ban Meata means House of Mercy
One of the kids living at the children's village, teaching me how to say 'rabbit' and 'guinea pig' in Thai...
Kids playing a type of checkers game with rocks... one has big rocks, the other has small ones.
Dinner time. It was delicious food!
The kids are on a wash up roster. Very impressive!
Play time after dinner, until it gets dark...
Sherie comes to volunteer for a few weeks every year and hopes to return long term with her husband in the future
The kids all have very sad stories as to why they ended up at Ban Meata, but they are dearly loved and taken care of in the constant presence of their house mums.
One of the bedrooms for younger boys...
Clean up time in one of the girls' rooms...
Pawinee and Sherie
Ban Meata home for HIV children in Khon Kaen.
All the children at Ban Meata in Khon Kaen are HIV+... there are currently about 60 children living here (I think)
One of the girl's rooms
Children with one of the volunteer child-workers
Boys having fun...
Children's artwork
This is Nok... she was very taken by my camera and quickly became a keen photographer.
A photo of me taken by Nok - it's in focus!
Time for games and singing...
Wendy is from Australia and has been working here as a full time volunteer for 3 years. Her Thai is amazing and the kids love her.
