Real Lives

Families collapse due to poverty; Children who apply for scholarships have dreams
My family is my elderly grandparents, my younger brother, and myself. He has a brain disorder.

Ladda Un Grom, or Gai, is a schoolgirl from Bua Samaki village in Kalasin Province, Thailand.

Gai has never met her own parents. Her mother left her with her grandparents just after she was born, and has never returned. Gai’s mother has never sent home money for living expenses. Today, Gai lives with her grandparents in a cottage that is just like a "poultry house." The house is made up of several pillars, with walls and a roof of dried leaves. The floor is made of old wood plate. The family sleeps and eats together in the building’s only room.

Because her grandfather has health problems, he cannot work outside the home. In fact, he has to stay home to take care of Gai's younger brother, who has a brain disorder. Only Gai’s grandmother works to support the family. She grows sugar corn. However, her income is not enough to properly care for her family, and she is afraid that she may lose her job some day. If that happens, the family will have nothing to live on.

The family’s diet consists only of glutinous rice, and a little vegetable, smashed pepper. Because Gai’s family lives in such poverty, her teacher at school exceptionally provides Gai with a free lunch and with milk. The family wears used clothes donated by the people in their village. The clothes are dirty because they cannot afford to buy detergent to wash them.

Gai does not know how long she can continue to study. She does not know how long both of her elderly grandparents will live, although she suspects it is not so long. When her grandparents die, Gai and her younger brother will be left alone in the world. All Gai wants is to go on to junior high school to continue to study with her friends.

Gai has applied for a Darunee Scholarship, but there is no guarantee that she will get one. To provide more children like Gai with scholarships, more scholarship supporters are needed from Japan.

His father went blind, and his older brother is a drug addict; One-eyed boy keeps his hope alive.

Bhunsam Bhunyowattana is a schoolboy from Kranuang County in Khon Kaen Province, Thailand.

There is a schoolboy who wishes to go to junior high school in the small village of Kranuang County, Khon Kaen Province. Bhunsam Bhunyowattana, a six-grader at elementary school, is the youngest of three boys. His family lives in poverty. They live by agriculture, but the income they generate is not enough to feed the family.

One pressing issue in their daily life is Bhunsam’s glaucoma. His family cannot afford to pay for eye surgery for him, so he has had poor eyesight in his right eye since he was a baby. What makes the family even unhappier is that Bhunsam’s father lost his eyesight too; while fatigued and working in severe heat, he injured his corneas by looking directly at the sun.

A string of bad luck followed after Bhunsam’s father lost his eyesight. His mother divorced his father and left the family because she felt she could no longer live with her blind husband. His older brother, who was expected to be the provider for the family, became a drug addict.

Bitterly disappointed, Bhunsam and his farther went to a temple to live. Bhunsam gets meals there, and has the energy to continue to study.

Things are finally got better for Bhunsam’s family. Bhunsam’s older brother is now recovering from his drug addiction. He has started to live with his father and brother at the temple. Still, Bhunsam’s wish to continue his studies has not yet completely come true. He wants to have the highest academic background he can so he can get a good job and help his family live better.

Bhunsam’s and Gai’s stories are only two examples of poor children living in northeastern Thailand. How many children have to be separated from their families? The only dream left for these children is to study so they can get good jobs later, to improve their living conditions. They are waiting for someone's help so they can realize their dream. Local support in Thailand is limited; scholarship supporters are needed from Japan. The new school term starts at the end of May.

Update:
Both Bhunsam and Gai got scholarships!

Ladda Un Grom and Bhunsam Bhunyowattana got scholarships and will go on to junior high school beginning this May. Gai will go to Bua Samaki Pittayasan Junior High School in Kalasin Province on a regular scholarship, and Bhunsam will go to Chumchon Nomu Omu Junior High School in Khon Kaen Province on a scholarship for handicapped children.