Collateral Damage and Collective Gratitude
I learnt of the financial collapse within the last couple of weeks of a privately run residential school for children without parents or suitable carers, in Kapong in the Phang-Nga region of Thailand. For those that have been to Thailand and visited one of the homes supported by Hands, this is very close to Baan Tharn Namchai. The home provided residential care for those for whom this was seen as the most suitable and safest option for them. The financial collapse is linked to the impact of Covid. From my inquiries I understand that the Government has stepped in and taken control of the facility in the short term, ensuring the immediate needs of the 60 children for whom this is their home will be taken care of.
We probably don’t have to look too far to find evidence near and far of those whose lives have been impacted to a point that recovery to what life was pre-covid may take many years, if at all.
Reflecting on our operations in Thailand and the sustainability of Hands as an entity as we know it, I can’t help but be filled with gratitude that we are able to continue to offer a high level of service and support to the children and communities in Thailand who depend up on us as the last line of defence.
The gratitude comes in a couple of forms.
The Board of Hands, past and present, have always acted with the best interests of the children and Hands first and foremost. It is a result of the collective wisdom of those board members of the last 15 years that we find ourselves in a position that allows for continuity of support rather than one which emptied its bank accounts of funds as quickly as they were received. The decisions made as to how donors funds were to be used have, in the main, stood the test of time and without question have been made with the best of intent, with a moral and ethical basis that is beyond reproach. Not every decision has always been right, but we have learnt as we have grown and will continue to do so.
Without the supportive and generous community of Hands, the work we do counts for nothing. Without the trust and belief from the Hands community we have nothing.
As a charity raising funds for the support of children in a foreign land it is never easy and sometimes incredibly difficult. Often the first response is “charity starts at home”, many corporate foundations by the nature of the construction of the foundation, eliminate charities such as ours as potential recipients. It’s on this basis that it makes it even more rewarding when someone puts their trust in us at Hands and decides we are worthy of their support.
So as the operations at Kapong have collapsed due to financial pressures, we are able to continue to provide for the children and communities we have committed to thanks to those that believe and trust in the work we do.
The fruits of past years won’t last indefinitely and the tail of the impact of Covid will be long particularly when so much of what we do relies on international travel. We can’t control that, but we can control what we do about it. We have made our name creating memorable and often life changing experiences. We return to that in March of 2021 when we lead a multi day ride from Mudgee through the surrounding regional areas of outback NSW. If you would like to join us and help us continue to provide for the children we support, of course we would love to ride with you.
If riding in Mudgee is not possible or not your thing, stay with us as we work harder than ever to provide you with value in all that we do, knowing when we get that right, you will support us in supporting the children who depend on us so much.
Steeped in history you will cycle through areas where the Wiradjuri people have hunted and gathered for their group for 40,000 years, spend time in a town where Henry Lawson spent his childhood, and see the landmarks that Banjo Patterson famously refers to in his poetry. As usual we have taken care of all the accommodation, meals and logistics, come and join us as we explore this iconic region.
