Project 7: Children’s Happy Home
CHF 16,000

There are around 200 children living a very dangerous and desperate life on the streets in Patong Beach. They face a daily fight for survival. These children are largely left to fend for themselves and have no prospects for the future. They have no sense of security and don't know what it means to feel the safety of a family. They are plagued by hunger and are exposed to illness and the risk of child abuse.

The Children's Happy Home in Patong Beach was set up for all of these children. This project is a school center that looks after and educates the children on the street. The aim of this school center is to create a safe environment for homeless children. The Happy Home is open 24 hours for homeless and neglected children. It can house to 30 children off the street aged between 11 and 16 in group accommodation together with the staff of the school center. Fitted with modern equipment and managed by staff who have been trained in the rehabilitation and care of children from the street, the center provides an environment for a regular daily routine.

Ceremonial opening of the school center by the Vice-Governor Vorapot Ratasima

The Happy Home was officially opened on 21 July 2006 by the Vice-Governor of Phuket, Mr. Vorapot Ratasima. The Holiday Inn Resort in Phuket provided 150,000 US dollars to build the school center. The project was co-financed by the Phuket Direct Fund with a donation of over 16,000 swiss francs. The OVB-Kinderhilfswerk in Cologne (a partner of the AIG Private Bank in Zurich) will also be donating an annual sum of 35,000 euros over the coming five years to help run the Happy Home. The project is being managed by the organization World Vision Thailand.

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visiting the Children’s Happy Home

The Happy Home was inaugurated on 20 October 2006 by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand. Following the official inauguration ceremony the Princess was taken on a guided tour of the Happy Home. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visited the exhibition about the support project exhibition on the first and second floors of the building and signed the Happy Home's guest book after the subsequent photo session.

You find more information to this project under News.

Happy Home Christmas Party 2007