Faa lang fon/ ฟ้าหลังฝน

Faa lang fon is an aid project aiming to help poor people in Thailand. At present, Faa lang fon is focusing on the tribe people in the North of Thailand where the need is great. They live in the mountains on the border to Burma. Faa lang fon is involved in the region Hoay Paang, with its 7000 inhabitants.

Faa lang fon has five main goals with their work: 
To give support for educationEvery year Faa lang fon distributes a scholarship and supports youths who wish to take further education, but are prevented for economical reasons. Faa lang fon highly regards knowledge and education as a resource for development.
Faa lang fon is also running a dormitory in Khun Yuam city for Karen children from villages in the mountain who wants to continue to study on the secondary school in Khun Yuam.
To build and rebuild schools and nurseries
In 2008, Faa lang fon built a new primary school in the village Huay Hwai and in 2009 there was built a nursery in the same village. The need for new schools and nurseries is enormous and Faa lang fon wishes to be an important contributor in building new buildings and restoring the existing. 
To help families with disabled childrenChildren with disabilities do not receive an offer of schooling and Faa lang Fon has started a project to improve the everyday life for these children and their families. 
To give support for self helpFaa lang fon wishes to support families so that they can take of their families. Faa lang fon already supports production of goods and has designed a woven scarf made by locals in Huay Hwai, which is being sold in Norway and Thailand. If they succeed there are possibilities for extension of this project. 
To prevent abortion
In Thailand abortion is forbidden, however many girls are choosing this option because they see no other solution. Economical problems are often the reason for abortion. Faa lang fon wants to give these girls an economical support in the state of pregnancy and birth and later the support needed for nursery and school, in order to give them a choice.

 Faa lang fon was established by Pratchaya Chuwanon (Be)from Bangkok and he runs the project.

More information
In need of more information, please contact us on
e-mail: faalangfonth@gmail.com

 Facebook
We have a facebook group where we write news about the work:: Faa Lang Fon group   
Faa lang fon need your support
Faa lang fon is dependent on economical support to reach its goals. You can support the work by inserting money on the accounts in Norway and in Thailand. 
Norway:Skandiabanken. Account number: 972 2134 7580. Account name: Faa lang fon. The account is registered on: Ragnhild Storstein Haug. 
Thailand:Thai Commercial bank. Account number: 229 2048 060
The account is registered on: Pratchaya Chuwanon

All gifts are very appreciated.

ฟ้าหลังฝน
ฟ้าหลังฝน เป็นกลุ่มคนกลุ่มเล็กๆ ที่มอบ “ใจ” ให้กับสังคม ที่ขาดโอกาส
เราเป็นเพียงกลุ่มคนกลุ่มเล็กๆ ที่ไม่มีชื่อเสียง ไม่โด่งดัง เราไม่มีออฟฟิศที่หรูหราสวยงาม
เราเป็นเพียงอาสาสมัคร สมัครใจที่จะมอบ “ใจ” ให้กับสังคมที่ขาดโอกาส ขาดความรู้ ขาดคนที่มี “ใจ” จะดูแล ทุกคนที่ ฟ้าหลังฝน มีงานประจำ มีภาระ มีครอบครัวที่จะต้องคอยดูแลแต่ทุกคนที่นี่ รู้จัก”แบ่ง” แบ่งปันน้ำใจ และโอกาส ให้กับสังคมเล็กๆ ที่ด้อยโอกาสกว่าเรา
พวกเราชาวฟ้าหลังฝน ไม่ได้ต้องการอะไรมากมายไปกว่า…การทำสิ่งดี ให้กับสังคม

เป้าหมายหลักของ ฟ้าหลังฝน
สนับสนุนทุนการศึกษา ฟ้าหลังฝน ดูแลและช่วย เหลือเรื่องทุนการศึกษารวมถึงที่พัก ให้กับนักเรียนนักศึกษาที่ขาดโอกาส แต่มีความตั้งใจที่จะศึกษาต่อ โดยฟ้าหลังฝนจะร่วมรับผิดชอบค่าใช้จ่ายในการศึกษา ไม่ว่าจะเป็นค่าเทอม ค่าที่พัก ค่าอาหาร เครื่องแบบ ฯลฯ  ร่วมกับรัฐฯ และครอบครัวของนักเรียน โดยที่นักเรียนจะต้องมีความต้องการที่จะเรียน สามารถขอทุนจากรัฐฯได้ส่วนหนึ่ง จากทางครอบครัวส่วนหนึ่ง และอีกส่วนหนึ่งก็คือ ฟ้าหลังฝน ที่จะร่วมดูแลรับผิดชอบให้กับนักเรียน
สร้างและพัฒนาอาคารเรียน ให้เด็กนักเรียนได้มีสถานที่เรียนที่ดี รวมถึงอุปกรณ์การเรียนที่ดี ซึ่งจะทำให้เด็กๆมีความพร้อมที่จะเล่าเรียนศึกษาหาความรู้
ช่วยเหลือครอบครัวของเด็กพิการ เพื่อ ให้เด็กพิการ ได้มีโอกาสกลับสู่สังคมและสามารถใช้ชีวิตร่วมกับสังคมได้อย่างปกติ ฟ้าหลังฝนมีหน้าที่รับผิดชอบดูแลเรื่องการรักษาพยาบาล ให้เด็กพิการและครอบครัวมีชีวิตที่ดีขึ้น ใกล้เคียงกับคนปกติ แม้มันอาจจะไม่ดีเท่าก็ตาม
สร้างอาชีพให้กับชาวบ้าน และพัฒนาคุณภาพชีวิต ฟ้า หลังฝนสนับสนุนในเรื่องของอาชีพ ให้ชาวบ้านมีรายได้จากงานที่มีความถนัด เช่นงานหัตถกรรมพื้นบ้าน โดยฟ้าหลังฝนมีหน้าที่ให้ความรู้ หาตลาด ส่งเสริมการขาย เพื่อให้ชาวบ้านมีความรู้เพิ่มขึ้น และมีรายได้เพิ่มขึ้น ซึ่งจะส่งผลให้ชาวบ้านมีคุณภาพชีวิตที่ดีขึ้น
ต่อต้านการทำแท้ง ใน ปัจจุบัน หากชาวบ้านตั้งครรภ์และคิดว่าไม่สามารถเลี้ยงดูเด็กได้ ชาวบ้านยังคงใช้วิธีการทำแท้งเพื่อแก้ปัญหาที่ปลายเหตุอยู่ ฟ้าหลังฝนมีหน้าที่ให้ความรู้ความเข้าใจใหม่ๆกับชาวบ้าน ไม่ว่าจะเป็นเรื่องการคุมกำเนิด การสร้างอาชีพให้ชาวบ้านมีรายได้ เพื่อที่จะสามารถเลี้ยงดูบุตรได้

ติดต่อกลุ่มฟ้าหลังฝน
โทรศัพท์ :   08-1253-5851                                                                                  
อีเมล์ :   faalangfonth@gmail.com
Facebook: Faa lang fon group

New students at the dormitory

This year has been a busy year at the Faa lang fon center. Our aim was to increase the number of children/teenagers when new school year started in May, but to do that we had to build a new dormitory for girls and also a new kitchen building. Since we at the beginning of the year had a long time volunteer we also had to build a cottage for him to stay in while working in Faa lang fon. The last building to build was a cottage for Be (the leader) to stay in when he is at the center. We were almost finished when the new school year started and  were happy to receive 11 more children to come and live with us at the dormitory.  Today three of them have left the dormitory already for different reasons and there are now 17 children/teenagers aged from 12-17 years staying at Faa lang fon center. They are all from the Karen hill tripe. They have adjusted well and goes together very well. Everybody help each other making the food, cleaning, washing, looking after the dormitory etc.

New buildings at the Faa lang fon dormitory

Our two new buildings at the Faa lang fon center are soon to be finished. Pictures above shows the new kitchen building. In this building it will be a kitchen, a eating place and a room for people to sleep in.The pictures below shows the new dormitory for girls. It is a mud house. The children in our dormitory will start at school again in the middle of this month and all in all 20-22 children will stay in our dormitory this school year.   

 Do you want to support our work at the dormitory, visit us, be a volunteer or giving a donation  please contact us at annestorsteinhaug@gmail.com

 

Trip to Bangkok and Rayong

Few weeks ago the teenagers who stay at the Faa lang fon center (dormitory) went for a one week trip to Bangkok and Rayong. We also invited Pickup (the first handicapped child we chose to help while starting up Faa lang fon five years ago) and his mother. All of them were very excited, none of them had been traveling far before and none of them had ever seen the ocean. Two minibuses brought them around, first some days in Bangkok (staying in our house) and then three days on a resort in Rayong, before staying two nights in our house in Bangkok again. Here is some pictures from the trip.
Snorkeling. Practicing on the beach first...
Playing in the sand...
Thanan (our son) and Sirasit.
Chairat, the leader of the dormitory tried to drive a boat for his first time.
A relaxing afternoon in our house in Bangkok.
Pickup also had the opportunity to meet his supporter in Norway: Marita Tørresdal. She was on holiday in Thailand together with her sister.
Visiting the Navy in Rayong.Phi Por (who was a volunteer in Faa lang fon for 4 months) did a great job getting sponsors for the trip and helping us to organize it. The first evening on the beach we had a small party. On the picture Phi Por interviewed the children.
Pickup enjoyed every day of the trip.
Muloy, who is a Karen woman living in Bangkok, took the children to Grand Palace and also invited them for dinner at the Chaow Praya river.
Be an Pickup: best friends!!!
Webon, a Norwegian computer company here in Thailand invited the children for lunch at Mc Donald after a visit at their company.
Shopping!!!
This is some of what the children experienced on their trip to Bangkok and Rayong. So many people helped us to make this trip comes true. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!!!!! and a special thanks to Phi Por who used a lot of time getting sponsors for the trip and organizing it.

Nytt fra Faa lang fon/News from Faa lang fon

This first month of 2012 has been a busy month for Be and Faa lang fon. We already started two new project at Faa lang fon center. We are now building a new kitchenbuilding at the center, where there also will be a room for volunteers to stay while helping at Faa lang fon. The other building is a new dormitory for boys. The dormitory will be a mud house and for a while ago more than 30 people from many different nations came to help making bricks for the new dormitory. Take a look at the pictures under.
In the end of the month, T-bone, a famous ska/reggae band here in Thailand had a benefit concert for Faa lang fon. The concert were held in Pai, a city three hours from Khun Yuam. It was a great success. The place (Yellow sun) was packed with T-bone fans. You can see picture from the concert below.
If you want to support Faa lang fon or want to know more about our work, or maybe you want to be a volunteer in the project, please send an email to; annestorsteinhaug@gmail.com

Godt nytt år og tusen takk for støtten i året som har vært. Det er dere støttespillere som gjør det mulig for oss å drive med Faa lang fon. I fjor var det lite byggevirksomhet i Faa lang fon, men mange gode ting skjedde i prosjektet likevel.

I år skal vi bruke tid og penger på å gjøre Faa lang fon senteret i Khun Yuam bedre og vi håper å kunne ta imot flere ungdommer til internatet neste skoleår som begynner i mai. Det har vært en travel start for Be og Faa lang fon dette året, og i dette brevet tenkte jeg å skrive litt om det. Be dro til fjells i slutten av desember for å lage i stand en nyttårsfeiring for barna på skoleinternatet, og ble værende der i over en måned. Nå er han hjemme i Bangkok, men bare for et par uker. Som nevnt ovenfor så håper vi på å kunne ta imot flere ungdommer på skoleinternatet vårt, for å kunne gjøre det så trenger vi et nytt gutteinternat. Det har vi nå startet å bygge. Internatet blir som jenteinternatet bygget av jord og de er i god gang med å lage ”murstein” av jord. For vel en uke siden så kom over 30 personer fra mange nasjoner til Faa lang fon senteret for å være med å gjøre en innsats. De blanda jord, vann og risskall (bilde under til venstre) og de laget murstein av denne blandingen. Det ble laget mange murstein de to dagene de var der. Vi satser på at gutteinternatet er ferdig til nytt skoleår starter i mai.

Ny kjøkkenbygning er også under oppføring. Som dere ser på bildet under så er stolpene kommet opp. Kjøkkenbygningen vil være i mur. Den gamle kjøkkenbygningen er nå revet og guttene som til nå har bodd i andre etasje av den bygningen bor nå midlertidig i salaen (en platting med tak på), men guttene er sporty så det går bra det. Det vil også bli bygget et voluntørrom i forlengelsen av kjøkkenet.

I år er vi så heldige å ha en langtidsvoluntør i prosjektet. Han er fra Bangkok og heter Por. Por har jobbet som journalist i flere år og har også i flere år drevet en bar på en øy her i Thailand. Nå hadde han lyst til å gjøre noe nytt- jobbe med sosialt arbeid. Han har fått sin egen lille bungalow på Faa lang fon senteret og hjelper til med å skrive regnskapet for internatet, undervise barna i engelsk og thai og hjelpe til med lekser om det trengs. Por er en god venn av Be og det er kjekt for Be å ha han å støtte seg til i arbeidet.

Be har en god venn som er vokalist i et band som heter T-bone. T-bone er det mest annerkjente ska-reggie bandet i landet og Be har lenge hatt lyst til å få til en veldedighetskonsert med de der inntektene går til Faa lang fon. I slutten av januar så fikk vi det til. Be brukte veldig mye tid på å forberede konserten og det var veldig kjekt å se at konserten ble en stor suksess. Den var i Pai, som er en by tre timer kjøring fra Khun Yuam, og ble holdt på et utested som en venn av Be driver. Lokalet var nærmest overfylt av T-bone fans og T-bone gav alt- de spilte i 2.5 time, lenger en utestedet hadde tilatelse til å holde oppe. Politiet var greie og sa at siden det var en veldedighetskonsert så fikk de holde på litt lenger...

Faa lang fon har også fått en ny samarbeidspartner her i Thailand. Nordic light heter de. Representanter fra Nordic light har allerede vært oppe og sett på arbeidet. Vi er veldig glade for å ha de med som støttespillere.

Vi trenger flere faddere til ungdommer som bor eller skal bo på Faa lang fon internatet. Ei ny jente på internatet har enda ingen faddere og i mai så ønsker vi å ta i mot flere ungdommer til internatet. Et fadderskap koster 200 kroner. Ungdommene som bor på internatet får støtte til opphold og skolegang, i tilegg til lommepenger. Alle som blir faddere vil motta informasjon om ungdommen som dere støtter. Ta kontakt med oss på annestorsteinhaug@gmail.com om du er interessert. Kontonummer til Faa lang fon er 972 2134 7580 (Skandiabanken)

Vennlig hilsen Anne og Be

Slow life in KhunYuam – some thoughts from a volunteer at the Faa Lang Fon Dormitory.

It is eight o’clock in the evening at the Faa Lang Fon dormitory. I’ve just finished today’s English lesson, and now I’m sitting in the girls’ house. Around me the girls are preparing for the night and the next day. Tomorrow’s uniform is made ready - maybe it needs ironing - , and teeth are brushed. Some are finishing their homework others are reading. The radio quietly plays some pop music. Everybody will be in bed in about an hour, but I will probably hear them chatting for another 30 minutes.

Every day for the last two weeks I have been teaching English at the dormitory. English and Thai are very different languages; neither the alphabet nor the grammar is the same. So from time to time it is good to have some extra lessons to practice pronunciation and spelling. Both the boys and the girls at the dormitory are eager to learn the language. They are even having fun practicing the words I give them. Before the girls go to sleep I will hear them calling “Good night Miriam” and I already look forward to seeing them the next day.

Fuglekvitter, morgentåke, kaffe på bålet, ligger i hengekøya. Jeg er på Faa Lang Fon-internatet i KhunYuam, Thailand. Her har jeg bodd den siste uka og funnet meg godt til rette. Internatet ligger idyllisk til i utkanten av byen med utsikt over skog og rismarker. Om morgenen etter at ungdommene som bor her har dratt avgårde til skolen, nyter jeg å sitte i hengekøya og lese ei bok eller forberede dagens engelsktimer. Jeg underviser engelsk på internatet hver kveld og i helgene. Det engelske språket er meget forskjellig fra Thai. Det er to helt ulike alfabet og lydene og uttalen er ulik. Det er derfor greit med ekstra engelskundervisning en gang i blant. Vi bruker mye tid på å lære uttale og rettskriving, og vi har det gøy sammen. UNO har blitt en hit. Vi bruker spillet for å lære tallene og fargene. Hver gang man legger et kort må man si fargen og tallet på engelsk. Ungdommene er meget flittige, ikke bare når det gjelder å lære engelsk.(Det er en ren fornøyelse å undervise dem.) Hver dag lager de to måltider, vasker opp, gjør lekser, vasker klær, vanner blomstene og gjør annet nødvendig arbeid. Selv om alle har mye å gjøre, har ingen det travelt. Ting tar den tida de tar. Å lage middag tar en til tre timer, og alle hjelper til. Noen tenner bålet, andre kutter grønnsaker, atter andre lager chillisaus og resten holder de som jobber med selskap. Oppgavene byttes på slik at alle gjør litt. Til slutt kan vi dele et herlig måltid. I uka underviser jeg noen timer hver dag på den lokale ungdomsskolen. Lærerne er meget positive til at jeg kommer. De er gode lærere og flinke i engelsk, men som i de fleste klasser er det vanskelig å holde motivasjonen på topp. Da er det greit med en «utlending» som kommer inn og kan gi elevene lyst til å lære mer engelsk. Faa Lang Fon håper også at dette kan bidra til et godt samarbeid med skolen på lengre sikt. Det er viktig siden ungdommene på internatet går på den samme skolenI åttetida på kvelden er vi ferdig med dagens engelsktime på Internatet og kan gjøre oss klare for natta. Som alt annet tar dette også litt tid. I jente-huset er det mye aktivitet, vi prater litt, en eller to leser, radioen står kanskje på, madrassene og teppene blir funnet fram, noen tar en dusj. Halv ti er de fleste klare for å sove, men småpraten kan høres enda en halvtime. Etter hvert blir det stille, ungdommene skal opp fem og de trenger å sove. Jeg gleder meg allerede til neste morgen.

Miriam Grønning

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New volunteer in Faa lang fon

We are happy to introduce our new volunteer in Faa lang fon, his name is Mr. Kij Singha (nickname, Por). Por is a freelance journalist from Bangkok and will stay and work in our dormitory in Khun Yuam. He will go to Khun Yuam 10th of November. We in Faa lang fon are looking forward to work with Por.

Vi er glade for å kunne introdusere vår nye voluntør i Faa lang fon. Han heter Mr. Kij Singha (kallenavn, Por). Por er en freelance journalist fra Bangkok. Han vil bo og jobbe på skoleinternatet til Faa lang fon i Khun Yuam. Han reiser til Khun Yuam 10. November. Vi i Faa lang fon ser fram til å jobbe sammen med Por.