Update from MAD HQ: Akha Training Centre

The Akha Training Centre was established in 1998 as a home in the village of Maei Suai, not far from Chaing Rai, in the North of Thailand. The Mad Foundation was approached, in early 2005, to support them in the building of a much needed classroom to assist in reducing overcrowding.The home provides accommodation, education and skills training for over 400 children.

The Akha Training Centre was originally designed for 200 children, many of the children sleep in the classrooms, which were over-crowded in the school session. The home provides a safe and secure home environment and learning facility to the orphans and children of the Akha hill tribe, one of the poorest in Thailand, who are constantly vulnerable to the dangers of the sex trade and physical abuse. These children are in desperate need of education, both academic and vocational.

The centre's aim is to transform the children into dynamic, confident and skilled young people. The school was both overcrowded and under-funded and was unable to find the cost of a new classroom. With the assistance of the school, plans were drafted and local estimates for the building project were obtained.

It was decided that the build would be split into two five week project phases and fundraising commenced in earnest. Having raised the necessary funds for the first phase, work started, with a team of UK volunteers from Madventurer, in July 2005. Rapid progress was made thanks to the enthusiasm of the volunteers and the support received from the local community, it became apparent that if the additional funds could be found the classroom could be completed within this single phase.

We were able to complete the classroom build faster than originally anticipated much to the delight of the home, volunteers and of course the children.

We continue to work on a number of different development projects in this region to this day.