We would like to take a moment to celebrate the women in Thailand who provide incredible support, love and opportunities to those in their care. Most of the children in our community projects rely on 24 hour care - usually from a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, sister or even female friends and neighbours. Alongside their care role, many of these women work labour-intensive jobs to provide income for the home and basic necessities for their families.
Meet Daa Daa cares for two grown-up grandchildren who have learning disabilities. They live in a rural area and have little income. The children’s mother passed away when they were teenagers, leaving Daa as their sole caregiver. Daa is very elderly and can no longer provide the physical care she once could for her grandchildren.
She worries about their future when she is gone and is doing her best to prepare them by teaching them good independent living, social and vocational skills.
Meet Somkit Somkit has an 11-year-old son with Down’s syndrome. She is a single mother and lives alone in a single-room home with her son. Somkit has an orchard behind her home where she grows sweet mangoes to sell at the market. Her work takes up much of her day and she she is constantly worried that her son will wander away, hurt himself or stray to the river that backs onto their home. Somkit and her son have a close bond and she works incredibly hard for him to have the care he deserves.
Meet Wandee She has 3 children and lives in a poor area. The family do not have a lot of money. Wandee provides a loving home for her family and, as well as being a full-time carer, works alongside her husband to grow herbs and vegetables to sell at local markets.
Wandee’s husband works out in the field for long hours whilst Wandee sorts, cleans, weighs and bags the produce ready to sell. By selling their Thai sweet basil, courgettes and gourd, the family earn around 4,000 Thai Baht (£96) per month. This is the family’s only income.
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