TREAD Thai Rural Education and Development
Posted
on Sep 12, 2012
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TREAD is a student volunteer group which formed out of International House in 1999 after the stimulus of a visit from the Thai royal family. It now annually sends 5 volunteer students (at their own cost) to North East Thailand for two main reasons. Foremost is the 4 weeks of English tuition activity at local schools ( focussing on Grades 9-12) and to oversee existing projects and identify future projects that might be funded by TREAD. The five students, together with their mentor from the previous year's team, Jenna highlight with raw selfless energy and youthful enthusiasm how they sought to raise funds in Australia for the TREAD activities in Thailand, and then undertake those activities. |
Cherisha Koshy an International House resident along with four colleagues Kyle O'Neil, Alex Rushan Ken Khoo and David Wong are the five students which will be embarking on a trip to the Nang Rong district of Buriram Province under the TREAD banner. TREAD is short-form for Thai Rural Education and Development.
TREAD's goals were summarized as , to improve living conditions through self sustainable projects , aid the development of rural schools and make a difference. It was interesting to hear how in this region lack of infrastructure etc acted to erode village life and one of the biggest issues was the movement of people away to say Bangkok.
Recent projects centered on gaining safe sources of water for communities and typical of these were the establishment of new water tanks, and several water filtration systems. Other construction projects included a kindergarten building, a lunch building and roof for a cafe style area.
It was explained that TREAD is a 100% student run initiative with continuity maintained year to year by having the past year's team (the five being secretary, treasurer, 2 education officers and project manager) hand over to the new team but continue background support for it. First activity is the fund raising in Australia ( the current annual target is $4000 of which $1500 had been raised) and then the trip and efforts in Thailand. Whereas one team in say year one will set up projects the second will review progress in the following year as a way of maintaining controls. Future projects are devised and identified by connection with the various schools with which they make contact and of course simple word of mouth.
Questions and discussion from the audience reflected on the monetary governance (aided by local PDA ) of project expenditure and the fledgling connections with Rotary-TREAD was seeking to connect to an appropriate Thai Club and already had had some informal links with Melbourne clubs.
The Chair for the Day Gordon Cheyne thanked the group for the presentation, encouraged them to keep going, and confirmed the clubs intention to make a $1000 contribution.
TREAD's goals were summarized as , to improve living conditions through self sustainable projects , aid the development of rural schools and make a difference. It was interesting to hear how in this region lack of infrastructure etc acted to erode village life and one of the biggest issues was the movement of people away to say Bangkok.
Recent projects centered on gaining safe sources of water for communities and typical of these were the establishment of new water tanks, and several water filtration systems. Other construction projects included a kindergarten building, a lunch building and roof for a cafe style area.
It was explained that TREAD is a 100% student run initiative with continuity maintained year to year by having the past year's team (the five being secretary, treasurer, 2 education officers and project manager) hand over to the new team but continue background support for it. First activity is the fund raising in Australia ( the current annual target is $4000 of which $1500 had been raised) and then the trip and efforts in Thailand. Whereas one team in say year one will set up projects the second will review progress in the following year as a way of maintaining controls. Future projects are devised and identified by connection with the various schools with which they make contact and of course simple word of mouth.
Questions and discussion from the audience reflected on the monetary governance (aided by local PDA ) of project expenditure and the fledgling connections with Rotary-TREAD was seeking to connect to an appropriate Thai Club and already had had some informal links with Melbourne clubs.
The Chair for the Day Gordon Cheyne thanked the group for the presentation, encouraged them to keep going, and confirmed the clubs intention to make a $1000 contribution.
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