มูลนิธิ ดุลภาทร
Providing educational opportunities for disadvantaged young people in
Northern Thailand
Kla Son scholarship students and others with the Governor of Chiang Mai Province
M.L. Panadda Diskul (center), and Dr. Doberstyn (with beard).
please click the picture for a photo gallery
Project
Students selected for this program are gifted young people from disadvantaged families in the Northern Region who managed to complete secondary school but have insufficient funds to pursue the further education they desire. We promise these students 5 years of support (4 years for a bachelor’s degree, and an additional year for teacher training, a requirement for employment by the ministry of Education) and intensive English language instruction. We also arrange development-related activities for them during school holidays. In return, the students promise that they will work for at least 3 years following graduation in a development-related occupation.
Our Contribution
The project is co-funded by a British charity, The Popocatépetl Trust, represented in Chiang Mai by Dulabhatorn EMC member David Williams. Together, the Trust and Dulabhatorn support costs of full scholarships which include the following benefits:
- Funds to cover university fees and basic living costs for our 18 students (25,000baht/student/year)
- Provision of intensive English language instruction throughout the school session and during the school holiday.
- Involvement in other Dulabhatorn projects, e.g., Baan Phonsawan and in the Caregivers' Support Group.
Achievements
- The first intake of “Kla Son,” (or pine seedlings) as our group of university scholarship students is known, is now in the middle of the first term of their second year. They all performed well in the first year. There are six students, all Karen, in the first batch studying at Chiang Mai Rajabhat Universitiy. One additional student opted to drop out of the programme; he had been studying at Mae Jo University.
- We had 30 applicants for the second year of the project; a team of interviewers selected 12, with 9 of them studying at Rajabhat. In addition, there is one girl at Mae Jo, one young man at Wat Chedi Luang Buddhist University, and one partially-supported man at the Lamphun Technical Institute. This batch includes representatives of several ethnic groups: Karen, Hmong, Lisu, Tai Yai (Shan), and khon muang (lowland Thai).
- Kla Son scholars have proven to be enthusiastic and effective volunteers in many of the Foundation’s other projects, such as the music programme at Baan Phonsawan and the Caregivers’ Support Group. They have accompanied the children on outings, to the zoo and the hot springs, for example. One of them works half-time in the Foundation office, as an assistant administrator, on days when he has no classes.
Your Decision - Their Future
Of the 30 young people interviewed last year, all except one or two would certainly have become successful university students and eventual community teachers. It was very difficult to turn away 16 promising young people because of a lack of funds. We are initiating a new sponsorship program, Your Decision – Their Future, and are looking for donors to willing to contribute the 25,000 baht (US$ 850) annually to keep more young people such as these in University. More details available on our Sponsor a University Student page.