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UNDERSTANDING LANGUAGES AND OTHER CULTURES BUILD BRIDGES
Life has a way of dropping blessings in your lap without you having to do anything. They call it serendipity. Ban Kung Learning Center director Mai Wilachai and I just last week traveled to Udon Thani to purchase school supplies and food for the students. On the way back to the village - it’s lunchtime. We pull over at a roadside noodle shop and each order a zesty bowl.
A friendly young server by the name of Kay welcomed us. He spoke articulate English, which is truly a rarity in this distant part of the world. My immediate reaction was to invite Kay to check out our learning center and hopefully inspire the kids.
Poverty stricken and uneducated parents in the village are aggressively seeking help for their child’s education. It’s extremely difficult finding anybody who could come help us with the kids - particularly in the area of teaching English.
Kay drove all the way out to our rural farmers area and kindly offered his heartfelt support over the weekend. He bonded beautifully with the kids right away and frankly - this is a dream come true for all of us.
Learning another language is not only learning about different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things. Kay’s innovative teaching style was beyond our wildest expectation.
We hope Kay will come share his teaching talents with us as often as possible. The need is great.
The Asha Foundation For Humanity and all of us here welcome Kay’s beautiful spirit in our effort to educate disadvantaged youth in Northeastern Thailand.
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I’m so happy to hear this. Hopefully you can use his teaching skills in the future.
THE HIDDEN POWER OF LANGUAGE
In today’s globalized world there are many reasons to learn a foreign language. Studying English specifically expands job opportunities in disadvantaged regions such as ours.
This past weekend 15-year-old Ayleen Mai volunteered to help teach English at Ban Kung Learning Center, sponsored by the good folks at the Asha Foundation For Humanity.
She attends school in Germany and returns to Ban Kung village once a year with her mother to visit relations. It was our pleasure to meet her. Ayleen readily accepted our invitation to act as a mentor for the kids.
It’s been said learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. When students see others speaking English proficiently - it inspires them. From all of us at ASHA and BKLC we deeply appreciate Ayleen for sharing her spirit with our students. They all look forward to her visiting again!
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GIVING LIBERATES THE SOUL
A very special thanks to former Chicagoan Dave McPhee for visiting and supporting our learning center in Ban Kung Village. Uncle Dave helped provide lunch for all as well as shared his enthusiastic encouragement to eager students.
Dave has recently moved to this village. We are pleased to now have one new American colleague living nearby. Director Mai Wilachai, myself, ASHA and all the kids deeply appreciate his true interest and support for our humble effort to benefit disadvantaged youth in our village.
#AshaFoundationForHumanity
#BanKungLearningCenter
Thank you for the kind words. I am always happy to help out in any way possible. Giving encouragement to children who are willing to learn will only help to build a better future for them….I hope your program grows by leaps and bounds !!!
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EVERY CHILD DESERVES A CHAMPION
Congratulations BKLC Program Director Mai Wilachai! Rolling Stone Australia has published a remarkable story regarding our new learning center here in Ban Kung Village! Mai and the kids thank the Asha Foundation for Humanity, the Playing For Change Foundation & Rolling Stone Australia for their kindness.