Sawadee pee mai! We hope this email finds you and your family well in the new year.
Just when we thought we were almost out of the woods on the pandemic, a second wave of Covid-19 infections surfaced in the kingdom. We have had to stop physical classes temporarily at our office in the capital. This is in line with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s decision to shut all schools and educational institutions to stem the spread of Covid-19 virus. So we are back to conducting our classes on Zoom. It is not an ideal arrangement because of intermittent internet connection, but it is the best we can do under the circumstances, and our students appreciate it.
Like the partial lockdown last year, some of our students have again been affected, such as those working in the spa and hotel industries. Others are more fortunate, especially live-in domestic helpers as they based at their employer’s residence.
Aware of the challenges some of our students may face (based on our experience from last year), our team has visited them and provided them with staples such as rice, instant noodles, sauces and dried foods to tide over this challenging period. We hope you enjoy our short video.
These women tend to send the bulk of their income back home in the provinces and feel the squeeze when they are suddenly out of work. Hopefully, the restrictive measures will be relaxed soon and they can return to work and we can run our classes normally again.
On a more positive note, we want to thank donors who gave generously during our recent year-end fundraising campaign. Your contribution has helped us maintain a lifeline to underprivileged girls and women in Thailand in these difficult times.
Until our next update, please stay well!
Pratthanadee Team
