Touching down in Thailand
After 17 hours ’ non-stop travel , and factoring in a six-hour time difference , 13 Rotarians ( 10 Rotaractors , two from Next Rotary Generation and David ), as well as one of David ’ s work colleagues who has sponsored Akha children at the centre for the past seven years , touched down in Thailand in November .
It marked the culmination of months of fundraising , scoping and planning .
First stop : The Rescue Mission for Children in Mae Suai .
For Rotaractor Georgia Kerby , who ’ s just graduated from Otago University with a Bachelor of Anthropology , focusing on archaeology , it was the start of a trip she realised early-on would forever change the course of her life .
“ It made it a reality . It ’ s just so easy to come back to New Zealand , and you ’ re in your own little world , in your office job and go out at the weekends – it ’ s just boring and enclosed ,” Georgia says .
“ You see stuff on the news and go : ‘ Oh , that ’ s such a shame ’; and , then you go ‘ switch ’, and grab a hot chocolate or something .
“ Being able to realise that you can do something about it in your everyday life is something that I ’ ve gone : I ’ m going to do that .”
There wasn ’ t a dry eye in the house , David recalls , just a day into their stay at the centre , as Asa shared her story and the plight of her people .
“ Because it is just so deep , so personal ; and , it ’ s talking about children , our precious generation ,” Georgia adds .
With so little money , much of the centre ’ s survival rests on sustainable microenterprise projects , such as produce that can be grown onsite . The Rescue Mission ’ s manager , an Australian , is an experienced horticulturalist . What he needed , though , were many hands on deck to redevelop the land and maximise its productivity .
Georgia Kerby
Khyati Shah with some little helpers from the Rescue Mission for Children .
And , that ’ s where Rotary ’ s Project Starfish team came in , donating the funds and people power to dig up and move 167 banana palms and plant an orchard of 800 guava trees , which were donated by the Rotary Club of Christchurch Sunrise .
“ A big part of the future and sustainability of the Rescue Mission for Children is to get the orchard there sorted and have great produce to feed everyone at the centre , but that can also be a source of income , as well as training for the children ,” David says .
The first stage included a hydroponics system , the framework for which was being built when he visited five years ago .
“ It just looks amazing now , and all the kids are involved in it , and they ’ re also learning new skills , because this is different planting than what they would normally be involved in in their villages .
“ They ’ re planting now to be selfsustaining , and they ’ re hoping , in the future , to build that up , and sell any excess produce to local markets . In the long-term , the idea is to have a packing and processing facility .”
Georgia was in awe of the centre ’ s children , some as young as seven , who rolled up their sleeves to work alongside their Rotary guests .
“ They prepared the whole field for us . They had all the holes dug out and had made all the bamboo stakes and ties we needed ,” she says .
“ They were really curious and eager to be involved in this big exciting project .”
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