The 2017 wrap up

Before he was the famous Apple CEO, Steve Jobs wrote a book titled “The Journey is the Reward.”  The idea behind that book title was not an original thought, however it does have great insight and relevance for many who struggle to live fully in each moment. The reminder to appreciate each step of the journey is apt.

For Imagine Thailand, the past 12 months have been a remarkable journey, but one that has been ever so rewarding. At years end, we’re provided with a great opportunity to reflect on and appreciate each step along our 2017 journey as an organization.  

In the Mae Sot area, we’ve engaged with 69 schools this past year.  We’ve installed 6 new water systems in 2017. This means that over 4,000 people now have access to clean water that previously did not. Since the project’s inception, we’ve installed 80 water systems!

Through our generous partners, in Mae Sot we were also able to:

·      Make and distribute 7,650 liters of Soy Milk

·      Give away 1,152 cups for kids

·      Install two new toilets in Migrant Learning Centres

·      Distribute 7,645 kg of protein enriched Mana Rice, 108 kilograms of Tuna, and loads of clean blankets, quilts, sweaters and hats

Even for us, these annual numbers can be a bit staggering but it’s extremely rewarding to know that so many people were positively impacted.

Down South in Takuapa, we average 50-55 kids every week at our  Lighthouse Learning Centre.  We completed ESL camps in 7 different schools and more than 460 kids attended those camps.  Our staff in Takuapa provided terrific internship experiences to 2 great young leaders.

Short-term volunteers were a huge part of Imagine Thailand’s 2017 endeavours. 59 different people volunteered with us in some capacity this past year.  Working with an estimate of  8-hour days, this adds up to a whopping 34,928 volunteer hours of impact.  We want to say a huge public thank you to every individual who volunteered their time, energy,  and finances to make a difference in Thailand this past year.

In Bangkok at Chulalongkorn University and in Hat Yai at Prince of Songkla University we continued to engage university students in 2017. We believe passionately that the next generation of Thai leaders has tremendous potential to create lasting change in their country.  We’re excited to continue providing opportunities for them to develop not only English language skills, but also their leadership capacity. 

None of these accomplishments that we’re celebrating as we close out 2017 can happen without the support Imagine Thailand receives from our partners. It is only because you are committed to standing with us that our tremendous team of staff and volunteers is able to make a difference on a daily basis. So please receive our heartfelt thanks!  

It’s been a wonderfully amazing 2017 and we look forward with anticipation to what’s to come in 2018. Bring it on!