After the COVID-19 crisis, the number of children and young people at risk of being excluded from the education system has increased. This situation makes “Boys Town” work together with the “Aid Center for Children and Youth in Educational Crisis,” covering both the search and design of assistance to children and young people at risk of being excluded from the system across the province under the collaborative network of “Khon Kaen People” and the Equitable Education Fund (EEF).

Boys Town has worked and developed the previous job to become another place that is ready to support children and youth at risk in educational emergencies so that children have accommodation, receive full meals, and other necessities, along with coordinating for children to attend school immediately in Nong Kung Witthaya Community School and Nam Phong Suksa School. This will allow children in the at-risk group to drop out of the education system and be able to continue their studies instantly without interruption.

Dr. Krit Suwanprom, Khon Kaen Provincial Education Commissioner, said that Khon Kaen province can rapidly drive assistance to children in educational crises because it has received help from all sectors and had a working group working from the heart and being dependent on children.

“Boys Town is one of the areas that cares for many children and youths. This is a place that gives them opportunities and an educational future. To help this group of children survive and get out of trouble, we have to take care of them in the long term. Once they grow up, they will be adults who are ready to continue helping others.

“Boys Town also showed that children need a place that is warm, safe, and supports growth. If we do not provide them with this factor, children do not have the cost to go through this on their own, and then their lives will change in another way. Seeing Boys Town send generations of children to success gives us confidence that the number of children in this group will decrease or may even reach the point where there are no more of them in the near future.” 

 

30 Years on the Path of Opportunity from “Boys Town”

“Every child comes here for different reasons. One thing they do share is a lack of opportunity. They want to learn, and they want their education to take them as far as possible in life.”

For the short definition of Ajarn Pramote Klungket, Assistant Director, “Boys Town” refers to the existence of a place that is “not a school,” not similar to being a “center” or an “institution” for more than 30 years. The area of ​​approximately 30 rai in Nong Kung Subdistrict, Nam Phong District, Khon Kaen Province, is a refuge for generations of children and young people. Today, they are dispersed, growing along the path and are part of building society. Some are teachers, some are engineers, and a small number of them serve in various ministries.

Ajarn Pramote, as the first student to come to Boys Town in 1989 and returning to help take care of generations of children, said that Boys Town was founded with a fund from a foundation in England and the Rotary Club in Thailand. It is open for boys aged 12–18 throughout the Northeast region who graduated Grade 6 and intended to continue studying but lacked sponsorship or scholarships. Boys Town will take care of accommodation, food, and send them to Nong Kung Wittaya Community School, which is a school that offers the opportunity to Grade 9, and Nam Phong Suksa School, which is a district school offering from Grade 7 to Grade 12. Those who are interested in vocational studies will be encouraged to continue as intended.

“Apart from the knowledge at school, we want them to have a well-rounded outlook on life and other skills on hand. We always tell our children that a degree does not always guarantee success in life, so they have to keep everything they have learned from Boys Town as a cost to benefit in their occupation and to overcome various obstacles, both today and in the future.”

Ajarn Pramote said from his experience that he had seen many generations of youngsters. The fundamentals of the Boys Town children are quite sensitive. Most of them initially have some loneliness because they never leave their homes, but with a determined mind that they want to study, they are able to adjust. Moreover, everyone has the same goal, so the children are ready to take care of each other, listen to and recommend each other so that each person can overcome problems until they reach their destination.

“Life at Boys Town teaches us that there are hundreds of problems in our way of life. There are different types of scarcity. The only thing we can do is to find our way and improve our lives. One thing we can do right now is to use education to lead a better life. The opportunity they received is like a change in the direction of the river of life. Most of the boys who stayed at Boys Town graduated with a bachelor’s degree from leading institutions. Many young people received scholarships for their master’s degrees. When they graduated, they dispersed to go to work, have a stable career, and take care of themselves and their family.

“I’m proud to be a Boys Town boy. This gave me the opportunity to study until I completed my master’s degree and became an instructor. Then, one day, I decided to come back and take care of my younger siblings. Since then, it has already been 21 years this year. Other alumni have never been silent. They always give help. If anyone meets a child who lacks an opportunity, they will send the child to us. It is considered giving for the future. What children want to learn, which way they want to go, depends on them. What we do is to guide them to see the future as much as possible and help push them to develop their full potential.”