SUMMARY REPORT ON AICHTAL – BAN TUNG KROK  SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP PROJECT
PREPARED BY
POPULATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (PDA)
KRABI/BANGKOK, JULY 2005

A. OVERVIEW

There is real appreciation and gratitude for your generous contribution by Gemeinde Aichtal for the support to the project.

The Ban Thung Khrok School, Tambon Klong Pon, Amphur Klong Tom, Krabi Province, has 455 students (all primary from level Patom 1 to 6), 18 teachers (2 for English, 2 for Computer), 22 classrooms, library, computer room, language lab (not operational), cooperative store etc.

The school has internet connection but only a few computers in working condition. In order to be successful in the globalized economy our young students have to receive IT/Computer training. For this purpose the school urgently needs another 10 computers, including computer tables, chairs, and accessories.
The tables and chairs in the student cafeteria are rickety and damaged, and another ten long tables and 20 chairs are required to seat the students during school lunches.

B. ON-GOING PROJECTS

According to the Headmaster, Mr. Sommart, and direct observation, on-going projects are:
 school lunch program
 mushroom production
 fish tanks
 school farm (under preparation).

The first component of the partnership program was that school lunches were provided to students. A hundred percent of them were selected in the school, since a division in those students who are poor and needy and those who are not seemed not feasible and would have created tensions and problems. Care was taken that the children received a balanced diet of good nutritional value.

465 students have already been provided school lunches for the first 49 days after the tsunami until the end of the term in March and will be supported further for this school year and another 200 days.

Intensive work has gone into the school farm program. The school farm is under preparation and intended for 9 x 9 rows of oil palms intercropped with a variety of vegetables such morning glory, eggplant, chilli etc.

A mushroom shed has been constructed and mushroom production already started.

Fish tanks have been constructed. So far there are 4 units subdivided into two tanks of 2 m x 4 m each for raising catfish (pla duk).

3. LIVING CONDITIONS IN THE VILLAGE OF BAN TUNG KROK
 
The situation still continues serious in the village with work and income returning only very slowly. Stimulated by the experience with the partnership project villagers start initiatives on their own, including vegetable bank, raising of fish and shells (pla kao, pla chalamed, hoy kraeng, hoy malaeng pu, hoy waen), mangrove planting, income-generation (tourism, computer center) etc.

The main occupations in the village are:
 fishery/aquaculture; products are pla kapong, pla kao (high-value item at Baht 150 + per kilo) crabs (pu dam, pu ma – equally high-value), and other seafood such as shrimps and shells
 agriculture; rubber, palm oil, simple food processing (shrimp paste). 

There is one large wood processing plant (Huai Nam Kao) employing thousands of workers in the area. But a far greater number of people have been hard hit by the tsunami and still suffer the consequences. One example:

Mr. Prajoub Yaji and his wife worked at the Andaman Resort on Phi Phi Island. They narrowly escaped the tsunami with their baby after rushing to higher ground when the deadly waves struck. Now they are without job and income. Khun Prajoub is planning to bring tourists to Ban Tung Krok. From the pier of the fishing village they can be taken by long tail boat to the nearby island of Ko Pang which has wonderful corals to admire by diving and snorkeling as well as a famous cave. He is a PADI diving instructor, speaks good English and knows the coast and islands in the area intimately.

4. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE USE OF FUNDS

It is recommended to use the remaining quota of EURO 30,000 as follows:
 
 continue the support to the programs that the school already started such as school farm, fish tank, mushroom growing, school lunch
 give hardware support with regard to the acquisition of 10 computers with accessories and software (language teaching) as well as tables/chairs for cafeteria, various items for library, arts classes etc.
 establish a new school lunch program at Ban Bo Mamuang School since Ban Thung Khrok school lunch program is already sufficiently funded.

Ban Bo Mamuang School  has 390 students,. The introduction of a school lunch program there will spread your contribution beyond Ban Thung Khrok to other students in Krabi province. Ban Bo Mamuang is ca. 35 km further to the South of Ban Thung Khrok beyond Ta Maprao and is also a fishing village with small port and ca. 1120 inhabitants.

If Gemeinde Aichtal agrees to spreading out from Ban Thung Khrok to neighbouring villages, support may also be given to the school at Ta Maprao which has ca. 200 students who urgently need another 10 computers plus accessories.