New Life Outreach

This morning, Jong and her mother came to our field office and Jong's mother asked us to re-accept Jong into the program.

Just 2 weeks ago, Jong's mother came by and was convinced that she wanted to put her child through school herself and she asked for the school grant to be handed to her.

(This year, the government gave a 550bht grant to children from poor families to subsidise the purchase of school uniforms and textbooks)

Jong's mother came over a couple of times saying that she will put Jong into Khek Noi school and needed the money (550bht = SGD 20) to quickly purchase the uniforms Jong to go to school. So on compassionate grounds, my staff handed her the money in good faith.

Today, when the mother arrived, we asked her if she has gotten the school uniforms and we got a rude shock. She told us that she "lent" the money to someone else and Jong was still not in school, not a single cent was spent to get the child her uniform.

Now the mom comes over and asks us to send Jong to school after missing the school opening term.

We told Jong and the mother that there are more needy kids out on the streets and Jong has to understand its a opportunity to go to school and she has to want it herself. And with all runaway kids, she has to bear the consequences and punishment.

So we gave her and the mom till 5pm today to discuss when Jong is ready to come back.