After much deliberation and prayer, the management committee will be driving our outreach activities towards the following :
1 ) Strengthen programming amongst the StreetKIDS!
Over the past 2 years, we've had a high success rehabilitating children from substance abuse (glue-sniffing) backgrounds. The success rate stands at 80% which is already a feat with the little the resources we have.
But real challenges still remain outside the walls of our shelter, drug dealers, gang leaders and poor influence from families usually interfere with our work and result in some children to prematurely give up and leave the programme.
This year, we're planning to employ professional psychologist and counselors to help direct our programming to not only better understand these influences but also teach the children to overcome the temptation to go back into their old lives.
This year, we need to commit more effort to look into small details in our children's lives to we can bring about a greater sustained change.
2) Capacity Building Amongst Staff
Currently, RADION is operated by 2 groups of staff. The first professionals and second group are destitute womenfolk or victim who have suffered abuse from their husbands and are in need of assistance.
For the first group, we're planning to employ 6 more staff to bring our staff base to 12 to balance out the heavy workload and enable the rest to focus on direct assistance outreaches.
The second group, we're hoping to bring in more professional assistance to help these ladies regain their footing through basic counseling to starting up of support groups. This programming allows for greater community support amongst this highly marginalised group.
3 ) Regaining Of Supporters/Blog Readers/Corporate Sponsors
In 2009, we have done much groundwork by providing food & free medical aid to more than 2500 people and gave basic necessities such as toothbrush and toothpaste to more than a thousand needy children.
Ahead in 2010, we hope to follow-on with our groundwork by focusing on the ones that need help the most and give them that simple glimmer of hope to live on.
2010 is a challenging year and we'll need to raise approximately SGD20,000(approx USD15,000) each month for operations. I ask each and every one of our sponsors, friends and partners to prayerfully consider supporting our work financially for the next one year. My personal commitment to you is that every single cent will be invested into lives and mending broken dreams.
Hi friends! We're pleased to offer you another channel to catch RADION's updates at our brand new Twitter site. You may now follow us at http://twitter.com/RadionIntl
I received a call just minutes ago when my staff (aun) asked me if its alright for her to have a small support group/cell group for victims of domestic violence. She has got a group together and they have 7 ladies in that group needing emotional support.
My heart raced and I spluttered out a big YES !
For those who know Aun, she comes from a background of domestic violence and was left to raise her child single-handedly when her husband was imprisoned for life for drug trafficking.
From her background of hurts and pains, she has now moved ahead and taking the initiative to ministering to others from similar backgrounds !
What a joy ! firstfruits of our work !
Guys,
Much apologies for the slow update on the status of the management committee.
The last 3-4 months has been a rough one for the management team and from here, things will get exciting !
Here are some updates :
1 ) Management Committee has been formed
2 ) Ben has returned to Singapore
3 ) I've resigned from my job in view of the pressing needs up in Thailand and will be heading back in March.
I hope to be able to meet up with our sponsors/supporters over the next 3-4 weeks to give a full account of what we have accomplished in the last 1 year with your financial support.
I'll leave more for the next post, but as promised here is a sneak preview of the management committee members !
In the next few months, RADION will be doing a massive migration of the current newlifeoutreach blog to a web based blog. This new portal will be a one stop site where you can get all your updates on radions progress from the blog to our corporate info.
The new contributors will be Benjamin (Operations Director), Bruce Thao (Director Of Operations USA) and yours sincerely .... and many many more :)
Keep yourself updated at www.radion-international.org !
As part of RADION International's master plan, we have formed a management committee made up of young working adults who have a passion to impact the lives of the marginalised and needy.
These management committee members will take on a vital role in bringing greater awareness to the masses though campaigns and innovative programs in Singapore.
More details to follow !
What a privilege to have been part of RADION for the last 2 years ! As sat at my desk reminiscing both the ups and downs of RADION, it brought back bitter sweet memories.
It has been such a harsh but beautiful 2 years. Yes pains and disappointments are plentiful but as I look at the lives that have been touched. The negatives just seem to pale in comparison to the joy of being able to help and give the simple measure of hope to that someone.
Memories of refugee leaders breaking into tears as blankets were given to them...
Memories of refugees rushing up and kneeling down to be prayed for....
Memories of that elderly later who held my hand so tightly during a routine home visit (she passed on during the cold snap disaster)...
Memories of hopeful children as they got their first chance to see the sea.
What a privilege to be able to make that journey of faith and walk through that season with these people ! I can't wait to get back !
Bruce a PhD student from University of Chicago is now doing his internship with RADION. He is spearheading a new drug awareness project in the local schools under our community development Program.
He has been teaching english in the local school to build rapport and foundation for his drug awareness program.
...and tomorrow, he'll be teaching HIP HOP in the Shophouse! to his students !
A creative way to bring awareness and reach children !
General Rules
- Please inform us at least 1 month in advance if you plan to visit us
- RADION management reserves the right to decline visitations or volunteers
- All visitors are to stay at the guesthouse (approx 400baht/night) as we do not have guest rooms
- Transfer cost per truck & driver
200bht/way (from Khek Noi), 500bht/way (from khao khor bus station), 1000bht/way (from Lomsak)
- Local meals are chargable at 60bht/meal
- All visitors are required to be covered with personal insurance before arriving
STK! Sponsors
- You are encouraged to visit your sponsored child at least once a year.
- 2 X meal with your sponsored child will be waived and FOC.
- Each visit should not last for more than 3 days
- Only during the 1st week of each month
- Please send your proposed visit date at least 1 month ahead of time for de-conflicting of resources (ie if we are running humanitarian trips, you will have problems reaching us)
For existing CS300 supporters and friends (non-volunteer visit)
- Each visit is not to last more than 2 days.
- Orientation trips can be organised for teams of 6 and above
- Each trip should be on the 1st week of each month.
Open/Single volunteers
- We accepts only skilled volunteers (translators, trainers, teachers, counsellors, doctors, medical personnel, preferabally proficient in Thai/Hmong languages)
- Only self-supported volunteers with a minimum commitment of 1 month will be considered
Group Volunteering / Mission Teams
- Minimum of 7 days to a max of 18 days
- Minimum of 6 pax
- RADION will quote a full package price for accomodation, transport and meals.
- All mission trippers and group trippers are subjected to a mandatory contribution of SGD200/pax which goes towards the outreach fund
Last week, Ben received a call from one of our regular informers of a small community living between the borders of Burma and Thailand. This community were struggling to make ends meet and Ben called the informer to our office to discuss further.
To our surprise, the informer retorted saying that he will not reveal anymore information unless we employ him as a regular staff. Immediately we knew that he needed money but he refused to divulge further.
Last Monday, the informer called in again and asked for meeting to discuss this issue in person. Over the meeting, he gave some rough details of this needy population and told us that the only access road will be through the mountains ranges of Chiang Rai. He also asked to be stationed permantly in the vicinity to help us with our outreach (which we found suspicious considering his family is in Phetchabun)
This wek, we're scheduled to head back to Chiang Mai to complete some paperwork and of course this will be a fantastic time conduct a full needs assessment of this new site as well (as per our operating policy) and if we have time -to also conduct a medical outreach.
We set in the rendezvous day and there we went ahead of time. The informer told us that he will meet us on 25 July to bring us to see the site.
On the 24th, we called up the informer to confirm the time and location to meet up but his phone was switched off, immediately we knew something was not right. We called back to his wife and was greeted by a sobbing lady telling us that her husband(the informer) had been arrested in Chiang Rai. On further probing, she told us that he was arrested as he was making his first drug trafficking run into Thailand from Burma.
Now, we know this informer for close to a year and he has always come across as a kindly man who has assisted our humanitarian work without asking for financial remuneration. Many times his entire family will volunteer to come alongside us to help out.
This man, a loving father in a moment weakness, fell prey to the temptation of making quick bucks went ahead to do this run and now his wife and children has to bear the brunt of his actions as he is likely to be put behind bars for the rest of his life.
Our work is always risky. Thinking back, had the arrest been later, the entire medical and needs assessment team would be probably been caught up in the this mess and arrested along with him.
All is over now, but please do keep that guy in prayer as well as his family.
Reliefs arrive on Saturday at 1500hrs consisting of almost 400 blankets
Unloading of cargo as detailed planning was ongoing in the field office.
Launched on Saturday 2100hrs with 2 vehicle loads to reach remote village at midnight.
Elderly lady broke into tears, grateful that somebody came.
One of the Hmong homes. This is a picture of the bed that sleeps 3.
The elderly's granddaughter standing by, watching.
The village was not equipped with a clinic and the closest hospital was in the next town.
RADION staff organising the distribution site.
Destitute villagers gathering to receive the much needed blankets.
Villagers waiting patiently as their names are called.
The people receiving instructions on the collection process and collecting the blankets and warm clothes.Every Chinese New Year, as part of the festive season, we buy new clothes to usher in a brand new year. This year, we are doing a clothes collection drive post-CNY and we ask for you to set aside all your old clothes which are in good condition and give them to the destitute.
We will be planning a container shipment up and we need the following things :
1 ) Carton Boxes (About 300)
2 ) Warehousing Space
3 ) Volunteers For Collection & Sorting
4 ) 4 Collection Point (North, South, East & West Areas) for people to drop off their stuff.
This drive is similar to the one before. We will be sorting the items and the items that have re-sale value, we will sell these items to help us cover shipping costs. The remaining clothes will go directly to the following people groups.
1 ) Destitute Villagers
2 ) Streetkids!
3 ) Hmong Refugees
Email me @ eugene@radion-international to be part of this effort !
Alrighty. Quite a couple of volunteers want to partner us for trips but do not know the guidelines. So here we go.
Guidelines
1 ) No tourist.
The work we do is depressing enough, volunteers who are insensitive will only add to the emotional strain of these people. Example : We had a man who loved photography, and he went up to the refugee camp and started snapping pictures away while distribution was ongoing and the refugees started to feel like it was a human zoo.
2 ) Religiously Neutral/Politically Neutral Volunteers
We work in a cross culture environment and as Christians, we strive to maintain a fine balance and we respect people for who they are. Distribution and relief is evenly distributed irregardless of their religious preference. This policy is non-negotiable.
3 ) Every volunteer is self-supported.
Some people come up to me and ask me to pay for their entire trip because they volunteer their time and effort (which is worth a lot back in the home country). Yes I understand, but again we can't pay for your trip/accommodation/food/everything. If We did, we would have to take money from the food budget for the destitute to feed you. Wouldn't be right there ya ?
4 ) Make a difference. I mean... a good difference
Now, volunteers like to give things which are considered necessities. ie necklaces, shoes, toys etc etc. You see in the place i live, the kids grow up without lots of unnecessary items. And its enough. 1st world necessities do not necessary translate to 3rd world necessities. You want to know what is needed ? Food. Water. Sanitation. Shelter.
You can write in to ask about the list of needs. Giving the wrong items creates an artificial need, which cannot be sustained on the long run. So yes. Write in :)
A child... born into a desperate world
Life where hope is scarce
Anticipation Of MILK! Mission
Little refugee girl stands aside to watch
MILK! Mission At Site X
Medical Screening For Refugee Children
Census Of Refugee Population
Mr Colin Tan is a talented self taught professional photographer with a big heart to reach the needy. Last month, he made his debut visit to RADION International and sponsoring a full photo coverage of RADION’s first ever humanitarian relief mission to Site X.
After a heart warming visit to both Site X as well as the Streetkids! Ministry in Phetchabun, he has generously pledged 10% of all his future photography contracts to the RADION Outreach Fund.
To see his portfolios, please see : http://www.colinsphotograffi.com/
RADION's Streetkids! Ministry at Phetchabun By Mr Colin Tan
.jpg)
Streetkids! Together
Going To School
In the following weeks, we'll be launching a brand new campaign to bring a stronger awareness of our humanitarian relief efforts as well as our other outreaches which runs in tandem.
This campaign will not only be fun & exciting but it will carry a awareness message to the masses. And we need your help.
Once we push out the weekly videos, play that special part by bringing the message to the next mile, show it to your friends and relatives !
With like minded individuals rallying together support our cause, it will make an impact ! Come alongside us.
rt means the world to them !Extracts
"September 7, 2008, The Department of Meteorology has issued flash flood warnings in several provinces in the northern and southern part of country.
Low pressure systems with medium winds in the lower part of northern Thailand and the upper central part along with increasing southwest winds over the Andaman sea and the Gulf of Thailand will create rain in all parts of the country with heavy rain expected in some areas. High risk areas include Chiangrai, Chiangmai, Nan, Utaradit, Sukhothai, Tak, Phitsanulok, Phetchaboon, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Nakhon Nayok, Krabi, Trang, and Satun province. All citizens should be aware of the possibility of flash floods over the next 2- 3 days. "Lots of rain going on around here. No flooding seen though. We have news that Phitsanulok as well as site X is experiencing some flooding. But we'll see how things turn out later in the week.
Its a long week for me with everyday packed with meetings and appointments. Many nights I would be out till past midnight before getting home. Though all these meetings, it has encouraged me to know many people still have a great heart for the less fortunate. For those i was not able to meet up, my sincere apologies. Will promise to make time the next time round.
For the team, we faced an uncertain week with many points where we were close to calling the trip off in view of the political crisis in Thailand. After a risk assessment being done by RADION, the team has finally decided to push ahead with plans. The team will be launching tomorrow morning and should be reaching Phetchabun for a 7 day outreach before moving down to Site X for our signature MILK! Mission.
Ben has also just completed an outreach at Nong Khai IDC last week. Standby for more details.
I'll blog again once i get to the village !
Apologies for those who was trying to contact me over internet the last few days. The village telephone lines all went down for the 4th time these 2 weeks.
Standby, will start posting again !
This is a short summary of the 2 hour meeting we had with UNHCR in Bangkok.
After the meeting with UNHCR, we are encouraged by their continual resolve to assist Hmong refugees and are constantly looking for ways to assist the 3 communities (Phetchabun refugee camp, Nong Khai detention centre and Site X).
They too have voiced that the Thai government has formally informed UNHCR that Thailand will be doing a screening process for the Hmongs as such, UNHCR has been denied access to the Hmong population at Huay Nam Khao (Phetchabun)
We are currently in discussions with UNHCR on a collaborative project to assist the Hmongs in both Nong Khai as well as Site X. On RADION's end, we are sending our lawyer to Nong Khai next week to negotiate with the immigration on the areas of collaboration.
