Caregiving at a Home for Single Mothers in Crisis
 

Shannon Ng, Hawaii, USA - Care giving at the Single Mother's Home

September, 2009

"My 4 weeks in Thailand went by so fast. In fact it went by too fast. Care giving at the Single Mother’s Home was the best volunteer experience that I’ve had. Hearing the laughs and seeing the smiles of the mothers and children was the most rewarding part of the whole experience. The Friends for Asia house gave most of the comforts of home, mostly in thanks to the people (Fai, Run, Todd, and my fellow volunteers). The similarities between Thailand and Hawaii were, at times, uncanny; it literally became my home away from home. I definitely want to come back one day, and I’m very appreciative towards Friends for Asia for helping during my first visit to Thailand."

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Janneke Ruygt & Eveline Schruer, Woerden and Breda, Netherlands - Caregiving at Single Mother's Home

August, 2009

"We volunteered for four weeks in the single mother’s home. We took care of the children with the age of 2 till 5 years old. Sometimes it was difficult because we don’t speak Thai. The Single Mother’s Home is situated in a beautiful nature. That gives you the feeling that you are in a totally different world. They really take good care of the mothers and children over there. They give them the opportunity to start a whole new life. We never did this before so it was a wonderful experience for us. And we learned a lot about their culture."

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Katia Grant, New York, USA - Caregiving at Single Mother's Home

July, 2009

"I had a great time volunteering at the Single Mother’s Home. The children were always so happy and excited to do basically anything with the volunteers. Walking into the daycare and having a bunch of children run up to you because they are so excited to see you is definitely a great feeling! The staff at the single mother’s home is really friendly and will be happy to answer any questions you have (especially Olga, the director of volunteers at Single Mother’s Home). Friends for Asia was very organized and I found the orientation to be very helpful. The house is pretty big and it’s very convenient for hanging out with other volunteers and making new friends. You get breakfast every morning and the bedrooms are air-conditioned. Fai and Niti were very helpful and they were more than willing to help me with anything I needed on my stay. I met a lot of new people and enjoyed hanging out with them and getting to know them. Chiang Mai is a great city with lots of different things to do and see!"

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Calculate Price:  
= Total project fee of : $ 895

  • THE BASICS

  • PROJECT OUTLINE

  • VOLUNTEER QUALIFICATIONS


PROGRAM LENGTH:                                  4 weeks – 6 months

 

PROJECT LAUNCH DATES:                      The 1st and 3rd Monday of every month.

 

ARRIVAL DATE:                                         3 days prior to your Start Date (Friday)

 

THOSE WELCOMED:                                  Women (only) over 20.

 

SLEEPING:                                                     All volunteers in this project stay in or near the Friends For Asia volunteer house.  Friends For Asia operates out of a large teak wood house, located in a quiet, safe neighborhood in Chiang Mai City.  The house is two stories, can accommodate up to 10 volunteers at any one time, has air conditioning, western style toilets and hot water showers.  If room is not available in the Friends For Asia House, volunteers may have to stay in one of the neighborhood apartment buildings.  If this occurs, your project fee will cover your accommodation costs.  If a volunteer decides to stay in a place of their own choosing, then they will have to pay for their own accommodation.  The apartments are nice, but some rooms may not have air conditioning.  Volunteers have to commute daily by public transportation or bicycle.

 

EATING:                                                         Breakfast is provided for all volunteers at the Friends For Asia House.  All volunteers are invited to join the women and staff at the home for lunch. Volunteers staying in a shared apartment are responsible for their own breakfast and dinner.  Special diet requirements or restrictions can easily be accommodated.  There are several excellent vegetarian restaurants within Chiang Mai.

 

PICK-UP INFO:                                            A Friends For Asia representative will be waiting for you at your arrival point and guide you to your accommodation and project location.

 

TIMETABLE:                                                 Volunteers will be working from 8:30am– 4:30pm Monday through Friday.  Volunteers may occasionally be asked to work on the weekends and in the evenings during special holiday celebrations that occur at the home. 

 

FEES:                                                              Participation in the Care Giving Volunteer Project at the Single Mother’s Home starts at $895 for four weeks.  Each additional week is $100.

 

FEE INCLUDES:                                            Airport pick up, accommodation during orientation and entire project time, breakfast every morning, lunch every work day, 2 day orientation, half day city tour, cultural dinner and show, onsite coordinator and 24 hour emergency assistance.

 

FEE DOES NOT INCLUDE:                          Plane tickets, travel insurance, cost of criminal police background check required for this project, cost of transportation to and from work location and accommodation, ride to the airport after service, dinner.



At around 7:30 am the older children at the Single Mother’s Home get on their bikes and the home’s van to head off to school. The youngsters stay at the home. While the moms take classes on how to become self sufficient adults, the younger children need to be looked after by those who enjoy spending time with adorable infants and toddlers.

Although many of these young children have had a difficult beginning before arriving at the Single Mother’s Home, they are fortunate to receive the opportunity to have a cross cultural experience of being cared for by a foreigner so early in life. The impact of a cross cultural experience during early childhood is a great benefit to children, especially those who can really use the advantage. Volunteers involved in this project will have the chance to experience cradling a newborn ethnic Thai or hill tribe youngster in a bamboo constructed house surrounded by rice paddies and mountains, while the child’s mother is learning the essential skills to improve her own and her young child’s life and future.

Volunteers will assist in the day to day care of children at the home, along with assisting in the needs of the women residing at the home. Volunteers must have experience with and a love for young children. Considering many of the women and children at the home have recently suffered due to the mistreatment or abuse of men, the home requests that all volunteers serving in this project be female.

Volunteers will assist in the supervision of the many children at the home. It’s important for the women at the home to take part in different classes (ESL, Computer, financial management, child care etc.) to learn the essential skills that will help them obtain independent self sufficiency. The age of children at the home ranges from newborns to seven years old. Volunteers will look after the babies, toddlers and older kids, change diapers, organize simple games and make sure the older children don’t get into too much trouble.



Volunteers do not need any specific qualifications, but should have a basic knowledge of child care. Volunteers should be able-bodied, flexible and enjoy working outside and with kids.

Friends For Asia requires all volunteers in this project (and all other projects where volunteers work directly with or near children) to submit a certified police background check before volunteer service begins.