Volunteer Projects
Sustainable Agriculture
- 80 primary students with year round access to delicious, nutritious organic food
- More than 50 terraced garden beds, a mixed orchard with 7 species of fruit trees and a plant nursery.
- 5 animal systems, including free-range chickens & ducks, egg-laying hens, and catfish & frog ponds.
- Year-round education center for primary students and local community members
Over the last 50 years, rapid deforestation caused by commercial logging and agriculture has dramatically affected the lives of every one in Thailand, from urban dwellers in Bangkok displaced by massive flooding, to the rural northern farmers who have seen their soil quality and crop yields drop as a result of drought and desertification. Permaculture provides a timely opportunity for farmers in our host communities to regenerate their soil, conserve water resources, minimize land usage and increase crop yield; however, considering the dire consequences of a failed season, many farmers are naturally hesitant to experiment with new techniques. GIVE is absorbing that risk by working alongside students at local schools to create thriving examples of sustainable farming practices, producing a large variety of nutritious fruits, vegetables and livestock on relatively small plots of land. These projects will not only empower students to provide themselves with delicious, nutritious food throughout the school year, but will also educate them on the importance of protecting natural resources while still producing enough food to sustain their families’ diet and income. Ultimately, we are providing nearby farmers with living proof of permaculture’s positive potential in the region, inviting them to learn and practice these innovative techniques on our plots and hopefully to begin implementing them on a larger scale.
English Education
- 350 students receiving fundamental English lessons at all 3 schools in the region
- 20% rise in standardized English exam scores since GIVE began teaching
- After school tutoring for local teens and English Teacher Training for Thai teachers
The schools in our host communities are filled with passionate teachers and enthusiastic students. However, these rural schools are not provided the same access to native speaking English teachers available at most schools throughout the country. Nonetheless, these students are expected to pass the same standardized exams, allowing them to advance to secondary and tertiary education, and enter the same job market that is becoming increasingly reliant on strong English language skills. GIVE is working to provide equal educational opportunities in our host communities by delivering fundamental English lessons from native speaking volunteers at all three schools in the region. Furthermore, we’re empowering Thai teachers to become better teachers through our English Teacher Training program. In order to ensure consistent quality for our students, all lessons are planned and delivered in conjunction with our TEFL certified Education Coordinators.
Elephant Conservation
- Support three elephants – Pooh Noi, Mae Boon Sri & Mae Boon Yeun – to live a semi-wild existence in their natural habitat.
- Provide funding for elephant veterinary care, ethical mahout training programs, and reforestation initiatives throughout Thailand.
- Promote responsible elephant tourism in the region.
Rapid deforestation throughout Thailand has pushed many native species to the brink of extinction, as their habitats are clear-cut for commercial logging and agriculture. The Asian Elephant, an iconic, symbolic and keystone species in Thailand, stands at the frontlines of this battle and you will have the opportunity to support them in a number of ways. Simply by interacting with and learning about these majestic creatures, you’ll be directly contributing to their welfare and conservation through a variety of responsible tourism initiatives. Your tourism dollars will support the first Elephant Hospital in Thailand, which provides free veterinary care to elephants throughout the country, a mahout-training program that teaches positive reinforcement training techniques, and a Reforestation program that regenerates the habitat necessary for elephants to survive in the wild.
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