Childlife-A future for street children in Mae Sai
Ellen's visit, an independent journalist (March 23 and 24, 2002)
Ellen learned about our project over the internet. While travelling in
South-East-Asia she wanted to visit us and write a report.
We picked Ellen up in Chiang Rai about noon on Saturday, March 23, and drove her directly to the Childlife-
house where she also stayed overnight. No special program had been scheduled for the rest of this day. The
next morning Sissy supplied information for the planned interviews. Afterwards we took Ellen to the nearby
border to substantiate the need for our organisation.
We also met Arjoh whose progress we have shown on
our current web site ttp://www.kinderleben.org/Projekt_5.htm
He has left the project in the meantime. I have met Arjoh,
totally filthy, at the border in front of Seven eleven several
times but he didn't want to have his photograph taken.
But at Ellen's visit he looked OK.
Although Ellen wanted to return to Chiang Rai on Sunday afternoon we invited her and the kids to see the
new premises. Ellen could then see for herself what our future plans were. Afterwards, Ngaow drove us to
the next village from which we have some children.
We went on driving and took along two boys
who wanted to go swimming in a lake nearby.
Above the lake we met the little boy
(in the middle of the picture). Ngaow
explained that he had lost his Parents 		recently and that neighbours are taking
care of him
We continued our journey to a remote Akkah-village in the
mountains and then to a rubbish dump. What we saw amazed us.
Solid houses, spaciously built with signs on them saying: "donated"
from the Swiss Embassy, Canadian Embassy, etc. Ellen read my
thoughts and said: "You can do this as well, I believe in you".
In the meantime it was too late for Ellen to return home because we
needed to drive by Ngaow's house to pick up the Kids who spent the weekend in Burma and two newcomers who decided to live
with us. The sunset sank in and we drove back to the new premises to collect the children who were tired
and exhausted from playing in the rice fields. Some of them had black faces from banana barbecue. When
everyone was on the Pickup, it was so crowded that there was hardy enough room for all of us. Ellen was
sitting in the middle of the Pickup's loading space and children tried to sit close to her, even on her thighs.
The Pickup almost collapsed and I feared the worst. The kids
ignored it and despite their tiredness a little lad started timidly to
sing when the rest of the kids followed him immediately. It was
so nice to listen to these voices at nightfall. Ngaow borrowed my
lighter to see what was wrong with the car. But in no time he was
able to fix it and we drove back.
Ellen stayed an additional night in Mae Sai. But this time she stayed in the guesthouse. The following
morning at breakfast she was telling me all her impressions she gathered during her visit. On the way to the
bus station we both admitted that we were very touched by the things we experienced. I am looking
forward to reading Ellen's article after her return in Mai/June 2002.
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