By Sharka Furda and Margaret Cannon
Contact Email: sharka.furda@gmail.com
Dear ES Parents,
ISB is part of a lovely project – collecting toys in good condition for The Green Village Libraries.
This is a well established project under the patronage of the Khun Meechai Viravaidya Foundation.
This organization established over 100 Green Village Toy Libraries throughout Norther Thailand.
Toys are donated by urban children. The guiding principle of the Green Village Toy Library is that access to toys is a human right for children.
Children in rural areas are not just given toys, they can earn a right to borrow a toy or a book for a period of time (usually one week) in exchange of some community services.
The libraries are self-sustainable and in majority run by children age 8-14 years.
This teaches children responsibility, sense of community and appreciation.
We are hoping to collect enough toys to start a new toy library not far from Nichada Thani.
This would be the first Green Toy library in BKK area – at Wat Songploo School (severely flooded last year).
Students of this particular school are children of migrant workers, who are employed on various construction sites.
The school is very well run, and the children are getting a decent education, but most of them have no toys.
We thought this is a great opportunity for our children to open their hearts and share with the less fortunate.
Our wonderful librarian, Ms. Tara, with help of the MS Club Operation Smile, volunteered to educate all ES grades, so they will understand, why they should give up some of their toys.
We all know that giving may feel better than receiving.
The educational piece of our mission will take part in next two weeks – March 19th-30th – during regular library hours. Collection of toys will take place at the ES library and MS/HS Cafeteria (thanks to help from the Green Panther Club) from April 2nd – April 6th.
Please ask you children about this project and help them to choose toys to donate.
All toys and books in good condition are very welcome, but The Foundation is especially grateful for educational toys, games, puzzles (without missing pieces), Legos, sport equipment, train toys etc.
If we collect more toys than this particular school can accommodate, we will pass them on to other libraries in Northern Thailand.
For more information on Green toy Libraries, please see this short video:
https://www.isaan.com/en/forum/General-discussion/1079-The-green-village-toy-library.html
THANK YOU VERY MUCH IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Sharka Furda and Margaret Cannon
sharka.furda@gmail.com
mags.cannon@gmail.com