The year 2006 / 2007

It all started when Joy Worrawittayakhun and Ulrike Meister from Germany met at the Social Welfare Project "School for Life" which was founded by Joy, in cooperation with her sister Siriporn in 2003. From 2006 to 2007 Joy and Ulrike developed, guided and supported a whole new family concept for 140 children and 20 teachers. Their aim was to create a warm and caring environment for the children in cohabitation with their teachers.

In 2007 however, they handed over the management of the School for Life to Joy's sister Siripon.

The year 2007 / 2008

In March 2007 Joy and Ulrike founded the Children's Shelter Foundation, a social welfare project under Thai law.

Joy's family donated land on the hillsides, about 30 minutes north of Chiang Mai and with the funds Ulrike raised through her newly set up association in Germany, "Verein Freundeskreis Children's Shelter e.V. ", their project could be initiated swiftly.

Lakeland is now the new home to deaf children but also for children from difficult backgrounds, poor children, streetchildren and orphans.

In 2008 the project "Chance to Study" was introduced by the Children's Shelter Foundation. The program of the approved Learning Center offers further practical and professional education to orphans and the most underprivileged children.

The year 2009

The CSF has already been able to become more self sufficient thanks to the proceeds from the organic farm and the promoting of sensitive tourism.

*see program "Holiday & Charity". The workshops “classroom without walls” for International Schools are outstanding and highly recommended by the Presidents of PREM and APIS. (International Schools Chiang Mai)

The long term goal is to become "a small social enterprise.