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A Home for Underprivileged Children

Children's Shelter Foundation is an internationally sponsored Social Project in northern Thailand, founded in the year 2007 by Joy Worrawittayakhun from Thailand and Ulrike Meister from Germany.

In the middle of the forest hills, about 30 minutes away from Chiang Mai, Joy and Ulrike acquired some land to establish "Lakeland", the farm where handicapped children, deaf children but also underprivileged children, streetchildren and orphans have found a warm and caring environment and a secure place that became their home.

The foundation has built a family house, a farmhouse and a small school, all in a quiet setting with a lovely view on the big Lotus lake. Furthermore a very comfortable guesthouse has been constructed to accommodate visitors, sponsors and volunteers. Vegetables and fruit trees are grown on the large organic farm. The aim in the long term is to become self sufficient with the proceeds of tourism and farming.

Chance to study

In 2008 an outstanding Project for Youth was started in co-operation with Joy's House in Chiang Mai and the district of Mae On. The officially approved "Non formal Learning Center" offers underprivileged teenagers from the Hill Tribes a chance to obtain an education, abtain a practical/vocational training or even gain a place at College or University in Chiang Mai.

A small social enterprise

The social aspect of our foundation is most important to us. Our farmer families and employees work under excellent conditions, we offer them a fair salary, a chance to further training and together they live in this extended family where our children and guests feel at home. We also aim to foster the participation of the nearby villages in our project. Village people can come to our farm for support and advice whenever they feel the need for it.

In the long run the Children's Shelter Foundation's goal is to become self sufficient for the biggest part. This will be our key to success.

In 3 years time, with the donations of our kind sponsors in America, Europe, especially Germany, we have established the following:

• Organization of our 3,5 ha Biofarm, self supportive for ca. 50 people
  (extension possible)
• Organization of our Learning Center
• Sales of our produce on market in Chiang Mai
• Tourism (program for guest and volunteers)
• Workshops “classroom without walls” for International schools
• Planning to open a bakery shop in Chiang Mai