CHILDREN'S DAY, COVID STYLE

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Project WIN has a tradition of observing National Children's Day. It's been a Thai holiday since 1955, with proclamations, celebrations, and events throughout the Kingdom. In the year of pandemic it's even more important, but has to be different.  

In normal years, the Project picks a hill tribe village and creates a memorable two-day affair for the kids. There's a day of hands-on education with learning-by-doing live stations, staffed by volunteers from the agricultural university and other teachers.  

The next day it's games for the kids,  live entertainment, and gifts of school supplies and food. Scroll to earlier years for lots of photos from those big events.

This year, due to Covid restrictions, we had to downsize dramatically.  On February 25 we went to the village of Mae Kong Sai in Chiang Dao, where there are 20 children in school.  It's an area almost inaccessible during certain seasons and quite remote, but quite beautiful, with a river running through. 

ARRIVING AT THE VILLAGE

Our toned-down Children's day including a big chicken dinner, brought to the village and served by volunteers from Chiang Mai. With the help of friends of Project WIN, they brought the meal and all the fixings and served it to all the children (not just the school kids), and when they were finished, to school staff too.

GRILLED CHICKEN, RICE, CUCUMBERS, AN ORANGE AND A MOONCAKE





The main event followed.  The volunteers, foreign and Thai, set up stations to distribute new backpacks, which the kids will fill with gifts of school supplies of all kinds, non-perishable food items, and even a few toys.  













Next year, we hope we'll be back to a normal Children's Day, but we'll treasure the memories of this one for sure. 

Here are lots more photos, all self-explanatory:










 










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