GVI Phang Nga Achievement Report

28th August 2014

GVI Under 18s project improved the life of children with
disabilities in the Phang Nga province by painting a mural in the
physiotherapy room of the Camillian centre.

Summary
A group of under 18s volunteers from England and Australia has joined the
GVI Phang Nga team to make a difference in the world. Through their hard
work they have created a giant mural at the Camillian Centre, an
organisation that takes care of children with disabilities. The mural,
representing nature and wildlife in forests and seas, is now enlightening
the children's days by providing a fun and stimulating learning
environment.
Report
Around three per cent of the population in Thailand suffers from
disabilities, and due to traditional beliefs the Thai society is not very
compassionate towards these people, especially with children. People with
disabilities and their families even often face discriminations and
embarrassment as a result of these misconceptions, and very limited
support exists for them.
Yet, things have started to change as the UN set the Millennium
Development goals and the Thai government has shown willingness to
"work harder to promote and protect the rights and welfare of specific
vulnerable groups, particularly with women and children with disabilities".

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The
Camillian
centre works towards these goals by supporting children with down
syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy and physical disabilities. The centre
gives these children,

who sometimes have even been abandoned by their family, the

opportunity to develop their cognitive and physical abilities. GVI, in turn,
helps the Camillian centre by providing English classes and by creating
activities that enhance and develop the emotional, social, psychological
and physical capabilities of the children.
Yet, this time GVI wanted to do a little something more. The physiotherapy
room in the Camillian centre is a very important place where the kids
spend a lot of time. It is a very practical room with many apparatus to
help the children develop their motor functions, but the grey, plain, walls
certainly lacked charm and were not very lively.
This all changed when a group fine young people doing the GVI Under 18s
program joined forces to make the life of those kids a bit better. A project
was put in place, consisting in creating an artistic and colourful giant
mural across the room. It would represent the forest and its animals
meeting the sea and its creatures, thus creating a very stimulating
environment for the kids to learn and grow in.
The six volunteering adolescents successfully created large stencils, and
used complex sponge painting and blending methods to create that new
environment. They also learnt how to conceive and manage such a large
and rewarding project.
The result of this endeavour can be measured both on a long and a short
time scale. The immediate results were obviously the smiles on the kids'
faces. On the long term, the Under 18s and GVI have improved the critical
infrastructures available for these children with disabilities, and provided
an inspiring and appealing environment for their physical and intellectual
development. This contributed directly to GVI's long term objectives, in
line with the UN Millennium development goals.

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