In the heart of Chiang Mai, Thailand, a faithful husband and father ‘Ball’, lives with his much loved wife, Am, and their two young sons. Ball had an unwavering determination to find a way out of his unfortunate situation and fight for his loving family against all odds after he lost his job due to the recession. Ball’s hope was rekindled when his family received a helping hand from Building Strong Families and they were invited to join an 18-month family strengthening program.
Before the recession, Ball had a reliable job at a local hotel, which provided stability and security for his family. When the recession hit, the hospitality industry took a severe blow, with the hotel shutting down, leaving Ball without a job and his family facing uncertain times. With his wife, Am, dedicated to caring for their two boys, the weight of providing for the family fell squarely on Ball’s shoulders. Faced with limited options, Ball was determined to find a way to provide for his family once again and give his boys a good quality education as soon as possible.
Drawing upon his culinary skills and a deep love for traditional Thai cuisine, Ball embarked on a courageous endeavour when he decided to start a small business selling dumplings and steamed buns, but the sluggish economy soon caused the income to decline substantially. In addition, this new business venture held a significant hurdle in that his trusty motorcycle sidecar, essential for transporting his goods, had succumbed to disrepair. Facing these challenges, as the head of the family, made Ball tired and discouraged.
It was at this critical juncture when an unexpected blessing arrived...BSF heard about the family’s situation and they were invited to join the ‘BSF Ton Pao Program’. Ball was provided with this crucial lifeline and had a new-found hope when he saw the opportunity to help his family stand firm again with assistance from BSF. Building Strong Families provided Ball with just what he needed...a brand-new good quality sidecar for his motorcycle, so he was able to travel to good locations to sell his dumplings and steamed buns every day.
Since joining BSF, Ball’s family participated regularly in the various activities and trainings provided by the program. This has developed and enhanced Ball and Am’s knowledge and skills, and they have been applying these in everyday life, including utilizing better parenting skills to take care of their two sons.
Ball expressed his feelings after joining the program, “It is a great opportunity for my family to join such a program like this. It has enabled me to spend more quality time with my family, travelling to places that we had never visited before on BSF Family Fun Days. In the past, I was so busy working hard that I thought it was the best way I could support my family, but now I know my family not only need the financial sustainable income, but they also need me to be available to spend quality time with them so they feel that they are loved and cared for." Ball’s wife, Am, added, "All the trainings have been very helpful. There are so many things I never knew before in order to be a good parent. I learned a lot, especially about using encouraging words with my children. In the past, I would shout at them, but now I know how to speak in a nicer way toward them without yelling. Thank-you BSF for helping us to be better parents to build a stronger family!”
BSF is a partner for project J1079 & J1102 with Australian NGO, Global Development Group (ABN 57 102 400 993). Donations to BSF through Global Development Group are tax deductible in Australia, NZ, and the USA.
Building Strong Families Foundation or มูลนิธิสร้างครอบครัวเข้มแข็ง is a registered foundation in Thailand (ชม770), approved by the Ministry of Interior.