In this blog post, enjoy reading heart-felt snippets of transformation and gratitude, direct from the mouths of our empowered and graduated beneficiaries.
It always gives us great joy to see families graduating from our BSF programs with great outcomes and grateful hearts. In December 2022, 32 families (113 beneficiaries) from four family strengthening programs in Nepal and Thailand, celebrated their amazing achievements over 18-months on some exciting family camps.
What a delight to see 32 families (113 beneficiaries) graduate in December 2022 from 18-month BSF family strengthening programs in both Nepal and Thailand!
Families celebrated this incredible achievement by gathering together for graduation camps. They enjoyed sharing precious moments and family success stories together. Building Strong Families is so proud of all families for remaining faithful to the program, for daring to trust, and for stepping out beyond their fears and desperate circumstances to gain knowledge on important life-skills necessary to develop a stronger and more sustainable family.
It is rewarding to see families now facing their futures with a new-found confidence! At the family camp graduation ceremonies, many expressed their appreciation to BSF for all the support they received during the program.
Here are some words of gratitude and encouragement from our graduates in Nepal:
"I was broken and in great despair as I watched my son have to drop out of school as a result of me being unable to pay his school tuition fees. During this challenging time in our lives, I received a helping hand from BSF resulting in my son being able to re-enroll in school. He is overwhelmed with joy to have been given this opportunity and is regularly attending school and achieving great results in his studies. I will always be thankful to BSF for their heartfelt response to our desperate situation." (Kanchi Tamang from Dhapakhel, Nepal)
"I was in financial trouble due to having debt piling up and I was afraid there was no way out. I became fearful and anxious about my family’s future. I was unable to pay this mounting debt until BSF stepped in to assist me in looking beyond my fears and trained and supported me during the program to establish my own small business through Income Generation Assistance. I began earning a regular income enabling me to pay the due debt on time. I have cleared half of my loan and will clear the remaining debt within the year. This success has changed my life and has given me a new excitement and appreciation for life and for what the future holds for my family." (Suresh from Dhapakhel, Nepal)
"My family was experiencing a tough economic period in our lives and over time I became weary and unable to provide my daughters with their basic needs. This resulted in me having to make the decision to send my youngest daughter to a children's home in an attempt to ease the family’s financial burden. BSF assisted and intervened through their training and support program, and I am now able to keep my youngest daughter together with our family and provide for their needs. After attending many BSF training sessions, such as 'Valuing Children', and 'The Role of Parents and Positive Discipline', I now understand more clearly the importance of my daughter being together with her family at home and not in residential care where she would not receive the unconditional love that I could give her as her mother. Hence, I am overjoyed to now have my daughter back where she belongs, by my side and with her sister in our family. I look forward to building stronger family relationships and better times ahead. Thank-you BSF for your guidance and support." (Rama from Dhapakhel, Nepal)
"I feel incredibly blessed to be a member of the BSF family. I received a substantial amount of support and have been provided with new opportunities, helping to shape our family’s future for the better. My new business is now established and fruitful, helping me to manage my family in a more effective and supportive way, and being able to now provide for my son’s education. Thank-you BSF for your partnership and encouragement’.
(Sarita from Jharuwarashi, Nepal)
Here are some words of gratitude and encouragement from our graduates in Thailand:
"I am sincerely grateful to the Building Strong Families (BSF) program. It opened my eyes to a new innovative way of thinking regarding establishing and utilizing my own sustainable business. In addition, BSF has given me much-needed support to provide for my children’s education. I had never taken a trip like a BSF Family Fun Day with my family before the program, due to working, no time and insufficient funds. After joining the BSF program, I have had the opportunity to spend quality time with my loving family. The training sessions taught and encouraged me greatly regarding parenting and managing money. I chose not to allow failure to define me and to not be held back by doubt, but rather to delight in this new chapter of my life. I am now able to pay off my family debt and I look forward to a brighter future together with my family!" (Dew from The Wang Tan, Thailand)
"I am so grateful to BSF for giving me such a wonderful opportunity to be a part of this 18-month family strengthening program. I felt encouraged and supported during the whole time and learnt many new skills to assist me in building a better future for my family. I was so blessed to visit many new places on Family Fun Days with my family where we gained a greater appreciation for each other and the small things in life’. (Nong from Tha Wang Tan, Thailand)
"I am extremely thankful that BSF supported us with new initiatives to generate income for our family. Before joining the BSF program, I felt despondent and hopeless. I doubted myself and felt like a failure because I had let my family down. I sifted through trash in the street to try to find recyclables to sell to provide for my family. It was never enough. After joining the BSF program, they supported me to establish a new business producing liquid washing detergent. I was able to do this by myself. Since beginning my new business, I have gained more income to support and provide for my family and I plan to produce more in the future. I am so grateful for being a part of the BSF family and personally did not want the program to end as I felt like it was my extended family. Thank-you very much indeed!"
(Lek from Mae Hia, Thailand)
Creating memories and doing life together on BSF Family Camps
BSF extends its prayers and best wishes to all 32 graduating families and we look forward to staying connected in the years ahead. Well done! We are so proud of you all!
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.