After her husband abandoned the family, Ae was forced to fend for her three daughters and beloved grandchild. She resiliently did everything possible to survive from day to day, until her health began to suffer. Living with poverty while being the sole carer and provider for the family eventually took its toll. She found herself in a desperate situation, but her hope was renewed after receiving an invitation from Building Strong Families.
Ae lives with two of her daughters in a tiny run-down house that doesn't even have a bathroom. Work was often hard to find. When Ae could find work as a daily construction worker, she seized the opportunity to try to provide the food, medicine and schooling expenses her family so desperately needs. Despite these challenges, Ae refused to succumb to despair, determined to create a better future for her children and grandchild.
When Ae heard about the invitation from Building Strong Families (BSF) to join one of their 18-month family-strengthening programs, her heart filled with hope and excitement. She eagerly accepted the invitation to join the program. Ae soon realized there was a BSF team who genuinely cared for her and her family who wanted to help her pave a way out of her dire situation by offering new opportunities, training, and loving support.
As part of the BSF program, Ae now receives parent/caregiver trainings, her children have their school fees and educational needs provided for, and they all receive support to improve their health and get to enjoy regular family fun day outings together.
Ae has also received livelihood support to help her break the cycle of poverty in her family and become more financially sustainable to meet the needs of her children herself.
With guidance from BSF, Ae embarked on a new venture - a mushroom business to better support her family, with a good market in the local community. Armed with determination, knowledge, and training courses imparted by BSF, Ae was provided with 500 mushroom spore packets and worked extremely hard in her newfound enterprise. Her mushroom business gradually began to flourish, lifting her family out of their desperate situation and providing them with a better income and a financial stability they had long yearned for.
No longer shackled by the chains of poverty, Ae and her family have begun to envision a life filled with opportunity, hope and promise. With each harvest, they inch closer to their dreams.
Ae stands as a testament to the power of resilience and the transformative impact a little love and support can bring. Through her unwavering determination and a helping hand from BSF, Ae not only survived but thrived, proving that with perseverance and support, even the darkest of circumstances can give way to a brighter tomorrow.
Ae said, "Thank-you so much BSF for this program and for giving me and my family these wonderful opportunities. You have helped me establish a livelihood and are assisting us to improve our health. This has made my family so happy, and we now have a reason to smile again."
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.