Sponsor a Child in the Bangkok Slums: Hope in Nong Khaem and Klong Toei
Sponsored children: 1 of 10
In the overcrowded slums of Nong Khaem and Klong Toei, children grow up surrounded by hardship — broken families, unstable work, and the daily struggle to eat. Your sponsorship can keep one of these children in school, and open the door to a different future.
In two of Bangkok’s poorest neighbourhoods, Children of the Mekong is launching a new sponsorship programme to keep vulnerable children in education. Led by a dedicated local manager and rooted in a community that has served the poorest for decades, the programme supports 10 children aged 4 to 14 — children who, without help, risk being pulled out of school and into work far too young.
Where do these children live?
Thailand, formerly the Kingdom of Siam, is a country of around 70 million people in the heart of Southeast Asia. But beneath the prosperity of its capital lies a harsher reality. In the slums of Nong Khaem and Klong Toei, urban poverty is defined above all by overcrowding: families are crammed into cramped dwellings and, for lack of space, live surrounded by rubbish that poses serious health risks. Some neighbourhoods are also affected by alcohol and drug abuse — problems that can spill over into domestic violence, both psychological and physical.
Families here are often fractured. One or both parents may have left the family home; many children are raised by grandparents who themselves struggle with poor health; siblings are frequently separated. The adults caring for them survive day to day through unstable work, the support of relatives, or begging. Many of these children do not have enough to eat, and lack access to proper hygiene.
Why does education matter so much here?
In Thailand, school is compulsory up to the age of 15, but for the poorest families, keeping a child in education is far from guaranteed. Education plays a vital role for these children. Staying in school through to secondary level allows them to learn to read and write, to avoid being sent to work too early, and to grow into more independent young people who understand the world around them.
Those with the ability and determination to continue can go on to university (studying medicine, languages, or computer science) or into vocational training in fields like hospitality, dressmaking, or mechanics. Children of the Mekong’s work is to help the poorest children reach that point: for them, school opens the door to a future different from their parents’.
The goal is simple but crucial: to prevent these children from dropping out of school. Almost all of the parents and grandparents caring for them have had little or no schooling themselves, and so may not see a problem with a child missing school — some even prefer the child to help at home or earn money. That is why regular monitoring is essential, both to ensure sponsorship funds are used properly and to make sure each sponsored child stays in education.
Who runs the programme on the ground?
The programme is led by Viyada Vaiyavutiwat, a retired Thai woman who has been deeply involved in the Saint Vincent de Paul community for over thirty years. Throughout her life she has been committed to helping the most disadvantaged. Together with her community, she chose to partner with Children of the Mekong to bring education to these slums. Her role is to visit families regularly, support them, and distribute the sponsorship funds. She also works closely with another community serving these neighbourhoods: the Sisters of Mother Teresa.
How are sponsorship funds used?
Your monthly sponsorship is used by the programme manager to pay your sponsored child’s school fees. To give a sense of the real costs involved, monthly education expenses cover uniforms, enrolment fees, and canteen meals. On top of these fixed costs come school supplies and daily transport to and from school. Your support makes all of it possible.
How does correspondence with your sponsored child work?
We ask your sponsored child to write to you around three times a year with news of themselves. Your letters mean a great deal. Children are always overjoyed to receive news from their sponsor, and it motivates them to keep going with their studies.
How can you sponsor a child in Thailand?
By sponsoring one of these children, you give them something every child deserves: a childhood, and access to one of their most fundamental rights: the right to an education. By going to school each day, they develop their analytical and critical-thinking skills, grow in confidence, and gain the chance to fulfil their ambitions.
Your help is essential, and the child entrusted to you is deeply grateful for your support.
