Testimonial: Support for students from the Colas Foundation
At Children of the Mekong, we are fortunate to be supported by partners who are committed to our cause, enabling us to carry out our work on the ground, day in, day out. And today, we would like to highlight one such commitment in particular: the one that opens the doors to higher education for our students.
Since 2024, the Colas Foundation has been supporting Children of the Mekong, channelling its donations towards access to university, the all-round development of students, and their integration into the world of work in several of the countries where we operate.
Thanks to them, every year 1,665 students receive much more than just financial support: they receive comprehensive guidance to help them build a future and find their place in the world of work and in society.
This week, we’re hearing from Vanessa Jung, our contact at Colas in Thailand. She tells us what supporting Children of the Mekong means to Colas and to her personally, and also shares, with great emotion, her experience as a mentor to a young person in the Thai mountains.
Finding out about Children of the Mekong’s work in the field
“What struck me first was just how much of this is about working on the ground, rather than communications. The overseas volunteers really do live on site, sometimes in remote areas, and you can sense that in the way the organisation operates.” – Vanessa Jung
When she learnt about Children of the Mekong’s projects in Thailand, Vanessa was struck by the organisation’s close ties with local communities and its ability to take action where the needs are greatest.
A partnership that brings students closer to the professional world
On 11 November, 16 students had the opportunity to visit Tipco Asphalt, accompanied by the Children of the Mekong team from Bangkok. The day was designed to give them a behind-the-scenes look at this subsidiary of the Colas Group and to offer them a real insight into the world of industry.
The students asked some really insightful questions about leadership, the skills employers are looking for, and sustainability.
A commitment that goes beyond corporate sponsorship
For Vanessa, this partnership helps to forge a genuine link between the worlds of business and education.
“Seeing executives from Colas and Tipco take the time to talk to the young people reminds me that, beyond the figures and processes, there are human stories.”
A personnal commitment
When we asked Vanessa if she’d like to add a few words for future partners and sponsors, she shared a lovely account of her experience as a sponsor of Som, a 9-year-old boy who lives in the mountainous regions of north-western Thailand.
As well as acting as the point of contact between Colas and Children of the Mekong, I’m also a sponsor to a little boy who lives in northern Thailand. We write to each other regularly, and that gives a very real sense of what sponsorship is all about – it goes far beyond mere financial support. I hope to be able to go and meet him one day, even though I know it might be difficult to organise. What I’ve learnt from these past two years is that what really matters isn’t the amount you give, but the consistency with which you give it.
Let’s work together to create a project that makes a real difference to young people in South-East Asia!
