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Dear Friends,
If you're wondering what a Dutch astronaut, macarons and classic cars have in common, it's that each one is supporting our work in some way!
What's in this newsletter:
- PCF's response to urgent needs from the COVID-19 crisis
- Schools destroyed by a cyclone in Burma are being rebuilt
- Creative ways our supporters are raising funds
Restrictions in Thailand are relaxing, but the economic hardships to the most vulnerable people are not over in the slightest.
Thanks to the loyalty of our supporters who have stuck with us through these tough times, we have been able to help those struggling with basic necessities as they rebuild income sources.
However, we also must look ahead to support programmes that need to remain operational for lasting change to occur in so many communities.
If you can help us ensure these vital projects remain relevant and effective, please consider a donation or recurring support.
Here are some ways you can see how we do things and why we do them this way.
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PCF's 2019 Annual Report
Peruse our financials and activities during 2019, and read a recommendation from Dutch astronaut André Kuipers who spent 204 days in space during two missions to the International Space Station (ISS)!
Read More
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Interview with the Netherlands-Thai Chamber of Commerce
An in-depth interview on how businesses can go beyond cookie-cutter CSR when wanting to make an impact for good.
Read More
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COVID-19 Crisis Emergency Food Support
It's not easy to summarise the most significant new project we've undertaken since COVID-19 wiped out the incomes of so many people who were already in vulnerable situations!
A lot of needs have arisen that no one could have anticipated in advance, and PCF has had to switch gears and work to help people with new, urgent needs, while not losing sight of our long-term projects.
So many of you responded to help, and we could not be doing it without you!
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With income opportunities evaporating as countries and businesses had to close, many groups of people have been left with no social security assistance of any kind in order to deal with the immediate needs to feed their families and to ride out the crisis for weeks and months.
We realised the need to respond and help where we could. We immediately reached out to all the projects we support for reports on how the crisis was affecting them. Based on those responses, some real needs became apparent for migrant worker families, students whose families couldn't send them back to school, and refugees who could no longer travel to work in neighbouring farms.
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Not all our projects request help, as they are able to get by, or receive support from other organisations. So we are helping those who need it, with food packages designed to give families a month or more of food.
But it isn't only remote places that feel the impact. Within Chiang Mai, with tourism shut down and non-essential businesses then closed, many people had no income sources overnight.
Together with our friends at Monsoon Tea, we provide 100-230 hot meals daily for those most affected, while monitoring and adjusting depending on the real needs and impacts.
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Watch the video!
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REBUILDING SCHOOLS IN BURMA AFTER CYCLONE & FIRE
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In May, a tropical cyclone hit Burma, damaging six schools we support beyond continued use, leaving more than 1.000 students without schools.
Quickly, we agreed to support a plan to rebuild, the budget coming to 561.439 THB (approximately 15.960 EUR / 18.035 USD).
Thanks to our friend and supporter Tony Mann, the funding was immediately guaranteed and put into action. Now being repaired and rebuilt, they plan to reopen for the start of school soon.
Read More
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PROJECT VISIT WITH DUTCH AMBASSADOR KEES RADE
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On July 31, H.E. Mr Kees Rade, Ambassador for the Netherlands to Thailand, honoured us with a visit to the Ban Pha Lai Preschool. The Ambassador has followed our work for some time and expressed his wish to join us on one of our field trips.
Mr. Kees Rade and Hans van den Born, Executive Director of the NTCC - Netherlands-Thai Chamber of Commerce attended the early morning ceremonies of the preschool students, who only one month ago returned to school after a long 'corona-break'.
The Ambassador also took the time to visit the very poor families of two students, who are heavily affected by the crisis. We are grateful for the Ambassador's and Hans van den Born's visit and their warm interest in the work we do!
Read More
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Creative Supporters
This year has been a challenge to respond to new urgent needs, and as we look at how to make sure long-term needs are met, our supporters are coming up with creative ways to help and to keep the support coming in!
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Our friend and supporter Simon Bradshaw of Perfect Homes Chiang Mai and his family drove up into the mountains to get rice and emergency food packages to the communities of two of our projects - the Koung Jor Shan Refugee Camp and the Ban Pha Lai Preschool.
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Our young friend Thida (Kristin Reypens) put her confectionery passion to work by making delectable macarons, with 100% of the proceeds going to PCF. She delivered 333 boxes (1.332 macarons), raising 33.300 THB for PCF!
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Our friends at Monsoon Tea have launched 'Communitea', a delicious new blend of forest-friendly grown oolong tea flavoured with longan, mango and rose flower. 20% of the proceeds from Communitea will go towards supporting PCF's many projects.
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15% of the sales from the newly opened online store 'The Butterfly Talks' is going to a PCF preschool project. A big thank you to Délia Voorhoeve for supporting our project through her online business!
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Vulnerable people will face many new challenges in the coming months and years.
Can you help us achieve our goal of keeping these projects going through this crisis?
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Thank you
From all of us at Philanthropy Connections
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The team back together in July after several months of working from home.
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