Maintaining hope in difficult times
In Thailand, the Good Shepherd Sisters mainly support the Myanmar migrant worker community living in Phuket by providing a learning centre for children, a health care programme and a vocational training and empowerment programme.
From the Asia-East Province Article
« Since 2010, Good Shepherd Phuket Town (GSPT) has been a solitary beacon of hope for the poor in slum areas around the fishing port in Phuket, Thailand. Living in inhumane, unsanitary conditions in squalid encampments, many fall prey to unscrupulous employers in the construction industry or human trafficking. However, through love and education, the GSPT is able to break the cycle of extreme poverty and offer them hope for the future ».
In the last 18 months, this community has been hard-hit as many have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing numbers of children have had to remain in Thailand instead of returning to their homeland due to the unrest in Myanmar.
Some of the students who graduated from the Good Shepherd School in April.
Learning Center
During this challenging time, the GSPT learning center kept its doors open to the children when allowed by the local government and in line with health and safety regulations. We have aspired to provide the children with a sense of normality despite these trying times. Our staff and volunteers continue to offer learning opportunities in a caring environment for over 200 students.
