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"This could very well be the last examination for me" |
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It was a sincere and heartfelt reflection from a twelve-year-old “Sitt” – Sirichai Benjakij. He is a sixth grader at Ban Nong Kha, Chaiyaphum Province. Sitt and his younger brother have been living with their grandparents for the past three years. Their mother left them for her new family five years ago, and they have never heard from their mother again. Three years ago, their father died of cancer, leaving them to live with their elderly grandparents who barely make enough money to fill their four stomachs each day. |
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“We are very old and not in good health. The only thing that keeps us working is our two grandchildren who could not live without us. They don’t have anyone else in the world.” All the elderly couple could do is to lament their grandchildren’s unpromising future.
Everyday after school, Sitt would take care of his younger brother, and do all of the chores for his grandparents. Then he would do his homework and prepare for the coming examination in February. We found that Sitt was a bright young boy who passed all of the sixth-grade-level tests we had him do. But our heart sank when he told us:
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“I know it has been very tiring for grandpa and grandma to work so hard to put me and my brother in school. They never complained. The final examination period is approaching. I realize that this could very well be the last examination for me. But I’ll give it my best for grandpa and grandma.”
Sitt does not know what kind of work is possible for a sixth grader. He only knows he does not want to be a burden to his grandparents anymore. His sacrifice by leaving school is for his brother to be in school. His only hope now is that his brother can stay in school long enough to get a good job so his grandparents will live in a better condition. |
Today, there are still many underprivileged children like Sitt in rural areas of Thailand. These children are good students whose educational opportunities have been cut short simply because of their families’ destitute condition. Many young children have been forced to work in the city as unskilled laborers. Many have fell victims to malicious means of swindlers. Many got married at a very young age. All of these have led to far-reaching social problems.
Today, if you only look at these children, you will see the sorrow in their eyes. All they will ever ask for is hope. Your contribution, however small, can and will lead to better opportunities in their lives. You can help make them dare to hope again. The hope you give them will change their lives forever. Please don’t wait until it is too late.
This year alone, there are more than 5,000 impoverished students in rural areas who, without your help, will have to leave school prematurely. Even a small contribution can help put these unfortunate young children back to school, and not on the street.
(Special thanks to our long-serving volunteer, Dr. Warat Karuchit, for the English translation.)
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