Sharing Stories From Our Community: Quarantine Diaries
In collaboration with Real Life Phuket, we’ll bring you stories and images from the families that keep Phuket alive and give the island paradise it’s welcoming culture and hospitality.
The recent COVID-19 outbreak has significantly affected the life of less privileged communities, leaving workers at home and entire families with no income.
Khun Ya and many other members of the local community we work in, have shared their quarantine stories with us in the hope to increase awareness about the less privileged. We went door to door in the village and interviewed locals about the current situation. The children miss going to school, miss their teachers and classmates, parents are looking forward to the beginning of classes in July, as they understand the importance of learning English for their children’s future.
Khun Ya is a housewife living in Kamala, Phuket. She used to be a waitress in a hotel but now stays home to look after her three children. Seven family members are living in her one-room house: her parents; her husband and three children. Her husband, a marble setter, can no longer work because of COVID-19. Her father is a Civil Defence Volunteer who manages parking at one of Kamala markets, but now that the market is closed, they don’t know if he will be paid.
Regardless of their financial situation Khun Ya is currently very happy cooking and looking after her children. Kamala OrBorTor has given them ‘a survival bag’ of basic food supplies to live on during lockdown.
It is sweltering at the moment, and so, during the day, Khun Ya sits outside her house on the road. Without school, the children are sleeping more and watching TV. Her eldest daughter Anda is 9 years old and is missing school very much. Anda attends Kamala School and is doing very well in her English and Mathematics, and Science in English classes taught free of charge by Phuket Has Been Good To Us (PHBGTU) Teachers. Khun Ya is very grateful to PHBGTU for these free classes. She believes it is crucial for Anda to learn English, but she wouldn’t be able to afford to hire a teacher.
Read more of Quarantine Diaries on Real Life Phuket.
Our sincere hope is that you will be moved to step up and make a difference!
At Phuket Has Been Good To Us, we are struggling to raise funds to keep providing free English education to local Thai children. Your contribution is truly appreciated.
IF YOU CAN HELP, PLEASE DONATE TODAY.
