Land of the smile

An exotic holiday paradise, permanent Asian smiles, comparative wealth – but Thailand also knows a different reality: alcohol abuse and immorality with all of the inevitable consequences, such as the neglect of the family, AIDS, etc., have become a huge problem. And children are the ones who suffer.

Globetrotter founds children's homes

In 1987, the German engineer R. founded a trading company in Bangkok with the aim of supporting people in the developing world. In addition to setting up children’s projects, R. is in the process of optimizing a historical invention by Montgolfier from the 18^th century specifically for use in developing countries: pumps which can carry water up to heights of 200 metres without outside energy. Today R. is a co-worker of AVC.

Investing in the next generation

Children's home with tourist resort

: Happy and secure: children at the orphanage

The children's home, with its café, accommodation and additional offers for tourists, is in the north of Thailand. The children are either orphans or from tragic family backgrounds. They are provided not only with food and an education but also with Christian values. They are also prepared for their future lives by helping in the large vegetable garden, with daily chores, at the weaving loom, in the café and/or at the affiliated smithy.

: How to do well in life...

: ... is something...

: ... you can learn

Children's home with bamboo factory

The children's home in the area of the Karen tribe takes in children from widely dispersed settlements, thereby enabling them to go to the village school. There the children learn their ABC and Christian values in a kind of “multi-pack” – the former at the village school, the latter at the children's home – giving them a real chance in life. As an opportunity for training and employment, and as a contribution towards self-sufficiency, a “bamboo factory” is being established in which simple bamboo products for household use are produced and marketed.