In 2011 Fund Isaan was introduced to Benz, through one of our volunteers, Griet, working at her school. Griet suggested to become her sponsor after she was informed about how bright but poor Benz was. Obviously we at Fund Isaan immediately agreed to give Benz a scholarship, especially after we got to know the details.

Kwan has always been a top ranked student at Cheupleung Witthaya School. Kwan, her brother and sister and her grandparents and parents all lived together on the small farm her parents managed. They made just enough to get around but in her last year of high school, both of her grandparents became very sick and needed to be hospitalized. This placed the family under tremendous pressure. They could not afford the treatment costs. Kwan was asked to give up her study and look for a job. Fortunately her teacher at Cheupleung Witthaya School knew Fund Isaan and reached out to us.

Ben became a Fund Isaan scholarship student at the age of 14 year. In 2011, she was proposed by the teachers and the director of Tabao Witthaya School because of her very difficult situation at home. Ben’s mother fell from a tree and was not able to walk anymore. Ben’s father was a rice farmer, struggling to make enough money to support his family, especially after his wife’s accident. Ben also had a five year younger brother.     

In early July 2017, with the helps of volunteers from both delaware consulting and Deloitte Belgium, and the students from Rajamangala University of Technology Isan (Surin), we installed four new computer classes at Banpluang (Bamrungrat) School, Saikeaw Wittaya School (replacement of previously installed class) , Cheupleung Wittaya School (replacement of previously installed class)  and lastly at Tangjai Wittayakhom School.

We met Nui in 2010 when she was in the last year of her secundary school. Nui lived with her grandfather and father. Her parents were divorced and her father was too sick to work. Her mother worked as a maid and sent her a little money sometimes. Nui was an extremely bright student but was about to stop school because she could not effort to enroll at the university. We immediately agreed to grant Nui a Fund Isaan scholarship.

In 2008 Tun became one of the very first scholarship students in our program.

She was 14 years old and studied at Ban Thanong School in grade 3. Tun had one brother who stopped school at the age of 14. Seen the financial situation of the family Tun was about to undergo the same faith. Luckily a teacher at her school pointed her in the direction of Fund Isaan, a then newly created non-profit that offered non-refundable scholarships to bright students like Tun.

In 2010 Oy was recommended by the teachers and the director of Cheu Pleung Witthaya School to participate in the Fund Isaan scholarship program.

Oy fitted all the criteria: she was a top student. In fourth grade she scored 97%. This made her number one of her class. But the home situation of Oy was rather difficult. Oy lived with her grandparents, both in their seventies, while her parents, were working in Bangkok as day laborers to pay for her studies and other expenses. Oy's older brother had given up school and was also working as a day laborer.

Fund Isaan recently started a program to reconnect with our past scholarship students. Today we bring you the story of Yui.

Yui became a Fund Isaan scholarship students in the summer of 2014. She had just finished her secondary school at Prasat Industrial and Community Education College. She wanted to continue her education in accounting and obtain a  high certificate. This meant an additional two years at the same college.

As mentioned in an earler article, we aimed to visit and pay all our scholarship students before mid May, the start of the new schoolyear for most secondary schools.

While it was a challenge; some students were travelling, working in another province or simply difficult to reach, we achieved our objective.

We are happy to report that none of our scholarship students have given up their studies. Five students graduated and found employment in line with their education or are still looking for a job. More than 100 scholarship students continue their education as planned.