Ajarn Forum - Living and Teaching In Thailand - View Single Post - Don't Support the Goodwill Foundation (Bangkok)

ludwin · 4th April 2005, 19:03

The Goodwill Group Foundation claims to be "a privately funded charitable organization in Bangkok designed to assist less fortunate women through educational training." It’s money comes chiefly from "Falangs": the founder, Enrique, from USA, the Annika Linden foundation, and perhaps other sponsors, provide funds to this school providing free tuition in English and computing to Thai women with low income and no higher education. The goal is to provide an alternative to prostitution. The teachers are volunteers, chiefly westerners.

At first sight, Goodwill deserves support. However, this institution has chosen to teach only Thai woman. Burmese, Laotians, or Cambodian woman living in Thailand are turned away – well, if they insist, they might be allowed to study at Goodwill if they have a work permit. But many Asian women working in Thailand have no work permit, and will never have.

The Goodwill staff justifies this saying they do not want to do anything illegal, and that they might have to close the school if police caught clandestine workers studying there.

I know that the Thai police are racist (not so much against Falangs, but certainly against poor Asians who are not Thai). But I cannot imagine that they would close a school just because illegal Burmese, Cambodians or Laotians study there. And if it is really so, then it would be better to accept illegal people despite of all, and to resist if the police tries to close a school.

What I am sure about is that Falangs who want to volunteer, or people willing to give money to a worthy cause, should ask themselves if they really want to support Goodwill. There might be other schools providing free tuition to the poor in Bangkok, schools who does not make discriminations.

4th April 2005, 19:03	#1 (permalink)
ludwin ludwin is..... New Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 22 vCash: 500 Rep Power: 0	Don't Support the Goodwill Foundation (Bangkok) The Goodwill Group Foundation claims to be "a privately funded charitable organization in Bangkok designed to assist less fortunate women through educational training." It’s money comes chiefly from "Falangs": the founder, Enrique, from USA, the Annika Linden foundation, and perhaps other sponsors, provide funds to this school providing free tuition in English and computing to Thai women with low income and no higher education. The goal is to provide an alternative to prostitution. The teachers are volunteers, chiefly westerners. At first sight, Goodwill deserves support. However, this institution has chosen to teach only Thai woman. Burmese, Laotians, or Cambodian woman living in Thailand are turned away – well, if they insist, they might be allowed to study at Goodwill if they have a work permit. But many Asian women working in Thailand have no work permit, and will never have. The Goodwill staff justifies this saying they do not want to do anything illegal, and that they might have to close the school if police caught clandestine workers studying there. I know that the Thai police are racist (not so much against Falangs, but certainly against poor Asians who are not Thai). But I cannot imagine that they would close a school just because illegal Burmese, Cambodians or Laotians study there. And if it is really so, then it would be better to accept illegal people despite of all, and to resist if the police tries to close a school. What I am sure about is that Falangs who want to volunteer, or people willing to give money to a worthy cause, should ask themselves if they really want to support Goodwill. There might be other schools providing free tuition to the poor in Bangkok, schools who does not make discriminations.