Access to safe drinking water has been a major problem for the children of Karen tribe in Tha Song Village which is Mae Sot province in Thailand, on the Thai-Burmese border. The water for usage was carried from the nearby stream daily to provide for the needs of the children. During the rainy season, they have an adequate water supply from the stream. However, this source dries up during the ‘dry season’ and water must be obtained from the mountains during this time, which is around six months of the year. The orphanage wanted to build a water tower to receive and store direct water supply from the mountains during the dry season. Hope is Life Foundation immediately answered to their call.

Children living in the orphanage helped built the tower. Materials provided by the Foundation

It all began about 15 years ago, when Mrs. Tasanee Keereepraneed received a frantic message from a local villager in Tha Song Yang, Thailand that a little girl had lost her mother during birth. In Karen culture this is interpreted as a bad omen, and the child is often killed. Having lost her own father at a young age and her children also having lost their father when Tasanee’s husband was murdered, Tasanee decided that she, if anyone should be the person responsible for caring for the orphaned children of The Karen. Tasanee now has 48 children to care for in the Tha Song Yang facility and several children that go to school in Mae Sot for education beyond grade 10.

Children are having dinner at the dinner table

Tha Song Yang is about 3 hours north of Mae Sot on the Thai/Burma border. It is a picturesque Karen village in northern Thailand . It sits next to the Moei River , is surrounded by jungle and beautiful limestone mountains. The orphanage outgrew its old facility and now is in it’s new location opened in Jan-Feb 08, built on 5 acres purchased with a generous donation from Ireland . This new orphanage opened without electricity or water. Electricity has now been installed. Water was carried from the stream daily to provide for the needs. Currently, water during the rainy season has been obtained from the river, however this source dries up during the ‘dry season’ and water must be obtained from much higher in the mountain during that time.

Living Quarters

Tha Song Yang Village is about 3 hours north of Mae Sot province in Thailand, on the Thai/Burmese border. It is a picturesque Karen tribe village in northern Thailand. Here in this village, Mrs. Tasanee Keereepraneed, an elderly woman, runs an orphanage where about 48 underprivileged children live. The orphanage is located next to the Moei River and is surrounded by jungle and beautiful limestone mountains.
The Foundation provided the materials and the labor was provided by the older boys at the orphanage. The children now have access to safe drinking water as well as for all their other necessary requirements all year around.