“I’ve always been fortunate enough to have a place I can call home. Every time I go back to this “home” I would feel safe and comforted. Walking blindly through the great city of Bangkok, I later realised that I have not seen the rest of the story – the rest of the truth. This truth lies beyond the community that I’m familiar with. It remains untold within the “homes” of the less fortunate. Many, if not most, people don’t have the privilege of a safe place to live. Others do not have the luxury of their own bedroom, let alone any beds at all. Following this realisation, I couldn’t turn away from the issues for the second time. I decided to put myself forward as a volunteer and an advocate for a movement that has Habitat For Humanity Thailand (HFHT) as its main driving force.
Looking back to my own community in school, I figured there might be more students like myself who would benefit from exposure to the outside world. A world beyond the bubble of the privileged. In the school that houses children of the most successful and influential people in the country, lies the potential leaders of the next generation. With leadership comes capabilities to make big changes. So, my friends and I founded a Habitat for Humanity club at school with an additional aim of planting an awareness of community service into the minds of future leaders. The club has unfolded the blinds that once covered the eyes of naive students like myself. And it has, I hope, allowed them to not only understand the importance of helping others but also that they possess the ability to do so.
HFHT has started paving a new path in the direction of a world where everyone has an adequate home. I know that many steps will be taken on the path towards a better future, and mine is only one of them. Our generation has the responsibility to make contributions towards an impactful cause. We must work in collaboration to even the plane of all imbalances – be it financial, social or racial – in our area, city, country and our world.”
From left
2nd – Pimnara Boondoungprasert, Leader HFH Club, Shrewbury International school