BUILDING BRIDGES & WEAVING DREAMS

Organizational Vision
Citizen Base Strategy
Results

Organizational Vision

Based on a survey by the Research Institute of Public Health funded by the National Health Foundation, a little over 8 percent of the Thai population over the age of five is disabled (this number does not include the mentally impaired). Despite the size of this population, the majority of the disabled population does not have access to available resources even though resources exist in almost every province. Finding this unacceptable, Somchai Rungsilp initiated the project Building Bridges & Weaving Dreams. The ethos of this joint project, implemented by Ubol RachathaniStrategy Building Technical College, Special Education Center Zone 10, and the Provincial Foundation for Crippled Children, is that handicapped children should be able to fulfill their dreams. The project aims to give handicapped children nationwide the opportunity to improve their quality of life and pursue happiness to the best of their ability.

Citizen Base Strategy

Building Bridges & Weaving Dreams appoints coordinators to mobilize and channel available resources to the disabled. This, rather than a lack of expertise or equipment, is the primary problem for Thailand. Several government and private sector organizations at the provincial level have ample personnel and equipment, but the resources are limited by certain constraints. The majority of disabled persons live in outlying areas and information concerning their whereabouts and needs are difficult to find. Coordinators gather this information and get the resources to the people in need. Apart from mobilizing resources and equipment to help the disabled, project coordinators also network to gain access to high level government officials in order to enlist necessary support for the project.

Specifically utilizing the technical college, the project repairs wheelchairs, walking sticks, and other equipment as well. It recycles excess resources from urban areas, adapting them into wheelchairs and walking sticks. It rallies youth groups and others to help the disabled by offering creative technical services such as the vocational students’ volunteer program. This idea of creating a network of middle-class volunteers to devote their spare time and skills to help the disabled is based on the rationale that “many people want to help the underprivileged while a large number of disabled persons are also in need of help. The main constraint is a lack of project coordinators to channel resources to needy persons”. Bhuwinai TesawongResults, a first year vocational student from the college, is good example of this rationale. He explained, “doing something useful for society has always been at the back of my mind, but until now I have not had an opportunity to do so”.

In the long run, the project will be handed over to Ubol Rachathani Technical College, which will coordinate the project on behalf of private organizations while trying to include the project in academic curriculum.

Results

Somchai noted that, “ This project is highly significant in terms of helping to change social attitudes toward the disabled, creating a better understanding of their problems and needs while contributing to social well-being and improving the quality of life for the disabled”. Project Building Bridges & Weaving Dreams is providing the necessary assistance to underprivileged members of society by locating them and channeling resources to them. The project also creates goodwill and hope among disabled children in all provinces of Thailand. On top of that it has been a source of inspiration to many Thai youth. In the not too distant future, the college hopes to come up with a prototype wheelchair that is suitable for the disabled in rural areas.