On 11 August 2010 the Starfish Country Home School held its annual Mother's Day celebration. We were fortunate to have almost all the mothers or grandmothers of both our resident children and non-resident students attend. Most of the children got to perform on the stage with some of our early primary school children performing Thai dances in traditional attire. The children honor their mothers by approaching the seated mothers on their knees and bowing low. Mother's Day was followed by a four-day break, during which time all of our primary school students returned to their villages or their local homes.

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A big birthday party was held to a standing room only audience for Dick Haugland, founder of the Starfish Country Home School Foundation, on 17 July 2010. Almost 200 children from our sponsored programs attended, including all the residential children from the Maetaeng, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai Starfish Homes plus daycare students and weekend scholars from the Starfish Home in Chiang Mai. Some students also came from the Wat Papao school for children of Burmese migrants that we sponsor. Most of the groups gave performances that are highlighted in the accompanying pictures.

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Each year the children of the Starfish Country Home School visit a local hill tribe village to meet other children, play games, eat and distribute clothing and other items that have been collected from staff, parents and others. The Starfish Country Home School Foundation also makes a cash contribution to the daycare center in the village.

On this trip we first planned to visit a Lahu village; however, a widespread outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease in the Lahu village changed our plans and, instead, we visit a Lisu village not too distant from the Lisu village of Amee and Abae, two of our older students.

We have previously done performances during these events but, due to limited electricity in the village, we were not able to do them this year.

Our students were paired with the Lisu children, most of whom were under seven years old. Eventually the mutual shyness was overcome. After a tug-of-war, they did a game involving catching a ball in a basket. Following the washing of hands, all children received treats. Following group pictures and more play time everyone ate lunch.

Most likely we will visit the Lahu village that was originally scheduled next year. 

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The parents and/or grandparents of several of the resident children at the three Starfish Homes are prisoners. In some cases both parents and other relatives are in prison. Most of these people have been convicted of drug trafficking. Carrying methamphetamine into Thailand from Burma is one of the few ways that hill tribe people can earn what looks like to them a substantial amount of cash. However, many are caught and imprisoned for terms of 20 or more years or even executed. In some cases, informers in the villages or even the people who originally arranged the drug purchase have earned a “reward” from Thai authorities by turning in the drug carrier.

Obviously, loss of the parents and, in particular, loss of the mothers has a terrible effect on the children. In many cases, the father of the children had already abandoned the mother. Commonly, the children end up living with elderly and usually extremely poor grandparents or with the brothers or sisters of one of the child’s parents. Since these relatives often have their own children, the extra mouths to feed present a significant burden for the new caregivers. The living condition of the children of prison inmates is a significant factor in our decision to accept children for either short-term or long-term accommodation at one of the Starfish Homes.

Realizing that this is a common problem that affects many families in Northern Thailand, about three years ago we became involved with the education program of the Chiangmai Women’s Prison. Many of the approximately 1500 women in the prison are illiterate and enter prison not even speaking Thai. Although the prison had a literacy program, the teachers were prison guards who were untrained as teachers. Consequently, the Starfish Country Home School Foundation now provides all the funds to pay three certified teachers and teaching materials for the education classes at all levels. Many of the women study in the equivalent of kindergarten and start by learning the Thai alphabet. Because they spend three hours a day in classes, their progress to literacy is usually good.

Several women have had babies while in prison. The babies can remain with their mothers for up to two years in a special baby room. We funded equipping the baby room with air conditioning and also routinely provide supplies for the babies. The Chiangmai Women’s Prison will soon move to the site of the Chiangmai Men’s Prison and the Chiangmai Men’s Prison will move to a new site out of town. At the new site, Dr. Rosaria Haugland has committed to provide funds for computers that will be used for vocational training classes for the women.

Because of our special relationship with the Chiangmai Women’s Prison, we are permitted to take the resident children of the Starfish Home inside the prison to be with their mother rather than to have them meet through a screen or window. Our children also write letters to their mothers and, because of their literacy training, some of their mothers can now write back. If the mother is released, which may be years from now, we anticipate re-uniting the families if this is feasible.

Many of the inmate women have children living with relatives who are still poor but able to live in a home. Consequently, the Starfish Country Home School Foundation funds “scholarships” for approximately 20 children per year of inmates of the Chiangmai Women’s Prison. These scholarships are administered through the child’s schools so that we make certain the funds are for the child’s benefit and do not go to purchase of alcohol or drugs by the caregivers. The students are selected following a home visit and discussions with the students, their caregivers and their schools. This is the fourth year we have supported these scholarships. Scholarships can continue until the student has finished the third year of secondary school or until the mother is released from prison, whichever occurs first.

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