CHARITY / CHILDREN'S HOME

Young Norwegian sisters help orphans

APINYA WIPATAYOTIN

Saddened by the plight of orphaned children they met at the Phayathai Babies' Home in Nonthaburi two years ago, two young Norwegian sisters decided to help them by starting a small fundraising project when they returned home. Julia and Maren Friberg, aged 10 and 14, visited Thailand for the first time in 2004 with their family.

Unlike normal tourists, who prefer to visit popular tourist spots, the Fribergs went to the state-run orphanage instead.

There, the kind-hearted girls were touched by what they saw and decided that they must do something to help the abandoned babies have a better life.

After returning to Norway, the pair created their own website _ Juliaaksjonen.piczo.com _ to seek donations to help the babies.

Besides seeking donations through the website, the sisters also collected money for their charitable project by selling some of their possessions, such as toys and shoes, and home-made waffles and drinks.

They also created games which require the players to donate some money towards the project before they can begin.

During their days off, some of their friends at the Hvittingfoss School also helped them raise funds.

Over the two-year period, Julia and Maren managed to collect the equivalent of 175,000 baht for the orphanage. They gave the money to their aunt, Torgunn Aas Reggestad, and asked her to deliver the cash to the Phayathai Home.

Mrs Reggestad and representatives of mobile phone operator Dtac, which has also donated 175,000 baht to the project, yesterday handed the 350,000 baht to the Phayathai Babies' Home. The money will be used to set up a library, a play area and buy equipment needed to enhance the orphans' brain development.

''This is not a big sum but it is very meaningful to Julia and Maren. This activity is a showcase of the power of the kids,'' said Ms Reggestad.

''Kids can help society if they have a strong intention to do it.''

In Norway, children are taught to do good and help needy people from a very young age, said Mrs Reggestad, who has spent more than two years in Thailand.

''The girls have to go to school, so they could not join us here. But they have already been told that the money has reached the Phayathai Home and now want me to post the presentation photos on their website,'' she said. The girls will continue to raise funds for the orphanage.

Phayathai Home is currently taking care of 276 babies under five years of age. Of these, 48 are infected with the Aids virus. On average, 15 to 20 abandoned babies are handed to the home each month. Apichet Panjanat, a psychologist at the home, said most abandoned babies were either from families involved in drug trafficking or were born from unwanted pregnancies.

Bangkok Post

Last Updated : Wednesday April 11, 2007