Prapasara (“Fern”), aged 12 years

Fern is 12 years old and lives with her grandmother Somboon, in the village of Ban Tungko. Her grandmother has a monthly income of about 3,000 Baht (60 Euro) to spend and she cannot afford to pay for Fern’s school.

Prapasara - Fern - at the age of 12

Fern’s parents are divorced and she has not seen them for many years. Her father worked as a fruit picker in Israel for 5 years and was sending home about 4,000 Baht (80 Euro) every year, but in 2005 the remittances ceased.Her mother works as a maid far away in the province of Korat. She lives there with her new husband and it appears that she has forgotten Fern almost completely.
In the past she sent 2,000 Baht (40 Euro), but the amount gets less and less – sometimes she sends nothing.

Left behind in the village, and without parents, Fern looked quite vulnerable during the initial interview. Fortunately we have found that her grandmother Somboon takes very good care of her. Fern is now in the second grade at Ban Tra secondary school and has excellent grades. She likes mathematics in particular, and her ambition is to become a gynaecologist.

”Learning 4 Living” decided to support Fern for six years of secondary school. Annual costs amount to 20,000 baht (400 euro), of which L4L and the family each pay fifty percent.