Phang Nga September 2016 Achievement Report: Under 18s Journey

Objectives:
Improving the local communities daily life by showing interest, giving methods and providing valuable skills
in construction work.
Developing awareness, comprehension and specific knowledge while working at the turtle conservation centres and participating in hikes and environment clean-ups.
Discovering a new and different country, which encompasses cultural, environmental and custom aspects.

The Under 18s project in Phang Nga, with 32 volunteers was full of life and curiosity. For many, it was their first experience volunteering abroad and for most, their first time travelling alone. During their time in Phang Nga they had
a busy schedule with a variety of activities each day which consisted of; construction work across 3 sites, conservation work at 2 turtle centres, mangrove and beach cleans, biodiversity discovery hikes at local national parks, sports
day at the local Community Development Centre, presentations, Thai language and cooking classes and a 7 day adventure tour!
Without a doubt the activity that resonated most with the volunteers and that really made an impact on them was
the construction projects. These took place at the orphanage we are partnered with, and at 2 Moken sites which
were the community centre and the meeting hall of the village. The work was done over the three weeks of the
community programme and enabled the volunteers to bring a specific project to its end and immediately see the
effect of their actions on the communities through the warm smiles and endless thank yous received from the local people. They accomplished a wide range of tasks including digging trenches for piping, sewing cushions, plastering, painting walls and ceilings, building a wall, fixing blackboards, changing light bulbs, fixing door knobs, sanding
down tables and benches Worthy of the twelve labours of Hercules! The volunteers even got to make traditional
brooms after being taught by a wise local man from the village. Teamwork, patience and commitment along with a
good dose of humour were the key to success. The secret being: playing some funky music to ensure a pleasant and
energetic atmosphere!
As part of their programme, volunteers also gave a hand (or two!) to take care of juvenile turtles, which are growing
in captivity to increase their chances of survival before being released at the age of six months old. It was a very
humbling and emotional experience for them to be able to interact with wildlife in order to preserve it. While for
their last week they had the chance to discover the regions surroundings being taken on an adventure tour mesmerizing them with Buddhist temples, stunning sceneries on land and on islands, delicious (spicy!) food and fun activities
such as bamboo rafting. Thanks to the passionate and patient guides who made it simple to absorb and understand
the ancestral Thai culture.
Gathering feedback at the end of their trip, volunteers thanked GVI and their programme leaders for showing them
how easy it could be to influence a communitys daily life in good and that we could all make a difference if we believed in it and made the first step. The different groups very strongly bonded through this rewarding though challenging experience, creating new relationships and deeper respect towards the uniqueness of each of us. This adventure definitely opened new possibilities to these young individuals who will now act responsibly to help and preserve
our beautiful and precious planet and its people.
We are already looking forward to Under 18s in 2017: http://www.gvi.co.uk/programs/volunteering-under-18s-thailand/

Written by Juliet Cussaguet, Service Learning Lead Coordinator