Community News

This month, in response to popular demand, NNR again offered the opportunity to see the process of jewelry making. The tour took us to the Silom district, where a lot of gems and jewelry factories are located.

Some thirty years ago, Norwegian Vibeke Lyssand Leirvag came to Thailand to work as an intern in the jewelry industry for one year. She stayed and now is the managing director of an impressive jewelry factory called Felicia Design, which produces for many big designers. We arrived at the factory and were warmly welcomed by Vibeke with coffee and snacks. She explained the long and precise process of jewelry making showing models for each step.

We learned that Vibeke not only has a passion for jewelry, but she also makes an effort to help out with Kids Action for Kids (KA4K). This is a non-profit charity organization, run and initiated by children and youth, with the help of adults. KA4K helps provide surgeries for children born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities.

We finished the coffees and then had a tour through the factory and saw all the interesting steps. From the drawing room to the polishing of the pieces and everything in between. And I can tell you, there are a lot!! It still takes so much handwork and skill, that we appreciated the end result even more.

To help Kids Action for Kids, we had the opportunity to buy Vibeke’s jewelry. Almost all the proceeds went to KA4K, and while we are still waiting to know how many operations our purchases helped finance, we are confident our shopping will help bring smiles to a couple of faces. After all the excitement of seeing so much shine and sparkle, it was time for lunch. We went to a lovely little courtyard where the vegetarian Indian restaurant Suananda is situated. They serve tasteful vegetarian and vegan meals and have a full sustainable ethos, even using pure plant-based dish soap made of soapnuts. Vibeke’s husband introduced us to Luna Blu, his line of plantbased organic cleaning products and body and hair washing products for humans and pets.

A big thank you to Vibeke and Pascale for this fun, social and meaningful morning!

Annabel Kersten-de Jongste

felicia

Felicia Design: feliciadesign.com Kids Action for Kids: kidsactionforkids.org Luna Blu (organic plant-based care products): lunablucare.com Suananda Restaurant:suananda.com

Thani Talk 3 8 March 2020 American Women’s Club Welcomes New President, Invites Scholarship Sponsors

Jennifer Sparks The American Women’s Club of Thailand is happy to welcome Andrea DiCastro as the new 2020 president. Andrea arrived in Bangkok with her husband Michael from New York City in 2019.

Prior to moving to Bangkok, she had a demanding career in Technology Product Development, including running her own consulting business. She hopes to use her previous skills of management, planning and strategy to assist with AWC. With her midlife sabbatical, she plans to take every opportunity to explore hobbies and new adventures in Bangkok. AWC was founded in 1955 and supports women in developing friendships and to help expatriates assimilate into the country by providing opportunities for social, cultural and philanthropic endeavors, thus fostering a positive experience living in Thailand. AWC membership is open to any woman living in Thailand, and we welcome all nationalities.

Along with supporting expat women in Thailand, AWC is committed to providing scholarships to over 325 rural Thai high school girls in 2020.

Founded in 1995, the AWC Scholarship Program is supported by a group of AWC volunteers. The club hires and pays for the services of the EDF (Education for Development Foundation) to handle the administrative logistics of the program.

The AWC Scholarship program has helped thousands of girls to pursue one common dream: an education. In Thailand, the compulsory education system requires students to attend school only through grade 9. The final grades, 10-12, which mainly focus on academic or vocational training, are often sacrificed because of financial pressures on individual families. The AWC program offers scholarships to female students who are at great risk of dropping out during these crucial years.

AWC is currently fundraising to support 325 students in 28 schools throughout Thailand this year. An AWC Scholarship sponsorship of a mere 6,000 baht covers most educational expenses for one year, enabling a student to further her education. The fees for books, uniforms, supplies, meals and transportation are all the responsibility of the student’s family. The scholarship money can be used to cover anything school related: tuition, books, uniforms, supplies, transportation, etc. The students can choose how they use the money and turn in receipts to the school advisor for approval. The scholarship money is not enough to fully cover all expenses for the year as the girls need more than one uniform and have to pay for the other expenses, even if the school is “free”.

If you are interested in learning more about AWC or would like to sponsor a student, please visit the AWC website at www.awcthailand.org.

In September 2019, three AWC members and I flew to northeastern Thailand to visit scholarship students. We toured three schools in Udon Thani province near the Laos border and had the chance to meet 70 sponsored girls in grades M4-M6 (Grades 10-12).

As a sponsor, I had the amazing opportunity to meet four girls that Team Orange and my family sponsored during the 2018-2019 school year. The girls were as excited to meet me as I was to finally meet them. We traded photos and Line IDs to keep in touch.

After each of the school visits, we drove to each student’s home to visit her family and tour the house. All of the families are low income with few resources and some cooking over an open fire each night. It was an honor to meet the girls, their families and teachers. My family and I look forward to sponsoring Team Orange and our thirteen students again this year, knowing we have made a difference in each girl’s education.

Jennifer Sparks

3 9 American Women’s Club of Thailand

Goft Cart Driving Safety Tips & Regulations Driver must be at least 15 years old and have driver’s license

The Nichada Thani Customer Relations department would like to offer some reminders about traffic safety in Nichada Thani. Please note that all golf cart drivers must be at least 15 years of age and have a valid driver's license. Allowing staff or minors who have not had mandatory training and testing to drive is a risk to their safety as well as to the safety of others.

The maximum speed limit in Nichada Thani is 30 kph, and we ask that drivers slow down and drive with added caution in school zones and when negotiating bends in the road. Never impinge on the bicycle lane when operating a motorized vehicle. Please take the time to review the traffic safety rules with members of your family and household staff.

The Nichada Thani Resident and Homeowner Guide is available at no cost at the Customer Relations office in both English and Thai.

Scott Roman General Manager Nichada and Natakorn Lake Condominium

Rose Marie Academy Offers Free Trial of International Transition Program

Rose Marie Academy, an international school inside Nichada Thani, is celebrating its 25th anniversary by offering a free one-day trial of its International Transition Program on March 13th.

“The program we designed is to help the child and to improve their English,” said Maxine Ping, Language Department Head at Rose Marie Academy. After attending the full International Transition Program, students will have the English skills needed to attend international or bilingual school, she said.

The International Transition Program will be separate from the school’s regular Grade 1-8 program. The full program, offered at affordable rates and payment terms, will begin on March 16th.

During the March 13th trial offer, students can attend a complimentary session of classes in a variety of academic subjects. The free trial session runs from 8am to 3pm. For more information, email Rose Marie at rma@rosemarie.ac.th; or Wanchai at wanchai@rose-marie.ac.th

March 2020 Rose Marie Academy Website: www.rose-marie.ac.th Tel: 02-960-3663 Liz Lu