ANNUAL REPORT 2017 TRANSFORMING THE DISADVANTAGED YOUTH TO INDEPENDENT LIFELONG LEARNERS.
FOUNDERS' MESSAGE Looking back... What in 2002 started as an IT learning experiment in Isan, the poor Northeast Thailand has developed into a learning mission for young but poor in Southeast Asia, achieved through our three main pillars: Our Training Center, Learning Camps and field projects. We have achieved this through our own means, many volunteers and a few sponsors.
Over the years, Openmind Projects has learned and developed. Today we offer many opportunities to those who want to help and those who want to learn.
We are proud to say that we are not just aiming to show a way to reduce poverty and close the knowledge gap between rich and poor. We are actually contributing to it. When our trainees and campers learn to learn, they are empowered to help themselves and become change agents and role models, to inspire their friends. That is what we have been working toward, and now we are looking for more funding and contributions to help and inspire more young people.
Sven Mauleon & Gaweechat Joompaula, Co-founders of Openmind Projects
REISE | PAGEÂ 4
Our programs educate, equip, and inspire girls and boys with the learning skills they will need to leave poverty behind.
OUR VISION
A FUTURE IN WHICH YOUNG PEOPLE ARE MOTIVATED, CONFIDENT AND EMPOWERED TO REALIZE THEIR DREAMS
OUR MISSION
CREATING LIFELONG LEARNERS IN RURAL SE-ASIA
SPONSORS & DONORS Our gratitude to volunteers who joined learning camps, helped trainees and went to field projects. You contributed to a difference in someone’s life! To all advisors who provided us with many valuable ideas.
Our sincere thanks to our Donors, Volunteers and Supporters.
Special thanks to Mike Fulton, his family foundation and the Rotary Club San Jose, California, who again sponsored our Mobile Mountain Camps. Thanks go to Terry Friar and Pradip Patel who keep suporting Openmind Projects and its trainees! Our gratitude for Gaweechat, our cofounder and his rice farmer family, who make sure our people do not go hungry. Special thanks also to the volunteers, interns and supporters providing valuable help to improve our work: Christian Heyer, Jim Brown, Katy Connolly, Shireen Weston, Elvy Westlund, Claes Eric Noren and Claes Olson. REISE | PAGE 4
ABOUT US Openmind Projects is a non-profit NGO founded in 2001 We at Openmind Projects strive to allow disadvantaged young people in Southeast Asia to see all the possibilities in the world. We work with schools, governments and NGOs to introduce new skills and new career opportunities to our projects' participants. Â We accomplish this in a sustainable manner through collaborative learning, embracing the needs of a community of learners and promoting a volunteer and service ethos.
WHY DO WE SUPPORT RURAL STUDENTS? Opportunities for a good education are limited Village schools are underresourced Rote Learning demotivates / discourages Students to learn, and many drop out Rural youth are unprepared for modern jobs Many do not break out of poverty
PROBLEM AND OUR SOLUTION The Problem Poor children in Southeast Asia get poor educations and remain poor!
Our Solution We create learners! Openmind Projects helps youth in learning camps, at our Training Center, and in villages.
OUR 3 PILLARS TRAINING CENTER
LEARNING CAMPS
Village children and young campers become lifelong learners!
Inspire campers to become learners, gain important knowledge and the skills how to use them!
FIELD PROJECTS Volunteers bring knowledge and skills to local projects.
TRAINING CENTER Activities at our Center focus on training our trainees, campers and overseas volunteers. It also serves as our administrative center and where we, volunteers and interns work on continuous improvement.
99% of trainees realized their dream and got a better job
604,000
$
scholarship provided to support local trainees since 2004
OUR TRAINEES
They learn several skills and knowledge in one task. The training includes leadership and teaching, train-the-trainer training.
Long and short-term trainees from Southeast Asia stay at our Center.
With this ‘learning by doing’ approach, trainees are better equipped to go on to study or work and take charge of their own future learning.
Our ambition is to provide them with essential 21st-century skills, using IT and English as tools for future working and learning.
Openmind Projects needs support to train more trainers for our camps!
We practice task- and activity-based, team and peer-to-peer learning. With task-based learning (English and IT, online searching) trainees are given weekly tasks. Activity-based learning means based on tasks, which trainees look for, find, share and finally are able to present the information about their given topic. They often learn in teams. Trainees learn together with staff, fellow and senior trainees, and volunteers.
We want to reach more campers, run more camps! Sponsors can support trainees staying at our Center to become camp leaders or to go back to teach in villages and schools!
Creating Learners and Tomorrow's Leaders at our Center
WHO ARE OUR TRAINEES? Who are the Trainees? Openmind Projects trainees mostly come from the field projects and schools we support. Some come on recommendations by friends, previous campers, schools. Where do the Trainees come from? Our trainees mostly come from Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia. Some are ethnic Karen, stateless, migrants and some were refugees. How many Trainees do you have at the Training Center? It varies, we have 5 - 15 trainees at the same time. How long do the Trainees stay? Our trainees can stay as long as they wish. However, most stay for a few months to over a year. How old are the Trainees? Our trainees are 16 – 25 years old.
IMPACT ON OUR TRAINEES Our Trainees Learn and Improve the Following Skills: motivation and enthusiasm to learn confidence to learn and express opinions, and to speak English critical thinking ability teamwork, team learning skills English skills IT and online searching skills presentation skills planning skills Our Trainees Learn and Increase Their Awareness About: sustainable living and health IT opportunities for learning technology influence on jobs environmental problems and climate change, pollution Local Role Model and Leader Development: Trainees become Learning Camp leaders running and leading learning activities and are involved in peer-to-peer learning at our Training Center and in Learning Camps.
OUR VOLUNTEERS
They learn basic Thai and Laos, important cultural knowledge and train their teaching skills, so they are best prepared for the project awaiting them.
Volunteers
Openmind Projects needs support!
Overseas and local volunteers join our projects, our Training Center, Learning Camps. Volunteers come from overseas, from many countries and all ages groups. They help to teach English, teach IT, develop communities and more.
Researchers, pedagogic experts, graphic designers, web developers, SEO and social media interns, fundraisers/grant writers, travel writers/journalists, videographers, and public relations interns are welcome to join a small but multicultural team dedicated to help disadvantaged people and threatened nature in Southeast Asia!
Interns Interns join our local team at our Training Center. Usually, they help with social media, fundraising, website, developing learning methods and more. Culture and Language Training Week Openmind Projects volunteers get a free volunteer week with a 3-day workshop before they start!
Creating a Lasting and Sustainable Impact on Others and Yourself!
WHAT WAS GOING ON IN 2017 We focused on 21st century skills for our trainees and to help them find out what they want to do in the future. Â The trainee week was redesigned into two parts: mornings focus on English and IT training, and afternoons on team and individual tasks. In 2018 we also focus more on training our trainees to be camp leaders and to team teach with volunteers at schools and other local projects. We're developing a training program for our trainees to fit individual needs and providing fund and mentorship to help them get online certification.Â
50
%
more campers and trainees with the help of our sponsors in 2017
Local projects benefit much from our free volunteer introduction weeks and workshops. Therefore, in 2017 we let volunteers come at flexible dates to stay at our Center to learn about language, culture, teaching and volunteering before they start. We encourage volunteers who teach English to focus on conversation and we emphasize the importance of boosting motivation to and confidence in speaking English, a major weakness among Thai and Lao students who underperform in international tests. We also tell volunteers to encourage and show students how to use their smartphones as a learning tool. An increasing number of village youth have cheap smartphones and the internet can make up for limited education resources in small and poor schools.
>
2,400
volunteers since 2003
Creating Learners With Your Help
LEARNING CAMPS We run Learning Camps at our Training Center in Nong Khai and in the ThaiMyanmar Mountains that we call Mobile Mountain Camps. Campers learn in teams supported by Openmind Projects staff and volunteers.
>
250
of campers in 2017
12,000
$
funds raised to run camps in 2017
OUR LEARNING CAMPS We practice task- and activity-based, team and peer-to-peer learning.
tasks, to appreciate their smartphones and the internet as powerful learning tools! Campers return home more aware of important camp themes (global awareness) and more confident to express their opinions while they have improved their English and IT skills.
Learning is based on tasks to find, share and discuss information about given camp themes. Common themes are technology and its effects on education and jobs, climate change and its effects on nature and people, food and drinks and their effects on health.
Openmind Projects needs support to run more camps!
Learning in teams to complete the given task, learning through dialogue, discussion, displaying and reporting what they learned in posters, videos and camp debates. Campers are encouraged and trained to use and share their smartphones when they solve campÂ
Creating Learners
We want to reach more campers, run more camps! We need sponsors or cosponsors of camps, campers, and camp volunteers!
With Your Help
WHO ARE OUR CAMPERS? Who are the Campers? Openmind Projects Campers mostly come from our field projects and the schools we support. Some come on recommendations by teachers, friends or previous campers. Our Campers set up a ‘We love Openmind Projects’ Facebook group on their own and apply and join camps from there. Where do the Campers come from? Campers come from Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia. Some are ethnic Karen, stateless, migrants and refugees. How many Campers are there per camp? Normally around 30-35. How old are the Campers? Our campers are 13 -18 years old. How long is a Learning Camp? Usually about one week. Where do you run Learning Camps? We run camps at our Training Center in Nong Khai and in the Thai-Myanmar Mountains for those who do not have the opportunity to come to our Training Center.
Creating Lifelong Learners and Training Tomorrow's Trainers
IMPACT ON OUR CAMPERS Our Campers Learn and Improve the Following Skills: motivation and enthusiasm to learn confidence to learn and express opinions, to speak English critical thinking teamwork, team-learning skills English skills IT and online searching skills Our Campers Learn and Increase Their Awareness About: sustainable Living and health IT opportunities for learning technology influence on jobs environment and climate change, risks and opportunities to prevent Local Role Model and Leader Development: Some campers become Learning Camp leaders and role models, write, post and share online how they learn and get involved in peer-to-peer learning at our Training Center, in Learning Camps and back at schools.
WHAT WAS GOING ON IN OUR CAMPS In 2017, we held altogether eight Learning Camps, 4 camps for Thai, Lao village children, 2 camps training the trainers at our Center and 2 mobile camps for Burmese, Karen migrants, ethnic memories in the Thai Myanmar Mountains. We increased our focus on camps in 2017, as a way to implement and spread our learning ideas and make the best use of our limited resources.  We want to increase access to our Camps and Training Center by offering scholarships to girls and boys who cannot otherwise attend.
50
%
more campers and trainees with the help of our sponsors in 2017
FIELD PROJECTS Openmind Projects has worked with communities, schools and, on demand, national parks, and eco-projects since its inception. Our main contribution is educating local people with the help of volunteers whom we train at our Training Center and creating information about their communities, needs, and activities. We invite young people from the communities to take part in our free Learning Camps and to our Training Center as free trainees.
>
4,000
rural children get free education and support from our volunteering program
604,000
$
scholarship provided to support local trainees
IMPACT IN FIELD PROJECTS Impact at Schools: over a thousand Openmind Projects volunteers are helping to teach English and computer skills to school children we are reaching out to more than 4,000 children in remote villages in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Nepal and provide them with free education and support Impact on Communities: Knowledge an awareness about sustainable living etc. IT opportunities for learning Technology influence on jobs environment and climate change, risks and opportunities to prevent Impact on Eco-Projects: donations to a marine center created eco-projects in Thailand and Laos Local Role Model and Leader Development: A part of trainees from our training and learning program teamed up with our volunteers and went back to help develop their villages.
WHAT WAS GOING ON IN FIELDS As a local NGO we have a large network of local contacts and feild projects whom welcome overseas volunteers. We support and coordinate many volunteers and field projects. This is very time consuming and a strain on our limited resources, so we are looking to find a CRM solution to reduce time spent and improve the quality of our services to local projects and volunteers. We developing our roleplay teaching English manual to help our volunteer to learn how to apply roleplay teaching English to children and local guides. We are training our local staff to handle increasing volunteer communication.
360k
> $
funded to support local projects since 2003
MORE OF WHAT HAPPENED AND BEYOND Formed an Advisory Board, 2017. Creating an Online Alumni Community, 2017, 2018. Building and improving an online community for campers and trainees to exchange ideas, experiences and continue to learn between and after the camps. Developing more IT-based learning, 2027, 2018. We are working on more IT-based learning tools and methods with volunteers, and via YouTube and apply IT-based learning this means we integrate design thinking and games based learning into our training programs. Focus on long-term development plan for our trainees and local projects. Fundraising, 2018. We focus on fundraising efforts to afford more camps and to implement new ideas. We are looking for major sponsors and donors as well as crowd funding activities. Â Improving internet visibility, 2017, 2018. Another focus is to maintain visibility online to reach volunteers, faced with the increasing difficulties to do so. One priority is a better use of social media. Therefore, we are recruiting interns to help us with web development, social media, Customer Relations Management System (CRM), video making.
OUR CHALLENGES
TO REACH OUT TO MORE UNDERPRIVILEGED YOUTH WE NEED MORE DONORS, SPONSORS, VOLUNTEERS AND INTERNS!
THREAT
Commercial Volunteer Agencies volunteering has become a business
Increased competition from international, commercial and for-profit volunteer agencies makes it increasingly difficult for local NGOs to find volunteers for their work. Â
They feel pressured to accept volunteers from international business agencies who use volunteers’ fees to cover their costs overseas for promotion, salaries and offices but leave the job to care for volunteers to local NGOs!
The effect is lower volunteer contributions to local NGOs and their local work.
CHALLENGE OUR AMBITIONS More camps and an Online Community/Learning Center for our Campers and Trainee Alumni. What started as an experiment in IT learning for village kids in Isan, Northeast Thailand, in 2002 has grown into a SE Asia learning mission in four countries. We have achieved this with our own means and by inviting volunteers who donate their time and money as well as an American sponsor who has funded our camps along the Thai-Myanmar border.
We are proud to say we are not just aiming to show a way to close the knowledge gap between rich and poor youth in SE Asia: we are actually contributing to doing so.
When our trainees and campers learn to learn, they are empowered to help themselves and become change agents and role models to their friends. We believe in girls’ and boys’ unlimited potential if given a chance. That is what we have been working on and now we are looking for more funding, support and contributions to do more, help and inspire more young people.
Our programs educate, equip, and inspire girls and boys with the learning skills they will need to get out of the poverty trap and pursue a better future.
SUMMARY What happened in 2017, and what we want to realize in the next years We increased our focus on building 21st Century skills amongst Southeast Asian children
We do not focus on traditional school topics. We want campers and trainees to improve their critical, creative thinking and problem solving skills, to learn and work in teams. We boost digital and information literacy and get them used to learn online.
We encourage initiative and boost a proactive attitude. They do this in tasks, joint activities while using, learning English, and IT.
We started to focus on fundraising, As a small NGO, our resources are too limited to scale up to help more people and communities without financial support! We also worked hard to  improve our online visibility and presence, our only way to recruit the volunteer resources we need.
17 YEARS OF IMPACT We have a long history of training trainees at our Training Center and sending volunteers to our projects. In 2007 we started running Learning Camps at our Training Center and in 2016 we run our first mobile Learning Camp in the Thai-Myanmar Mountains.
50% more campers and trainees with the help of our sponsors in 2017
351
2,424
trainees
volunteers
59
2,288
camps
campers
604,000
360,000
$
$
scholarship for trainees
support to local projects
SUCCESSFUL OPENMINDERS “Phonpinan (Puiy) our first trainee who was dropped out from school and escape from orphans home. She is a smart girl, who is always interested in IT. She requested us to buy a hacker book for her birthday present. Currently Puiy is working with an recruitment agency company based in Thailand and Japan”
“Trang is a friend of Puiy. Both dropped out from school and escaped from their orphans home. She's proved that with hard working and knowing IT skills she can get a good job without the need of university degree. Currently Trans owns a computer repair shop in Bangkok and voluntarily repairs our computers.”
SUCCESSFUL OPENMINDERS "Kem and Dee are young local guys from Laos, who proved that with a chance to learn, it can make difference in life. When they were 15 years old, they became volunteers, to help children in their community. Kem and Dee came to OMP in 2012 to learn English and IT skills. Then later they realized that they can use media to help other people" Now they're working with an international NGO in Laos and started their own media company. Kem and Dee are also our Laos representatives and leading OMP trainees at alumni meetings.
“I came to OMP to learn speaking English. In the evening play volleyball and listen to music. It is fun. I like conversation with everyone because I want to learn English. Makes me glad. Because I will teach English at my school” - Kharn Vannalath former trainee who became an English teacher at his own village.
SUCCESSFUL OPENMINDERS ”The camp made me more confident in myself it helped me to find the real true me. I now know what I want to do in my life and how I can use my abilities in my life for a better future.” - Ghom from Thailand Former camper, now camp leader
”My favorite thing about OMP is the learning style, learning by doing, because now I know how to learn for myself. Before, I don’t know my future, what I want to do, OMP helps me to know what I do in the future. Now I have many ideas” - Moe from Myanmar Former camper, now our staff and camp leader. Visit: http://bit.ly/omp-changelife-moe to see how Openmind Projects made an impact on her life!
SUCCESSFUL OPENMINDERS "I like Openmind Projects because they welcome everybody. Here volunteer come everyday to teach what I don't learn in school." Phyozaw "Phyo" from Myanmar, former trainee, camper and camp leader, now working with a recruitment agency to help legal migrant workers.
Jutamas Petchsungnoen (Golf) is a farmer's daughter who always working hard to support her family, she came to our center 9 years ago as a trainee and later become a camps leader. Currently she's our staff member help with camps and projects coordinator” Visit: http://bit.ly/omp-changelife-golf to see how Openmind Projects made an impact on her life!
SUCCESSFUL OPENMINDERS "Khaisri Lunchaiyapha (Khai) comes from a poor rice farmer family in rural Thailand. When she was 15 years old she started working in a factory for 11 years before she came to Openmind Projects. Currently Khai is our staff member and helping our volunteers with visa and all admin work" Visit: http://bit.ly/omp-changelife-khai to see how Openmind Projects made an impact on her life .
"Without Openmind Projects I would not be here!” Jakkrit (Ton) from Laos former trainee and camp leader now working in a in a superior hotel in Vientiane, Laos Visit: http://bit.ly/omp-changelife-ton to see how Openmind Projects made an impact on his life!
SUCCESSFUL OPENMINDERS “I came to OMP because I wanted to improve my life, so I can get a better job not work at the factory all my life. And that’s why here I am!” - Joiy from Laos Former trainee, camp leader, and our staff, now working in a superior hotel
"Rujinan (Biw) is a farmer's daughter who always has a positive attitude in life she came to our center in 2008 as trainees and fell in love with the English language. When she was studied at university Biw during uni break she came back to help us as a camp leader. Currently Biw is an English teacher and sending her students to do internships with Openmind Projects.”
SUCCESSFUL OPENMINDERS ‘From my little Lao village to Openmind Projects. I had never even seen a foreigner, much less learned English or to use a computer or Internet." Jai is from an isolated Lao village village. He was a student of Khan, one of our former trainees. Jai came to our center about 2 years ago. His dream is to become a tour guide and as a senior trainees at our center Jai is also team teaching with our volunteers to teach new trainees English. Jai is now also training to become our camp leader
Nong came as a camper 8 months agoand had no idea what he wanted to do in his life. He stayed on as a trainee later found his passion in making videos.He would sit the whole day and night to search on the internet on how to use a camera and make video effects. His dream is to follow his older brother's (Kem) footsteps. Currently Nong has made many videos for Openmind Projects while practicing his media skills."
CONTACT USÂ FOR MORE SUCCESS STORIES
OPENMIND PROJECTS LOCAL AND OVERSEAS TEAM Openmind Projects is a truly virtual organization depending on dedicated volunteer help. Over the years many volunteers have contributed to developing, improving and supporting Openmind Projects!
In 2017, our local core has consisted of our cofounders Sven Mauleon and Gaweechat Joompaula, who both volunteer their time to Openmind Projects, as well as Jim Brown, the permanent volunteer from the U.S., and Pradip Patel, from the U.K.
Our core value staff who committed and delegated their time and effort to Openmind Projects consisted of Golf/Jutamas Petchsungnoen, Kai/Gorawan, Eizin Moe and Joiy Vongnalat. Â
Our trainees and veteran campers also contribute valuable support for local people through learning by doing activities, training new volunteers, team-teaching and working with volunteers.
Overseas, Openmind Projects is supported by a team of volunteer alumni as well as other supporters. Team members vary, our core team consists of Katy Connolly and Shireen Weston in the UK; Terry Friar in Australia, Mike Fulton in the U.S. and Elvy Westlund, Claes Eric Noren and Claes Olsson in Sweden.
OPENMIND PROJECTS THAILAND FOUNDATION MEMBER Committee of the foundation consisted with Mr. Gaweechat JOOMPAULA Chairman of the Foundation Mr. Sven MAULEON Foundation Advisory Mrs. Thitichaya BOONSOM Vice Chairman Rear Admiral Niran KASEMSUK Committee and Treasurer Mrs. Orrawan KASEMSUK Committee Ms. Chotayapom HlGASHI Committee Mrs. Boonrung JOOMPAULA Committee Mr. Kiartisak LUNCHAIYAPHA Committee Mr. Thanat JOOMPAULA Committee Mrs. Kanyanat WANNARAT Committee Ms. Jutamas PETCHSUNGNOEN Committee Ms. Kaisri LUNCHAIYAPHA Committee and Treasurer
The Foundation Registrar of Nong Khai Province has ordered to register the establishment foundation as the evidence of Certificate to present the foundation registration No. 2/2556,
2017 FINANCIAL BREAKDOWN In 2017 Openmind Projects incomes total of 73,306.42 USD.
Admin 6% R&D 5% Field Projects 21%
Learning Camp 34%
Training Center 34%
SPONSOR /CSR RELATIONS We believe in a future in which young people are empowered to realize their dreams as motivated and confident lifelong learners. Donations go directly towards helping the Openmind Training Center, the learning camps, the field projects. Of course, we have some kind of administration cost, but since we operate directly in Thailand these costs are very small. You can contact Openmind Projects donor relations at any time to order financial documents. Our e-mail is: info@openmindprojects.net Our mailing address is: Openmind Projects Foundation 856/9 moo15 Prajak Road T.mueang A. mueang, Nai Maung, Maung, Nong Khai 43000 Website: www.openmindprojects.org/donation-sponsor
THANK YOU