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Asia, Responsible Tourism

Friends International Helps Protect Marginalized Youth

Ms. Vuthaya Charoenpol, Program Director at Friends International, helps create a protective environment and safe migration for marginalized children, youth and their families.

Friends International is about advocating and educating local and international citizens at all tiers in the society on child rights and child safeguarding.

Vuthaya is from our Bangkok Travel Massive chapter and was happy to share more information about Friends International to our Travel Massive readers.

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What inspired you to create this initiative?  

  • Increasing numbers of marginalized children in the world (source: UNICEF)
  • Given that Thailand is one of the most visited destinations and is gaining wealth and growth in the economy, many social issues were overlooked such as child safeguard and awareness in violence and risks towards children
  • Friends International is a great way for travellers to take part in the movement of child safeguarding everywhere they go

How is your initiative financed?

The organization funded by UNICEF, institutional donors and government. Funding were utilized for awareness raising campaign, psycho-social supports to ensure that children, youth and their families are together with good welfare and capacity building to citizen and duty bearers to safeguards children.

What has been your biggest success or accomplishment? 

Last year (2015) over 2,000 children and youth were support. The biggest success:

  • Friends Thailand established a Child Protection Policy and a reporting mechanism for the Department of Children and Youth under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security
  • Creating a collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Sport to expand ChildSafe Agents, driving campaigns and building capacity to government staff and civil society organizations

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What has been your biggest challenge?

  • Increasing number of news on violence against children
  • Advocacy and fields operation to maintain while financial resources is limited.

Can you share an inspiring story when you felt your project was most fulfilling?

Last year, we were informed about a 12 year old boy who was found homeless laying on the Victory Monument Bridge (a very busy hub in the centre of Bangkok). Our team took the appropriate measures to ensure his safety. This turned into an extremely inspirational story leading onward, you can read more about it on Friends International.

What do you hope your initiative will accomplish in the next 2-5 years?

  • Ensure local communities are well equipped to safeguard children with support from local and central government agencies
  • Ensure that the ChildSafe Movement becomes more visible
  • Ensure that children and youth are well aware of their right and their ability to express themselves

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Do you have any tips for aspiring do-gooders who want to give back or start their own social project?

Do your homework, do a (real) need assessment to ensure whatever you do will actually respond to the need of the community. It is also important to look at whether or not your project will harmful to society and environment, better yet, whether or not it supports the society and environment. 

How can someone help or get involved?

Learn more at thinkchildsafe.org and join the movement!

Why do you attend Travel Massive events? 

Simply to mingle, learn more about others and advocate what we believe in to tourism industry professionals.

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Purposeful Traveler is a series that profiles inspiring people or projects making a purposeful change to the way we travel. You can connect with Vuthaya and Friends International on Travel Massive and Facebook


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