Nujanart Pothong
Age 9, P4 : Sing Buri, Prom Buri district and
Parichart Pothong
Age 12, P6

These two girls live with their grandmother who has a disabled arm and leg. They used to live in a house of their own, but relatives persuaded them to move to a shed attached to one of the relatives' house after the grandmother was attacked by one of her sons who was crazed on ya ba.

The son went to jail, but was soon released. Although disabled, the grandmother still works, helping where she can. When we visited, she was peeling tamarind by using her one good hand and her teeth. She also has diabetes and cannot always afford to buy medicine.

The mother has rented land a distance away on which she grows rice. She tries to come and visit her daughters and mother every evening, but cannot always do so. She has a motorcycle.

Nujanart, the younger girl, seemed very shut-in. She did not seem to know much about the outside world and lacks the curiosity to learn more. She was placed 24th in a class of 28. She said she likes the subject art and Thai and does not like English or maths. At home she helps wash dishes and clean the house.

She gets 7 baht a day to take to school. The school bus costs a bit over 100 baht a month. The school provides two sets of school uniform, although she had to buy her own books.

Parichart, the elder sister, is much brighter and came 5th in class. She likes maths and Social skills. There is no subject that she dislikes. She wants to study further, although she has not given much thought yet to what she wants to be in the future. She might be interested in teaching. She does general cleaning at home as well as washing and ironing.