March 2, 1999
We care Labour of love A teacher and mother to hundreds of poor children. A doctor who makes artificial legs for free. A forest chief who saves the trees and improves the living conditions of villagers. VASANA CHINVARAKORN and KARNJARIYA SUKRUNG They are not celebrities, but to those whose lives have been made better through them, they are indeed stars. Last week, the selfless dedication of Ms Chuleemart Phannont, Dr Therdchai Jivacate and Mr Tepnimit Sripunya was honoured by the Tarn Namjai Foundation when each was presented with an Outstanding Thai Award. For the past 23 years, the foundation has honoured people who devote themselves to doing good works. Through public recognition, it is hoped the example of the award winners will inspire others to follow in their footsteps. Though each individual contribution may seem small when considered in isolation, the foundation hopes that when combined, they will be a force to help transform society for the better. At least, that's what already happened to the people who have come into contact with this year's three award winners. The 'artificial leg' doctor The 'artificial leg' doctor DR THERDCHAI JIVACATE Dr Therdchai Jivacate is walking slowly. With both hands he is leading a middle-aged lady. The woman's pace is unsteady - today is the first time in many years that she has been able to move around on both legs, one of which is courtesy of Dr Therdchai - but her excitement is magnetic. It is moments like these that keep Dr Therdchai doing what he's been doing for the last 30 years: making artificial legs for the poor free of charge. "Seeing my patients' smiles and shining eyes when they are able to walk on both legs, I just feel happy," says the soft-spoken doctor. As the head of the Mobile Artificial Legs Production Unit, set up in 1991 under the royal patronage of the late Princess Mother, Dr Therdchai and his volunteer staff have travelled to some 40 provinces throughout Thailand providing free services to rural villagers. Many patients never dreamed they would walk on their own legs, having been crippled since birth. Each year, the mobile unit conducts about seven upcountry trips, each lasting a week or two. After eight years, 4,650 legs have been produced, all tailor-made for the recipient. Moreover, the Prosthesis Foundation at Chiangmai University's Faculty of Medicine, where Dr Therdchai works, provides similar free services. The underpriveleged patients from surrounding provinces who use the foundation's services receive free food and accommodation while in Chiang Mai. And often, the fitting of the artificial leg can be done in just one day. Dr Therdchai's contribution to this valuable community work dates back to 1966 when the young medical graduate set up a small unit to produce artificial limbs for his patients at the Chiangmai University Hospital. "Working in the Orthopaedics Department, I often had to do surgery that involved amputations," recalls the 59-year-old physician. "In those days, and even now, getting an artificial leg was not easy. When I saw villagers using bamboo sticks to help them walk, I thought we doctors have better tools and know-how, so why not do something for them." Relying on his own funds, Dr Therdchai set out to produce cheap but sturdy artificial legs. He first experimented with plastic yogurt milk bottles as the raw materials, but has since moved on to a more environmentally-friendly plastic called High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). "You can't use plastic bottles as they emit pollution when heated. HDPE is safe and cheap. It's a byproduct of natural gas from the Gulf of Thailand, so we don't have to import it, either." Dr Therdchai stresses the importance of self-reliance. All materials for his artificial legs come from local sources. Thus it is no surprise that they are much cheaper than their imported counterparts. The artificial Single Axis leg made by Dr Therdchai's unit comes at 2,500 baht apiece, whereas a similar foreign-made item costs 11,000 baht. A forearm crutch is only 100 baht, compared to the 1,000-baht version available in medical stores. An artificial foot costs just 150 baht, a lot cheaper than imported models which sell for 3,000 baht. The design of the legs and their accessories also reflects Dr Therdchai's thoughtfulness. Generally, there are two categories of artificial legs: for practical and aesthetic purposes. The practical version, for farmers, has a rubber cushion at the end to make it less slippery when the wearer works outdoors. The aesthetic version is covered with skin-coloured foam rubber and weighs only a kilogramme. There is even a version with an opening between the toes for those who want to wear flip-flops. Dr Therdchai's inventions are built to last a lifetime. "The foot part may have to be replaced once in a while, but that's all the care it will ever need," he says. In 1993, Dr Therdchai's artificial legs won the Thararom Quality Award for creative inventions from discarded materials. In the following year, he was awarded third prize for the most useful medical invention from the National Research Council. Dr Therdchai himself was selected the Best Rural Doctor for 1993 by the National Medical Association. Beside his work with artifical legs, Dr Therdchai set up Thailand's only school and department for occupational therapy, as well as a special educational programme for children suffering from chronic diseases, at Maharaj Hospital in Chiang Mai. In addition, he has visited Laos and Cambodia to help those with missing legs as a result of landmines. The modest doctor attributes his success to the understanding of his family, who lets him work upcountry with his mobile unit every now and then, and to the support of his volunteer staff which numbers over 100 people. With less than two years before his official retirement, Dr Therdchai says he has no plans to stop his work - designing and inventing better artificial legs for poor patients. The doctor is also considering branching out into making other body parts. First in line, he says, will be artifical hands, and judging by his track record, they will reflect as much care in the design as the legs do. Info for donations: Name of Organisation: The Prosthesis Foundation Address: Faculty of Medicine, Chiangmai University, Chiang Mai 50200 Tel: (053) 219-250-1 Bank account details: Moonlanithi Kha-thiam - Ngoen Borijak (The Prosthesis Foundation - donations); savings account number 566-2-50375-3; Siam Commercial Bank, Faculty of Medicine, Chiangmai University branch Give and take in the forest Give and take in the forest TEPNIMIT SRIPUNYA When Tepnimit Sripunya first came to the Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary in Nong Khai province in 1993, many wondered how long he would last. Some of the sanctuary's former chiefs had been killed, and the last was shot, although the wound was not fatal. Six years later, Mr Tepnimit continues to run the sanctuary, and both the man and the forests under his care are flourishing. The old concerns over his safety are no longer a topic of speculation. What villagers talk about now is what the chief will do next for the 14 communities that skirt the 116,562-rai forest reserve. Illegal logging and poaching used to be rampant in this mountainous backwater. Now rare species of animals such as the Sumatran serow (Liang-pha) and wild elephants roam freely around the sanctuary. A type of reptile called the Phu Wua chameleon, the only kind in the world that can regrow their tails, also scuttle throughout the lush forest. The Phu Wua reserve also boasts a unique plant which has been named Ton Sirindhorn and is used to treat rheumatism. Mr Tepnimit is one of the few forestry officers in Thailand who has managed to win the respect and acceptance of the locals. When he proposed that illegal loggers and poachers surrender their chainsaws and hunting gears to the authorities, with the promise that no penalties would be imposed for past wrongs, huge piles of equipment arrived at his office. That was not the first time he had gained the cooperation of villagers. While heading a sanctuary in adjacent Roi Et province, Mr Tepnimit's campaigns against encroachment into the forest met with such tremendous success that even the provincial governor, his superior at the time, was surprised. The secret behind his achievement? "In order to convince people to join the conservation programme, you must first show that you are willing to give something away first," says the 47-year-old Forest Chief. By "giving," Mr Tepnimit means to devise income-generating activities for the villagers so they don't have to resort to clandestine activities like logging and poaching. When he first took up the top job at Phu Wua Sanctuary, Mr Tepnimit visited the different communities and talked with the locals to assess their needs. With the cooperation of 60 local schools, he gave the villagers seedlings of edible plants such as mango, lime, tamarind and rattan. Other projects included training villagers in how to raise poultry and fish. Mr Tepnimit also launched a cooperative at the sanctuary office that sold reasonably-priced consumer products, lent money to those in need, and milled rice for villagers in nearby areas. Members of the cooperative learned the importance of pooling resources as well as enjoying the by-products of the group, be they the annual dividends or rice bran to feed the animals. Although self-sufficient villagers no longer make money from logging, there are still some instances when wood is needed, such as for making coffins. "I caught quite a few villagers sneaking into the forest to cut down trees," explains Mr Tepnimit. "They told me the reason. Suddenly I realised why some of the villagers' shacks don't have walls, as the wood was used to make coffins. So I decided to start the free coffin project." Since 1994, over 400 plywood coffins have been given away. Other projects followed. The Phu Wua chief set aside 500 rai of degraded forest to grow food for elephants to prevent them scavenging in farmers' crops. For the launch, over 5,000 residents of Nong Khai came to join the activities. Generally, more well-to-do Isan villagers build a traditional-style funeral urn in their house compound in which to keep their ancestors' ashes. Mr Tepnimit had a mould made and started making and selling concrete urns at cost price of 300 baht. The concrete structures now stand proudly in many rice fields and serve indirectly as boundary markers. His own childhood also gave him inspiration in later life. Mr Tepnimit recalls walking to school barefoot as his family was too poor to afford shoes. Last year, he donated 5,000 pairs of shoes to school students. This year, he set the goal at 8,000. With public donations to the Bung Karn Sarng San 39 Club, a charitable organisation he started in 1996, the Phu Wua chief has given scholarships to students and sponsors free lunch programmes for the 60 schools in the area. The 50,000 baht Best Bureaucrat Award he won in 1996 was likewise given away to sponsor children's education. The forest chief is well aware that the future of the forest lies in the hands of the young. He has held several rounds of workshops for community youth leaders. For two days and one night, the youngsters stay together at the sanctuary and learn from "Chief Tep" different aspects of nature - from hugging trees to identifying animals' tracks. "Fostering environmental awareness is like growing trees. You have to keep watering the seeds and tilling the soil constantly. It's a time-consuming process, and everybody must join hands. But if we don't do it, who else will?" says Mr Tepnimit. Info for donations: Name of Organisation: Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary Address: Bung Kla District, Nong Khai Tel: (042) 243-441, (01) 954-9059 Bank account details: Khet Raksa Phan Sat-pa Phu Wua (Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary); savings account number 447-1-1-0932-4; Krung Thai Bank, Bung Karn District branch Taking work home with her! Taking work home with her CHULEEMART PHANNONT By the time she was six, Pokaew had lost both her parents. First her father fled the parched and unfertile farm in Khon Kaen to earn some money in Bangkok. He died in a work accident. Then, her mother left to become a labourer in Bangkok. She never returned. Pokaew was left with her frail grandmother. But she was lucky. Her grandmother took her to Chuleemart Phannont, a teacher who founded the Education for Children Project in Muangpol district in Khon Kaen. Now 12-years-old, Pokaew is studying in Prathom 6 and living at Mrs Chuleemart's home called the Luk Rak Centre - along with 60 other children who are in a similar situation. Under the Education for Children Project, Mrs Chuleemart, a teacher at Baan Khok Lam Tamyae Elementary School, has been giving poor children a new life with educational opportunities, shelter and love. "Teachers don't just teach, they also give students new lives," said Mrs Chuleemart, 43. Her mission started 14 years ago when one of her brightest students had to quit school after finishing Prathom 6. His father wanted him to work on their farm to support the family. To help out, she offered to take care of the student and his education in place of his family. And that was how it all started. From just one student that year, came many others. Over the years the Education for Children Project has sponsored 240 students; 180 in the 'outside' project and 60 in the 'inside' project. Once the students come under Mrs Chuleemart's wing they are supported in their educational pursuits. Children in both the 'inside' and 'outside' projects have the promise they can study to the highest level of education they want. Today, 14 years after the project began, five of the youngsters who Mrs Chuleemart has helped have successfully graduated from university. The outside project is for students who are short of the funds needed to pursue their education and these students still live with their families. Mrs Chuleemart helps them with scholarships and educational items. Less fortunate students are invited to live at her home. Many of these youngsters are from broken homes or backgrounds of dire poverty. Some have been abused and some orphaned. They are welcomed to live with Mrs Chuleemart and her family in their house - called the Luk Rak Centre (Beloved Children Centre) - which is currently home to 60 youngsters. In the house, love rules. "I treat them as if they were my own children," said the mother-of-two. "Love, I guess, is the key that makes them behave well both at home and in society," said Mrs Chuleemart who is called Mae Khru (mother-teacher) by the youngsters. Taking care of 60 children is not an easy job, but Mrs Chuleemart considers it in the tradition of true teachers. "I've learnt from my teachers how to get into the children's hearts. To be understanding and supportive," she said. As head of the family, she organises group activities for the students. In the evening, she goes with them to a temple and they pray. She also tries to find time for bedtime stories for small children. The emphasis is on mutual caring and discipline and under this philosophy children from different age groups and family backgrounds succeed in living in relative harmony. Older children help care for younger ones and help them with their homework. They also share the household chores and gardening. Mrs Chuleemart and her husband both teach in state schools and their salaries cannot cover the expenses of looking after their big adopted family. Sometimes she has to make loans from Teacher's Cooperatives or acquaintances to fund her endeavours. Though other agencies and foundations give them financial support, Mrs Chuleemart acknowledges they have to be able to stand on their own two feet. Thus, the compound of their five-rai home, donated by villagers, has been turned into a small family farm. Students help one another growing rice, mushrooms and other vegetables. They also raise chickens, pigs and fish. The produce mainly goes to the kitchen for domestic consumption. "We are lucky that we never have to worry about what to eat. But we do have many problems with the cost of tuition fees, clothes, stationery and books for example. We have to depend on other sources of income," said Mrs Chuleemart. The students' farm does generate some income. Small amounts of cash come from the daily sales of vegetables. Much more money comes from the sale of pigs, poultry and fish. Every four to five months, they can sell pigs and earn between 30,000 and 40,000 baht. However, the income rarely covers the monthly expenses of 60,000-70,000 baht which includes a daily allowance for the students (each school student gets a 10 baht daily allowance and the university students 150 baht a week). A few years ago, Mrs Chuleemart set up the northeastern music band Luk Noi Ram Pleun to help generate cash to fund the students' education. The idea came from her son who is a musician. He taught the students to play music and leads the band when they are hired to play at festivals and other events. In their free time, the children are divided in groups to work either on the farm, in the music group, cloth weaving, or making souvenirs of miniature Pong Lang, a northeastern musical instrument. Mrs Chuleemart hopes such activities will not only earn extra income, but also equip the youngsters with vocational skills and teach them about working as a team. Every year, more and more students come to her door. Despite the high expenses, she does not turn them away. As long as there are students who need help, she says she is determined to give them a better future. "Over the past 14 years, I've never felt tired nor discouraged. When there are problems, I always occupy myself with how to get rid of them. There's no time to be bored or get depressed," Mrs Chuleemart smiled. Info for donations: Organisation: Education for Children Project Founder: Chuleemart Phannont Address: 139 Moo 5, Baan Yakha, Muangpol sub-district, Muang, Kon Khaen 40120 Tel: (043) 339-056 Bank account details: Education for Children Project by Chuleemart Phannont; Savings account number 167-2-25035-4; Thai Farmers Bank, Muangpol Branch, Khon Kaen "We Care" is a weekly series honouring people who believe in giving. You can show you care by supporting the projects featured here each week. You can also let us know about people who unselfishly help others so we can honour them in these pages. Fax "We Care" on 240-3666 or call 240-3700 ext 3208 or 3212. 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