November 24, 1998
WE CARE Giving the girls a break Social mores make it taboo for many young women in Paan district to discuss the problems they face openly. But the Soon Puea Nong Ying girls' club, has brought young women together to have fun and share their experiences. The club also puts them in contact with volunteers who can help them talk through and tackle issues related to poverty and abuse. In a small hut in a northern village two women have set up a club were teenage girls can find sanctuary and talk out solutions to the many problems which beset them Chompoo Trakullertsathien Pictures by Somkid Chaijitvanit When the girls in Ban Mae Kaew Nuea have a problem they cannot talk to their families or other adults about, they know where to go to get help. They can simply knock at the door of the Centre for Girls, or Soon Puea Nong Ying,which is located in the heart of their community in Chiang Rai's Paan district. It doesn't mean their problems are solved instantly, but at least they can be sure of finding understanding and sympathy. Embraced by greenery, the centre looks like a small, simple bamboo hut. For the last two years, the hut, on a three-square wah plot of land, has been the place where teenage girls in the area can find sanctuary and pour their hearts out. The centre was the brainchild of Natnaree Luangmoi, 25, and Nutcharej Tarinthorn, 22. They had the idea of setting up a counselling centre for village teenagers after participating in a rights' workshop in 1995. The workshop, organised by the Women Foundation, was aimed at educating northern girls about their rights and about dealing with the problems of domestic violence, sexual harassment, rape, unwanted pregnancies and forced prostitution. Although these problems are prevalent, they are taboo subjects. The social mores of such communities prevent girls and young women from expressing their concerns about such issues and of getting help if they become involved in them. After the workshop, Ms Natnaree and Ms Nutcharej felt they wanted to share what they had learned with their peers. They also wanted to give teenage girls in their community a place where they could share their problems and perhaps by coming together to try to find solutions to them. In 1997, the centre was established near Ms Natnaree's house with funding from the Women's Foundation. Now the centre has eight volunteers. "Before, when the teenage girls in our village had problems, they didn't know where to go. They couldn't tell their parents, teachers or friends. Feeling isolated, some committed suicide. We want to help them make rational choices," said Ms Natnaree. After the centre opened, she said, the teenage girls who were sexually abused or harassed were no longer forced to suffer their anguish silently. They could go to the centre and talk their confusions out with the volunteers. "Though often we can't solve their problems, just listening to them is also helpful. Some feel better by being able to express what they suffer. "I've learned that those who have these problems often need nothing but understanding. For me personally, it is a good feeling to be their friend," said Ms Natnaree. Apart from providing counselling, the centre also offers teenage girls a place where they can socialise and relax together and play table tennis, volleyball, or music. It also has a quiet corner where members can read the many donated books. "The centre is a meeting place where teenage girls can spend their time more constructively," said Ms Nutcharej. "From my own observations, those who spend a lot of time with boyfriends will end up having unprotected sex, and that often leads to unwanted pregnancies. "Often, they have to leave school. Many of the boyfriends are irresponsible. Disillusioned and facing a life without future, many girls jump into the sex trade." When the volunteers spot girls in trouble, they take time to listen to them and offer them information so they can make better-informed choices about how to solve their problems. "It's a time-consuming process, but it's worth it," Ms Nutchrej said. As volunteers, Ms Natnaree and Ms Nutcharej spend much time in the evening visiting the girls' houses, talking with them and their parents, and trying to learn more about their situations. What they have found is often shocking. "Many girls in our village suffer sexual abuse in painful silence. They dare not tell anyone, not even their parents. Girls have been raped by adults or relatives and have become pregnant," said Ms Natnaree. "Often I feel disheartened when I learn about the girls' problems. Many can't help themselves. The trauma scars them for life," she said. The centre, however, has helped many abused girls break their silence. "They also help us locate more of these silent tragedies. Sometimes, the younger girls don't want to talk to us directly because of the age gap. They prefer to talk to friends who have similar problems. And we learn through their friends who seek counselling with us," said Ms Natnaree. The volunteers also organise a monthly camp at the centre. The camp provides an opportunity for the younger and older teenagers to exchange their opinions and discuss problems. The sex trade is a much talked-about concern. In these heart-to-hearts, the older teenagers often warn the younger girls of the danger of the trade and how to avoid being lured into prostitution. According to Ms Natnaree, prostitution is a serious problem in her village. Dire poverty, she said, pushes many young women into the sex trade as they seek to support their families. Ms Nutcharej said procurers seek out poor families and offer the girls a job in Bangkok. "They give the girls' parents a lump sum and later force the girls into prostitution. "Many girls have ended up contracting HIV and Aids and many have died leaving behind children who also have the deadly virus," she said. Over the past two years, 80 women Aids sufferers have died and currently about 200 women are suffering from HIV or Aids in their village alone. To help them, the centre has set up a weaving project, so they can eke out a living. As a preventative measure, over the past two months, the two volunteers have organised workshops at elementary schools in six tambons of Paan district to educate the girls about the dangers of sex trade. They are also seeking scholarships for needy students who want to continue their education. To improve their chances of getting a job, the centre also offers typing courses for the young women. The fee for the courses is only one baht an hour. "Some schools do not offer typing and the students can't afford expensive typing classes at private schools. We want to fill the gap," Ms Nutcharej said. Ms Natnaree said she has many plans for the centre, but the limited budget has put them on hold. Experienced volunteers leaving for "real jobs" is another problem. Now the women are trying to recruit new volunteers. Busy with their community work, Ms Nutcharej and Ms Natnaree have little time with their own problems. As students at Rajabhat Institute in Chiang Rai, they owe their college tuition for one semester. What they earn as community volunteers is not enough to cover the costs. But their main concerns are for the teenagers in their village. They know the problems these young women face are far more serious. "We've found sexual abuse and related problems are really serious in our community but we simply do not talk about them. I think the situation is the same in other villages as well," said Ms Natnaree. That is why the duo plan to extend their counselling services to other villages in Paan district. "We would like girls who are victims of sexual abuse to know where they can get help. And we want to prevent more girls from getting involved in the sex trade," said Ms Natnaree. "Our young women deserve a better life." Info for donations : Name of organisation: Soon Puea Nong Ying Address: Soon Puea Nong Ying, 2 Moo 10, Ban Mae Kaew Nuea, tambon Mae Oor, Pann district, Chiang Rai province, 57120. Contact persons: Natnaree Luangmoi and Nutcharej Tarinthorn. Tel: (053) 671-043 (from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or (053) 671-145 (after 5 p.m.) To support their project, you can send a cheque payable to Post Publishing Public Company Limited (for Soon Puea Nong Ying) to Mrs Kusuma Mintakhin, Editorial Manager, 136 Na Ranong Road, off Sunthorn Kosa, Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110. Her telephone number is 240-3700 ext 3224-5. 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