Tonight on my security round here at work I was thinking of the best ways to donate money to the Mae Sot dump families this coming trip. Last trip I was able to donate about $200 this time around I want to try for $300. I have 3 options, I can donate to a local expat run charity that helps the families, I can donate to a local school (did that last trip) that has around 100 Burmese children students or I can donate directly to the families (just thought of another way, there is also a local free medical clinic I should be able to donate to).
On my rounds I was thinking of how to do the direct family donations. Last time I gave rice and other food goods plus a bit of small money directly to various family groups around the dump, some homes I donated to more than once, others I missed entirely. I want to be more equal this time around and donate to everyone. When I donate directly to the families I have found its usually best to give it to the woman in charge, most times woman are much more disciplined in the use of money and do not waste in on pursuits such as drinking or gambling. If you give money to the mother of the home you can pretty well be assured she will use it on her family.
On my rounds I was thinking of how to do the direct family donations. Last time I gave rice and other food goods plus a bit of small money directly to various family groups around the dump, some homes I donated to more than once, others I missed entirely. I want to be more equal this time around and donate to everyone. When I donate directly to the families I have found its usually best to give it to the woman in charge, most times woman are much more disciplined in the use of money and do not waste in on pursuits such as drinking or gambling. If you give money to the mother of the home you can pretty well be assured she will use it on her family.
My patrol donation thought was as follows. What if I go to every shack (family home) on the dump site and give 100 baht to the mother/grandmother. I am not sure how many families are around the dump probably more than 30, maybe 40-50. At 100 baht each ( about $3.40 each) that works out to around $136+ CAD. $3.40 does not sound like a lot of money but its probably a days wages for an entire family. I can give out $140 or $150 out that way, direct to the people and donate the rest of the $300 to the school, clinic or expat charity. I will also make food donations of rice, canned fish etc. direct to the homes like I did last trip, that seemed to work out quite well. I would need to make the 100 baht donations to all the homes on the same day so no one will feel left out, I do not want anyone to have bad feelings or jealousies.
More thought needed on this, but I think its the way I might go. I would do it on the first day I return to the dump, many people know me there but many do not so it should be a happy exciting way to meet the new people and re-meet the old ones. I hope to get an extra security shift at work, a day shift during Christmas or Boxing day, with that extra money earned I can give a small Christmas present to every family at the dump.
