Did You Know…?
that 47% of 15-year-olds attending village schools in Thailand are functionally illiterate?
While Thailand continues to grow in productivity and opportunity, certain regions like the North and Northeast continue to lag behind in productivity. One of the biggest shames is that even when kids are in school, they don’t always receive the level of quality in education they need to compete and succeed.
This is why the staff at The Freedom Story who mentor our scholarship kids not only help get scholarships to keep kids in school, they work closely with the students to find the schools that are the best match, and they often serve as advocates for our students, to help them get into better schools and pursue better educational opportunities.
In Their Words
According to the student surveys in our Social Impact Assessment…
- 88% of the students reported that they are confident they will complete their educational goals
- Almost all of the students expressed a desire to complete their education
- About 95% reported that they believe education has made their lives better
- 88% reported they are happy to be in school
and… - Almost all of the students reported that The Freedom Story scholarship has made them realize they have more options for the future. They report having greater hope for the future, and that The Freedom Story has improved their lives.
Change Is Coming
There are no quick fixes to ending trafficking, but imagine what these kids can accomplish if given a chance. What’s more…imagine what their children can accomplish, when raised by parents who were able to achieve more than ever before. This generation is just the beginning!
Dr. Jade Keller is the Thailand Program Advisor and Editor for The Freedom Story (formerly The SOLD Project). After receiving a PhD in Political Science from UC Santa Barbara, she moved with her family to northern Thailand in 2010 to work in child trafficking prevention, education, and helping to raise awareness. She currently writes from Berlin.
