Sustainable development, community participation and capacity building

EDF's mission is for a better future for disadvantaged children through School Based Development, and provides programs and scholarships for children not only in Thailand, but Myanmar, Viet Nam, Cambodia and Laos.

EDF works with local government organisations to recommend and screen students applying for scholarships. Over 30 years, they have developed strong networks of organisations that understand the needs of the local communities, and work together to develop the capacity of the rural communities that they operate in.

Five main programs

1. Lower Secondary Scholarship Program: for impoverished students
2. Upper Secondary/Vocational Scholarship Program: for students with good academic performance from impoverished families.
3. Capacity Building Scholarship Program for Children with Disabilities
4. “Under the Same Sky” Scholarships Program for orphaned students in the 3 violence-affected southernmost provinces of Thailand.
5. Learning & Life Improvement Projects for students and schools in remote rural areas. These projects include, for example, agriculture knowledge and career skills improvement, ICT education development, library, school bank, health promotion and youth educational camp.

Scholarships are not their only superpower

EDF develop networks with students, schools, other NGO's, organisations and communities to strengthen community power and their sustainability. These initiatives include:

• Agriculture and Career Development - developing skills and business income
• Health Promotion Programs that promote overall wellness, health care to families and communities
• Internship Programs where other local or international students visit and learn how EDF works to improve quality of life and develop cultural exchange
• Informational Technology Projects that focus on improving technology resources, so that students have more access to quality education

I created this 'wordle' below as a powerful way to highlight some of the key strategies that EDF use to empower students to learn. You can see that their programs empower not only the students but their whole community.

To learn more about their programs, I encourage you to visit their website now.