Yaowawit School Development

 

To gratify your interest in the Yaowawit School Kapong and to let you know more about what is actually happening at the school, you see an insight of the Yaowawit School Development Report Dec 2010 - Jan 2011 by Attapol Bill Jarusathorn, Hotel and Communications Manager at Yaowawit:

Agricultural Development and Progress 

Aside from the purpose of being an agricultural learning centre for our students, Yaowawit agricultural area is starting to become also another pillar of our income or, indirectly, reduces operation cost, by consuming our products from our own land.  

Rice Field 

We had our first harvest in December 2010 with the production of almost 300 kg processed rice, which accounts for almost one-third of our rice consumption per month.To completely cover our monthly consumption of rice, we need 800 kg  of processed rice. From the mid of January we started also to cultivate more land for more rice fields. 9600 square meters  more will be ready for the next rice harvest in March. We are very keen on achieving our first goal of being self sufficient, i.e. to cover one full month of our rice consumption with our own rice and not having to buy outside. 

See pictures: 

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=38526&id=100000181232912

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=52116&id=100000181232912  

 

Palm Oil 

Palm Oil trees had been planted 4 years ago in Yaowawit. They start to produce palm oil from now on and will reach their maximum output from year 7 onwards. The plan is that our700 palm oil trees will regularly generate a significant part of the needed monthly income to support the operation cost of the school and the boarding. 

Vegetable and Green House 

This semester we started to involve more students in the agriculture work and learning centre. In the afternoon during the week days our students are going down to the farm and study and practice how to grow and maintain the plants.  Each group of students is responsible for specific tasks. Their very first assignments are to take care of the vegetable area, in which we grow cucumbers, long beans and morning glory and the green house, in which we want to grow Yaowawit watercress. The students are learning the basics of agriculture in theory, by experiment and through practice. The local agricultural government offices support us a lot, not only by providing seeds but also by sending their experts that teach our students for example how to make different organic fertilizer. Our reward is,  that we all will be proud about being able to eat our own healthily grown vegetable that we do not need to buy. 

 Young Hospitality Team 

Hospitality Centre, from the start, has been one of our important projects concerning our students’ life skills. Our proudly Yaowawit Lodge and Restaurant is a training ground for our students where they gain such a professional experiences. 

The Little Future Lodge Manager 

Lek (means little or small) was in the past an ordinary kid who just about turned teenager. We have observed him and felt that he has a potential to gain more than just playing around with his friends after school. We came to the decision that the boy needs a support to take a big leap toward his great future. That’s how we start to involve him in our Hotel business.Here is a little interview from this little gentleman. 

YW: Hi Lek. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Lek: Hi. I was born in Pissanulok (northern part of Thailand) Then my parent separated and they sent me to live with my Grnamother in Phuket, when I was 12. After that I join the World Vision Organization and they brought me here in Yoawawit. So I joined Yaowawit in grade 4. I’m 17 years old and in Grade 8 now. 

YW: What are you doing now with Yaowawit Lodge? And for how long already?

Lek:  I’m working as an assistant to the Lodge Manager. I started from December 2010.

YW: And what is your task?

Lek: I help out all the Lodge matters as much as I can do. I can be a bell-boy, waiter, kitchen helper, house keeper. 

YW: you have to do all the jobs you mentioned everyday?

Lek : Not exactly. I would mostly dealing with guests, so whenever we have guests I will try to be around. So if any department needs more helping hands, then I will offer mine.

YW: So you are a handy man.

Lek: Yes. But the most important is I have to know general operation and procedure over the Lodge and Restaurant so whenever the manager is not around, I can coordinate with other staffs to maintain the operation smoothly.

YW: How can you work while you study in town during the day? What is your day-to-day routine?

Lek: Monday to Friday when I come back from the school in town at around 4.00, I will go directly to the Lodge Manager office to be updated what is going on during the day such as, the booking, and what service or request need to prepare etc. Then in the evening I will stay near the kitchen and the restaurant to prepare for guest dinner. On Saturday and Sunday I will be stand by all day. If there is no guest I have a special English class every evening with English Speaking Volunteer Teacher.

YW: That is very amazing. We hope you will be success in what you are doing and achieve big things in the future.

Lek: Thank you.

Kitchen Kids 

Boat, Am, Pakkard, and Sumin are the essential part in term of our restaurant service. Whenever they are free from their class, they will come to the kitchen to help on regular basis. Boat, Am, and Pakkard can be rotated to work both in kitchen to help preparing food and in the restaurant as a waiter or a waitress. While Sumin who just start training last November will mostly stand by in the kitchen. Apart form the cooking, they are able to prepare material for cooking, prepare plates and table, wash dishes, take an order etc. Most of my task now is to wash and clean up after the cooking job is done. I need to train a little more in order to serve in the restaurant.” Sumin, the new in the team said. Pa Tui, our head Chef is happy to have these kids to help her out. “If there is many guests at the same time then the kitchen work is hectic. These little hands are big help to the restaurant.” “Even though they are still kids, they have done an excellent jobs. Sometime you need to be patient to teach them a discipline as they will be playing around. However, this is the best place where they can learn more profession skills that will support them in the future” Pa Tui commented.The fascinated fact that the team shines upon is that they always come to help with smiles and enthusiastic feeling. It seems like they have this “service mind” already implant in their heart. 

“I like to wait the table because I can meet many people, especially Farangs (westerners). When they said ‘Thank You’ and satisfied with our food and service that make me happy.” Boat, the most experienced waiter of the team, implied.