CONNECT NGO  Network  Meeting  

Humanitarian  Affairs  Asia  

 

 

 

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On   February   5,   2013,  Humanitarian   Affairs   Asia   was  invited   to   attend   the   Network  Meeting   of   different   children’s  welfare  organisations  in  Pattaya  City,   Thailand.   The   networking  and   information   session   was  coordinated   by  MERCY   Pattaya  to   bring   together   all   those  who  were   working   to   help  underprivileged   children   in  Pattaya   City,   including   areas  near   it   such   as   Chonburi,   Nong  Prue  and  Banglamung.    Among   those   who   attended  were   representatives   from  government,   non-­‐government  and   private   organisations   that  either   gave   aid   to   children   in  the  form  of  educational  support,  feeding   programmes,   shelter,  and   rehabilitation   and   rescue  from  abuse.    In   the   three   hours   allotted   for  the  meeting,  organisations  were  given  five  to  ten  minutes  to  give  their  presentations.  The  resolve  of  the  session  was  a  compilation  

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of   new   strategies   to   tackle   the  problems   of   the   organisations  and   an   expanded   network   of  support   to   member  organisations.    Synergy    Synergy   is   defined   as   the   “the  interaction   or   cooperation   of  two   or   more   organizations,  substances,   or   other   agents   to  produce   a   combined   effect  greater   than   the   sum   of   their  separate  effects.”      The   Network   Meeting   last  Tuesday   had  Pastor  Allan  Ward  of   MERCY   Pattaya   share   the  importance  of  working  together.  The   session   had   a   goal   of  forming   a   synergy   amongst   the  organisations  that  were  present  that  day.  It  was  a  call  to  various  networks   and   institutions   to  come  together  to  better  help  the  disadvantaged   children   of  Pattaya.      The   meeting   began   by  presenting   a   map   of   Pattaya  City.   Instructions  were   given   to  

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the  NGO  representatives  to  plot  the   locations   of   their  headquarters   to   provide   the  attendees   with   a   geographical  overview   of   their   network  partners.   Each   organisation  then   had   to   discuss   about   their  background,   programmes   and  services   that   they   may   offer   to  the   rest   of   the   network.   From  hereon,   the   attendees  considered   the   different   ways  they  can  share  resources  to  help  one  another.    The  Beneficiaries    The   organisations   that   were  invited   to   the   meeting   all   had  programmes   revolving   around  the   welfare   of   children.   They  catered   to   youths   who   were  either   one   or   more   of   the  following:,   impoverished,  homeless,   uneducated,  malnourished,   handicapped,  mentally   ill,   in   conflict  with   the  law,  and  sexually  and  physically  abused.   Apart   from   working  with   just   children,   the   invited  organisations   catered   to  a  wide  demographic   of   disadvantaged  

Humanitarian  Affairs  Asia  At  the  Pattaya  NGO  Network  Meeting  

 

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communities.    Some   organisations   had  programmes   that   gave   skills  training   for   poor   families   and  welfare   protection   for   women.  Father  Ray  Foundation  provides  support   to   850   students  involved   in   technical   training.  They   also   give   care   to   elderly  foreigners   who   no   longer   have  families   with   them.   Other  organisations   have   emergency  homes   for   lost   children   whose  cases   are   being   investigated.  Some   organisations,   like   the  Fountain   of   Life   Foundation,  open   their   shelters   to  Cambodian  children.    A  Call  for  Strategy    The   organisations   shared   the  challenges  they  faced  in  running  their  operations.  Many  were  still  struggling   because   of   a   lack   in  resources.   A   common   problem  was  a  lack  in  capacity  to  provide  shelter   in   emergency   homes.  

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Some   groups   cited   instances  wherein   shelters  were   not   able  to   house   children   and   families  who   go   to   them   for   help.   Not  every  child   could  easily  be  sent  to   other   homes   because   of   the  complexity  of  their  cases.    It   was   at   times   like   these  wherein   a   supportive   network  caught   the   problems   of   these  organisations.   Since   each   one  worked   with   a   specific  marginalised   sector,   it   was  helpful   for   the   organisations   to  know   the   others’   areas   of  specialty   in   handling   unique  cases.  Whenever  the  need  arose,  the  organisations  looked  for  the  right  institutions  that  could  take  on  a  certain  case.      The   Chonburi   Child  Development   and  Rehabilitation   Centre   once   had  a   case   involving   a   Syrian  refugee  family  of  nine.  Although  they  were  based   in  Pattaya,   the  Centre   scouted   for   the   right  

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organisation   outside   the   city  that   could   take   care   of   the  family.   They   found   help   in   the  form  of   a  Muslim   centre   all   the  way  in  Bangkok.      Pitching  In    The  attendees  of   the  session  all  agreed   that   a   stronger   network  was   crucial   for   them   to   reach  more   disadvantaged  communities.   They   discussed  how   they   could   improve   their  collaborations.   MERCY   Pattaya  was   prepared   to   facilitate   the  discussion.   Aside   from   the  Pattaya   City   map,   they   brought  out  posters  for  the  presenters  to  use   as   visual   aids   and  introduced   tools   for   analysis   to  lead   the   group   to   good  strategies  for  cooperation.      Government   bodies   that   dealt  with   children’s   welfare  explained   the   services   they   can  provide  to  aid  NGOs  and  private  groups   with   their   operations.  

 

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Hope  for  Children  Teamwork  is  important  for  the  organisations   that   are   working  to   help   the   disadvantaged  children  of  Pattaya.      Aside   from   Humanitarian  Affairs   Asia,   these   are   some   of  the   organisations   that   have  committed   themselves   to  sharing   their   resources   and  expertise   to   reach   out   to   as  many  children  as  possible:      

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MERCY  Centre  Pattaya  Friendly  Home  Fountain  of  Life  Father  Ray  Foundation  Pattaya  Slum  Ministry  Take  Care  Kids  Foundation  Baan  Ruemjai  Hand-­‐to-­‐Hand  YWCA  Pattaya  World  Vision  Thailand  Banglamung  Boys’  Centre  Chonburi   Child   Development  and  Rehabilitation  Centre  Pattaya  Orphanage  

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World   Vision   Thailand   offered  their   service   that  would   add   to  the   efficiency   in   the   work   of  NGOs.   They   provided   a   system  for   sorting   and   storing   data   on  beneficiaries   who   almost  always   sought   their   help  without   carrying   identification  documents   with   them.   This  allowed   organisations   to   check  for   histories   with   any   other  institutions   through   fingerprint  and  headshot  identification.      Even   the   simple   sharing   of  stories  by  those  who  presented  turned   out   to   be   insightful   for  the   participants.  Representatives   from   the   local  government   of   Nong   Prue  appreciated   the   what   each  presentor   had   to   share.  Although   they  were   not   able   to  present   for   this   session,   they  were  thankful  to  be  going  home  with   new   ideas   on  how   to   help  the   poor   communities   in   their  district.    Building  Solid  Relationships    That  Tuesday  morning  saw  a  lot  of  name  cards  being  exchanged.  Questions   that   were   raised  were   met   with   useful   advice  that   made   the   attendees   eager  to   go   back   and   help   their  

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respective   communities   with  the  new  insights  they  gained.    Those   involved   in   this   growing  network   aimed   to   revive   the  regular  meetings   that  was   once  discontinued.  This   time  around,  the   members   of   the   network  have   committed   themselves   to  improving   their   programmes  through   constant   updates   and  meeting  once  every  two  months  for  their  networking  sessions.      Last   Tuesday’s   meeting   proved  to   be   more   than   just   a   regular  assembly   for   the   members   of  the   network.   It   was   a   venue   to  explore  new  ideas  and  methods  that   can   be   utilized   by  

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humanitarians  who  have  been   in  the  development  sector   for  more  than  a  decade  and  for  months-­‐old  volunteers   who   were   slowly  getting   exposed   to   the   field.   It  was   a   support   group   for   the  support-­‐givers   who   found  fellowship  and   purpose   in   giving  hope   to   the   disadvantaged  children  of  Pattaya  City.      This   newfound   synergy   will  certainly   boost   the   impact   of   the  organisations.   Together,   this  network   will   be   able   extend   the  good  work  of  each  group  to  more  children   needing   their   care   and  love.  

 

 

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Q:  What  did  you  think  of  the  meeting?  A:  I  think  the  meeting  was  very  fruitful.  This  was  the   first   time   we   actually   had   a   meeting   with  those   people   who   were   working   with   children,  not   only   from   the   NGOs   but   the   government   as  well.   Even   a   [representative   of   the   Thai]   police  was  also  there.      For   me,   it   was   a   first-­‐hand   observation   of   how  different  organisations  work  together,  what  were  the   resources   that   they   lacked,   what   were   the  services  they  provided,  what  were  the  challenges  they   faced   and   how,   together   as   a   group  representative   of   different   organisations   can  work  together  so  that  the  problem  that   they   face  can   reduce   the   number   of   children   in   traffic   or  being   abused,   or   children,   women   and   families  who   really   need   help.   And   also,   we   had   the  meeting   for   us   to   know   about   each   other,  especially   NGOs   because   there   were   so   many  NGOs   but   we   didn’t   know   each   other.   This   was  actually  a  good  networking  session  for  us  to  get  to  know  each  other  and  to  help  each  other  out  when  there  is  a  need.    Q:   Is   it   your   first   time   to   attend   such   an  engagement?  A:  This  was  the   first   time,   for  me,   in  Thailand   to  attend   such  a  briefing   here   in   Pattaya.   The  main  objective   for   HA   coming   here   was   basically   to  understudy  what   other  NGOs   that  were  working  in  Pattaya  were  doing  so  that  we  can  have  a  better  idea  of  how  we  can  reach  out  to  these  groups  and  how   we   can   deploy   our   volunteers   to   some   of  these  homes.    Q:  What   was   the  most   striking   point   you   got  from  the  meeting?  A:   The   most   striking   point   that   I   saw   from   the  meeting   was   that   everyone   was   actually   very  eager  to  come  together  and  work  together.  To  me,  it  was  like  a  team  effort   that  everyone  wanted  to  come   together   instead   of   competing   with   one  another,  instead  of  trying  to  say  “how  much  I  have  done?”   “how   much   they   have   done?”   but   they  actually   wanted   to   come   together   and   combine  resources   to   help   each   other   out   to   do   more.   I  guess   what   I   liked   about   this   meeting   was  teamwork.    

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Q:  Is  there  anything  else  you  would  like  to  add  about  your  experience?  A:  Something  that  I  observed  during  the  meeting,  just   not   about   those   who   were   around   and  attended,   I   realised   that   we   always   have   to   be  flexible  and  creative  in  how  we  use  our  resources.  For  example,  the  table  that  they  had  was  used  as  a  flip  chart.      You  know,  table  is  a  table  but  you  can  actually  use  it   as   something   else.   What   I   learned   is   that  sometimes   you   have   to   be   flexible   and   use  whatever  we  have.  It’s  the  same  with  these  NGOs  and  government  bodies.  They  try  to  use  whatever  resources   they   have   to   reach   out   to   as   many  communities  as  they  can.      Also,  a  lot  of  the  people  who  came,  they  have  been  in   this   industry   for   many   years—15   years,   20  years—and  I  really  salute  them  for  the  good  work  that   they   are   doing.   It’s   not   an   easy   task   to  overcome   because   there   are   a   lot   of   challenges  working  with  children  and  families,  and  also  to  be  able   to  work   together   in   tandem  with  policy  and  law   because   it’s   important   that   the   NGOs   are  doing   their   work   and   they   are   working   in  accordance  with   the   laws   and   policies   set   up   by  the  government.  

 

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