Our Saturday School English project is doing well and is in its 3rd month. We look forward to expanding it to cover more school years groups, as well as introducing tourism based English for adult groups from the arts, crafts and tourism sector. Our new range of cured bamboo, knock down mushroom houses, greenhouses, intelligent playgrounds and more are attracting attention. They allow Track of the Tiger's corporate team building, visiting schools and volunteer groups the opportunity to undertake small CS and CSR projects, that can be completed in less than 4hrs., do not require construction skills, and have a lasting impact that far exceeds their cost.
We are now in a position to offer modest subsidies (accommodation, meals, incidental expenses, work permit) to medium term (6-12 month) volunteers with the skill sets we need to move forward.
The Volunteers Without Borders Foundation was pleased to receive 18 students and teachers from the J.A. Williams School Alberta, Canada, who came to us via Exo Travel.
The selected project was a mushroom house established at the KRP Klang Uppatum School, in Doi Lor. (150-170 students, 19 teachers, est. 1979.
The project will generate 2-3 times it cost in mushroom value – to add to school meals or sold locally to fund books and/or part time English teachers.
After 5 months, the structure remains and the school (or donors) fund new mushroom substrate to repeat the process. The bamboo built mushroom house is good for 2-3 years, longer if cured bamboo is used.
Day 1. The group, assisted by local school children, prepared and filled 1000 bags with substrate which would be steamed to remove impurities, and then inoculated with mycelium. Lunch was cooked on site, and the group were accommodated at Sanpatong Experiential Education Centre.
Day 2. The bag filling was completed, and the bamboo mushroom house erected, leaving only the steaming, inoculation and loading of the mushroom bags onto the racks prepared for them, by the local students and teachers. After lunch there was an award ceremony with thanks expressed by the school headmaster, and certificates were given to each individual in the group.
Prior to leaving, the group left a further donation which will be used to establish a greenhouse near the school kitchen, and will further help to assist in cost savings/increased nutrition.
As is the policy of all involved, the full amount raised for the project was spent on the project, and logistics (accommodation, meals, transport, supervision) were charged separately, ensuring complete transparency.
Since selling our Pang Soong Lodge property (now a private company retreat) a few years back, where we used to host IB ESS/Biology teachers workshops, we have been looking for a replacement venue for environmental studies. We have now identified 14 investigation sites within 45 minutes of our new SEEC (Sanpatong Experiential Education Centre) that combined with our on-site laboratory and equipment, allow us to meet the environmental education requirements of the IB and other systems.
Within the last two months we have received groups from both R.P Lawyers, HK, and Mölnlycke Health Care, Singapore for our Chiang Mai City Challenge.
The recent upgrades to challenge quality provides more hands-on cultural/arts/crafts activities that afford greater interaction with the locals, and ensure good facilitators are with the group to maximise the benefit of the experience, whilst minimising the chance of cultural faux pas.
Optional 'assessment tools' have been added, to allow those who want them to find out (confidentially) where their strengths and weakness lie as a team member.