About Mercy
Based in Bangkok, the Mercy Centre is a Thailand-registered non-profit founded in 1972 by Fr. Joe and Sr. Maria to serve the Klong Toey community. As a community-based organization, we focus on protecting the city’s most vulnerable and forgotten children through holistic care and education. 82 children reside in our 4 Mercy Homes, while 1,000 students from Bangkok’s poorest areas attend our 17 kindergarten schools.
Father Joe Maier: A Lifetime of Service in Khlong Toei
Father Joseph H. Maier, C.Ss.R., is an American Redemptorist priest who has spent more than 50 years as a beacon of hope in the heart of Bangkok’s largest slum.
Known to the community simply as Father Joe, his life is a testament to the power of presence, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to the “poorest of the poor.”
Our Foundation Friends
Mercy Centre Bangkok partners with corporations across industries to support and educate vulnerable children while
helping you achieve your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) goals with real, meaningful impact.
Over the decades, Mercy Centre Bangkok has cared for tens of thousands of
children across Bangkok’s slums…
The Challenge
In the largest slum of Bangkok, families are living with extreme poverty every single day. Some parents struggle to provide even the most basic necessities, and food, healthcare, and education are often out of reach. This reality can lead to homelessness, orphaned children, and unsafe living conditions. For many children, life begins in hardship and continues without protection or opportunity.
Help break the cycle of poverty and give children the chance to build a better future, one where they can grow, thrive, and become contributing members of society.
Mercy Centre Bangkok: Success Story
My journey: from Mercy to my dreams
”I grew up at Mercy Centre Bangkok, a place that shaped who I am today. Mercy gave me more than a home; it gave me safety, education, guidance, and people who believed in my potential when I was still learning to believe in myself.
Through Mercy’s support, I had the opportunity to study at Garden International School, then at UWC Red Cross Nordic in Norway, where I graduated in 2021. These experiences helped me grow academically, culturally, and personally. I later continued my studies in the United States, earning a degree in Graphic Design at Methodist University in North Carolina.
The journey was not always easy, but every challenge taught me resilience, gratitude, and determination. The foundation Mercy gave me improved my discipline, confidence, and hope, which carried me through each step. Today, I am working in Washington DC as a UX Design Strategist and Digital Brand Manager, helping organizations to create meaningful digital experiences that connect with people. Everything I do now is built on the values Mercy instilled in me: empathy, hard work and the desire to give back.
I am deeply grateful to Mercy Centre, my mother Tan, Father Joe, my teachers, mentors, donors, and everyone who supported me along the way. Mercy did not just help me survive, it helped me dream and achieve. To the children at Mercy: your background does not define your future. With effort, patience and belief in yourself – you can go further than you ever imagined. Thank you, Mercy, for changing my life.”
Fai (Chayapa Mahapol)
Mercy Charity News
Check out what we have been doing.
Building Stronger Communities: How Local Partnerships Protect Children…
Protecting vulnerable children is rarely something a single organisation can do alone. In practice, it…
Why Charity Transparency Matters and How to Check…
Deciding where to give is not always straightforward. With so many organisations asking for support,…
Mercy Centre Bangkok’s Impact
Education
We operate 17 kindergarten schools across Bangkok’s poorest neighborhoods. We provide a high-quality early childhood education to over 1,000 students annually, Ensuring that children from the slums have the foundational skills, nutrition, and confidence needed to succeed in the formal school system.
Mercy Centre’s
Accreditation & Stewardship
A friend is a stranger you have not met yet… Get In touch!
Visit us, our orphanage or one of our schools?
Have an event which could really help our kids? Drop off some much needed supplies? Meet the Smile of Mercy, Prawina, our Public Relations Director! She will be your hostess with the mostess and tell you everything about Mercy. All the interesting facts from 1972 to today! Tours start with a warm welcome, a look around our centre and then a meeting with the kids.
Company, Organization, CSR Project?
We can help you fulfill all your CSR goals. From sponsoring a school, helping with events, school renovations, team building projects & much more. Meet with Mo in Fundraising to discuss how we have partnered with Marriott, BNH, Colgate and other local businesses in Bangkok and how we can help each other.
