About the Human Development Foundation
How We Help The Human Development Foundation, a non-denominational, community-based organization, began in 1974 with…
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Enjoy our latest charity news and blog where we discuss all things Mercy Centre, The Klong Toey Slum, Corporate Social Responsibility and Thailand Charity News.
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Father Joe’s Articles
The latest articles and letters written by Father Joe, from 50 years of life and work with children and communities in Bangkok.
Slaughterhouse at War
Miss Teacher Froggy called three times in ten minutes. Her messages had been totally clear…
Shootout in the Not-So-OK Corral
Nowadays, when people say they’re from Klong Toey, they get a funny look, like they’ve…
When the Pigs Move
They’ve closed the slaughterhouse for almost two months now. Why should that be news? Because…
Slaughterhouse Legends and Codes
Outsiders say the old pig, cattle and water buffalo Slaughterhouse neighborhood at the southeast end…
The Mom Factor
This is a story about children who sell flower garlands on the street corners of…
All Charity News
5 Reasons Education Can Help Break the Cycle of Poverty
Education cannot solve every problem associated with poverty. But it can change what opportunities are available to a child. A child who learns to read, develops confidence, completes school and gains practical skills may have more choices later in life than a child who is denied those opportunities. This is why education is one of...
What Does Child Sponsorship Actually Provide? A Donor’s Guide
When people hear the words “sponsor a child”, they may wonder what sponsorship actually means. Does it pay for school? Does it provide food? Does it help with healthcare? Does the money go directly to one child? And how can sponsoring a child make a meaningful difference over time? These are important questions. Child sponsorship...
The Real Cost of Raising a Child in Thailand
How much does it really cost to raise a child in Thailand? It is a deceptively difficult question. The answer depends on where a family lives, household income, housing, healthcare needs, education, food and many other factors. But one thing is clear: the cost of raising a child involves far more than school fees. For...
Early Childhood Education: 10 Evidence-Based Reasons It Matters
A child’s first years can shape the foundations for everything that follows. During early childhood, children develop rapidly. Their brains, language, social abilities and emotional skills are developing at an extraordinary pace. The experiences they have during these years can influence how prepared they are for school and how confidently they approach learning. For children...
10 Facts About Child Poverty in Bangkok Everyone Should Know
Bangkok is one of Southeast Asia’s largest and most economically important cities. It is also home to communities where families face significant economic and social challenges. For many children, growing up in poverty can mean facing barriers that go far beyond household income. Access to education, healthcare, nutritious food, safe housing, documentation and other essential...
Child Poverty in Thailand: Why Early Childhood Education Matters
Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow and build a secure future. Yet for children growing up in poverty, the barriers to achieving that future can begin very early in life. Poverty is not simply a question of how much money a family earns. For children, it can affect access to education, nutrition, healthcare,...
Building Stronger Communities: How Local Partnerships Protect Children in Bangkok
Protecting vulnerable children is rarely something a single organisation can do alone. In practice, it depends on a web of relationships across a community: schools, local leaders, families, businesses and charities all playing a part. Looking at how these partnerships work helps explain why community-based approaches tend to succeed where isolated interventions fall short. Why...
Why Charity Transparency Matters and How to Check Before You Give
Deciding where to give is not always straightforward. With so many organisations asking for support, how do you know a charity is actually using your donation the way it says it will? Transparency is one of the clearest signals of a well-run organisation, and it is easier to check for than most donors realise. What...
The Legacy of Father Joe Maier: Five Decades of Service in Bangkok’s Slums
Few individuals have shaped a single community as profoundly, or for as long, as Father Joe Maier has shaped Klong Toey. For more than fifty years, this American Redemptorist priest has lived and worked in one of Bangkok’s largest slum communities, and his story is inseparable from the history of Mercy Centre itself. Arriving in...
When Disaster Strikes: How Communities Recover After Fires and Floods
In densely packed, low-income neighbourhoods, a single fire or flood can undo years of stability in a matter of hours. Understanding what recovery actually requires helps explain why fast, community-based emergency assistance matters so much in places like Bangkok’s slum communities. Why Fires and Floods Hit Hardest Here In communities where homes are built close...
How Charities Keep Children Safe: A Look at Child Protection in Practice
Every charity that works with children should have a child protection policy. Far fewer can explain, in practical terms, what that policy actually looks like day to day. Understanding how safeguarding works in practice can help donors, volunteers and parents judge whether an organisation is genuinely putting children’s safety first. What a Child Protection Policy...
Kindergarten and Poverty: Why Early Education Changes Everything
Of all the interventions that can change a child’s future, few are as powerful, or as underrated, as access to a good kindergarten. For children growing up in poverty, that access is often the difference between falling behind before school even starts, and beginning on a level footing with their peers. The Hidden Cost of...
Inside a Children’s Home: What Residential Care Really Looks Like
When people picture an orphanage, they often imagine something out of an old film: rows of beds, a strict routine, and children waiting for a family that never comes. The reality of a well-run children’s home today looks very different. Why Children Enter Residential Care Children come into residential care for many reasons: the loss...
Volunteering in Thailand: What to Know Before You Help Vulnerable Children
Volunteering with vulnerable children can be one of the most rewarding experiences a person has, but it also carries real responsibility. Before you sign up for a volunteering placement in Thailand, it is worth understanding what responsible volunteering looks like, and why good intentions alone are not always enough. Why Short-Term Contact Can Be a...
How to Sponsor a Child in Thailand and What It Really Means
Child sponsorship is one of the most common ways people choose to support a charity, but it is not always clear what that support actually involves. If you are considering sponsoring a child in Thailand, it helps to understand what happens behind the scenes, and what kind of difference your support can make. What Child...
Life in Klong Toey: What Bangkok’s Largest Slum Community Is Really Like
Ask most visitors to Bangkok about Klong Toey, and they may not know the name at all. Yet it is home to tens of thousands of people, tucked between the city’s busiest port and some of its most expensive real estate. For more than fifty years, Klong Toey has also been home to Mercy Centre,...