History of HBO Kids Thailand
In 1993, Mr. Apinat Wanitwattananan, a pastor in the Akha village of Jakham Noi in the Doi Maesalong District of Chiang Rai, Thailand, wanted to help children in remote hill tribe villages that had no access to education. Many remote mountain hill tribe villages have no schools.
For both orphans and many kids in need, it is particularly difficult in these remote villages.
The children may live with an extended family member like an auntie or grandparent. Often these children are sold into prostitution or enter into the drug trafficking trade at a young age.
Mr. Apinat began the House Bethesda Orphanage with a small donation and built two bamboo houses for the children to live in. After two years he was able to secure enough funds from donations to construct a simple cement building for the children. This was damaged in a storm and eventually, and they built a larger structure that had separate dormitories and toilets for the boys and girls. Later a kind donor from Germany provided an annual donation for the funding of food for the orphanage. Unfortunately, in 2010 he became ill and had to stop his support.
Following this, it was not easy to get steady funds for the orphanage. There has not been a steady support system since 2010 that guarantees the continuation of the orphanage. In 2000, House Bethesda Orphanage had a total of 47 children. Over the following years, the funds received from Germany were reduced due to the revaluation of the Thai Baht (from 48 to 32 to 1 USD). Therefore, the orphanage had to reduce the number of children to 30 children.
HBO Kids Thailand. Chiang Rai