Building for a Good Cause

The Year 12/13 Community Service trip to Thailand earlier this month was a huge success. Fifty St Christopher’s students worked tirelessly to help build the foundations of a new school building for BanPongHai School which is located in a remote mountain village. In between mixing cement, painting  and carrying bricks, students also packed in a wide range of adventure activities including rafting, rock climbing, archery and team building exercises. Local culture was also sampled with visits to a hilltop temple, Thai cookery classes and a morning’s trek to visit a mountain tribe based in the forest close to the Burmese border.

For many the highlight of the trip was working and playing alongside the Thai children at BanPongHai school. Despite the language barrier, our students played games and sports with the Infant and Junior school children and we were treated to a fantastic ceremony of thanks at the end of the week lead by the School Principal. Our relationship with this area of Thailand is now in its sixth year and many of the students have been so enthused by this experience that they are already planning fundraising activities in advance of a return journey in 2013. Our aim is to raise money to sponsor a child for three years of their education –  watch this space! Well done to everyone who took part.