Harrow International School encourages its students to treat community service as a fundamental part of their education. Students consider their place in the world, the privileges which are theirs and their ability to improve the lives of others. Contributions to community service are required as part of the annual House Award alongside academic success and co-curricular participation
Student Initiative
Active 10 is a business established by a group of year 10 students with profits going to House Charities. They have been quenching our thirsts on a weekly basis and at major school events selling over 8,000 bottles of drinks and 1,000 snacks and raising a profit of over 60,000 Baht. This has been a remarkable success as a business and as a student venture. The profits also paid entirely for the YWCA hosted Christmas party for Pak Kret childrens’ homes.
Expeditions
Expeditions are an excellent opportunity for students to help others with Year 12 and 13 teaching at schools in Chiang Mai and Koh Chang respectively, year 9s taking part in a beach clean-up operation in Rayong and Year 10s helping out at a Hill Tribe school in Chiang Dao.
Activity Programme
The Community Service activity remains popular and continues to be over-subscribed each term. We welcome children from YWCA, Sparrow Home, Rainbow House and Bann Rajawadee each week at the Early Years Centre. The Roots & Shoots activity uses artistic skills to create things to brighten the environment at some of the Pak-Kret homes and Fair Trade has been addressed at the Enterprise activity. Primary children also meet each week with the nearby Pracha-Uthit school for a peer play activity which has been very successful. A group of Harrow students also visit the Rainbow House orphanage each week during activity time.
Charity Mile
Over 200 students ran the extra mile on Sports Day and raised sponsorship of almost 110,000 Baht for a community centre in Sai Noi, Nonthaburi. This centre will serve over 150 families with disabled children in the province, providing education and a support network which we hope will prevent children being abandoned.
House Charities
Each House has a day to organise fund-raising events for their chosen charity in addition to the money raised through the students coming in casual clothes. We see some House charities regularly in the activities programme and others at different times. The boarders assisted Mr. Prout to arrange a mini-fairground for the children from Baan Rajawadee and Rainbow House on one memorable Sunday afternoon. Byron House have now taken on the Thai Craft Association as their charity, TCA is a non-profit group promoting Fair Trade practices in Thailand.
Primary School
In addition to the weekly activities, Y6 students have completed a trip to Children of the Forrest to meet the children and do some community work. Donations of rice and wash bags have made a real impact and helped lots of people. Year 5 had an activity day with 60 children from the local Duang-Jit Kindergarten and a group of Year 6 students went to post-tsunami Krabi to make a 300,000 Baht donation on behalf of Harrow UK which will sponsor 3 children throughout their school careers.
Parents
We have been delighted at the input we have had from parents this year. Many parents have continued to give generously to charitable events in school and provide sponsorship for which we are grateful. It has also been encouraging to see more parents willing to come and help at weekend charity visits, the Harrow Fair and other special events. Friends of Harrow also continue to lend valuable support.
Summer Programmes
Derby High school visited Harrow for 3 weeks in July, staying in the boarding House and working daily for 6 hours at Ban Fueng Fah, Rainbow House or Rajawadee Girls helping the staff and children at the orphanages. Although it was at times very difficult and challenging, it was a memorable experience for everyone and there were many tears when it came time to return to the UK. On the weekends, the girls experienced some of Thailand, visiting Kanchanaburi and the spectacular Erawan waterfalls. Derby will return next year when we hope to have some Harrow students to assist them.
