Baan Unrak
Baan Unrak is the Thailand branch of Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team Ladies or AMURTEL. It is a non-government, non-religious, non-political community development project aimed at providing help and support to the neediest of the society.[1]
History
Baan Unrak was founded in 1990 when Donata Dolci, also known as Didi Devamala. At that she was managing an agricultural project in Sangkhlaburi where an abandoned woman with her child met her and asked her to take care of her child as she was unable to do so. Didi Devamala later told—
Many villagers in the area live by harsh conditions. They saw what I was doing with the children and trusted me. They were the one to bring the children and mother at risk. In most of the cases I did not have the heart to say no.
That was the uunofficial beginning of Baan Unrak. The number of children staying at the house increased day by day, and Baan Unrak grew to become a children's shelter. Currently there are more than 130 children living at this place. The project is managed by Didi Devamala, local staff and by volunteers.
Projects
Baan Unrak in Thai language means "House of Joy". Their biggest project is a children's home that gives shelter to more than 13 needy children. Other than the children's home they have also founded and are running a primary school for children. They have a project for women too where they provide vocational training, jobs and English lessons to single mothers and women.
Baan Unrak Children's Home
The children's home was founded in 1991 as a home for orphans and destitute children. It is currently home to over 140 children, as well as several single mothers. All of the mothers and 80% of the children at Baan Unrak are refugees from Myanmar (or Burma) which borders the district.
The children are taught to lead a vegetarian lifestyle and practice meditation and yoga regularly. Besides receiving an education, they are engaged in various holistic activities such as gardening, art, music and dance.