National News Bureau of Thailand & Radio Thailand Surin coverage of our scholarship program

In October 2014, Fund Isaan was visited by reporters and a camera crew from the National News Bureau of Thailand and Radio Thailand Surin. Articles about our activities were published in a magazine published by the news bureau in Surin and on their nation-wide websites. At the time of this writing, a TV feature on Fund Isaan is also being prepared.

The published article can be read on the following websites (in Thai). A free translation is reproduced below.

Website of the National News Bureau of Thailand
Website of Radio Thailand Surin

Fund Isaan from Belgium provides scholarships for Prasat College
Surin, 29 October 2014

Today at Prasat College in the Prasat district, Surin, Mr. Rony Wuytjens, founder of Fund Isaan together with Mrs. Sasikan Sonaphun, his Thai wife, provide 8 scholarships to students at Prasat College and 2 scholarships for Prasat Wittayakarn School, 12000 THB per scholarship. These students will receive 6000 THB per term until they graduate. All of them are good students, but from poor families. Mr. Suthid Ruadrew, vice chairman at Prasat college, witnessed the handover of the scholarships and his students prepared a nice welcome for Fund Isaan.

Mr Rony Wuytjens, the founder of the Fund, talked with us about his organization through his translator. He told us he used to visit Thailand with his wife, whom he married 10 years ago, and see students go to school without shoes. He talked with his wife and went back to his country to consult with his friends and collect scholarships to provide for students in Isaan. About 5 years ago he started the Fund Isaan foundation.

Before the end of each term, Fund Isaan will travel to Isaan to provide scholarships for the scholarship students. Fund Isaan does not only provide scholarships for students but also sends volunteers to teach English together with Thai teachers, so our students will be ready for the ASEAN community. The Fund also provides computer classes: every school receives 20 computers and an internet connection. For three years after installation of the computers, Fund Isaan will maintain and repair the classroom. After these three years, the classroom receives a completely new set of computers. Around 10 schools in the Isaan area have received computer classrooms from the Fund already.

Mrs. Sasikan Sonaphun said Fund Isaan provides scholarships for students because she does not have any children. When she was young and living in the village, she was poor but still tried to help other when she had the chance. She started by helping people around her village, but soon continued her work around her district and later the whole province. Now the Fund supports over 75 students in various high schools and universities in Isaan.

If you are interested or want more information please contact Fund Isaan at 144 Moo 4 Prasat Thanong, Prasat district, Surin Province 32140 or call Khun Naruemon on +32 3 501 25 94.

Source: Reporter Uthai Manadee. Rewriter Maneerat Chanchaisin.
National News Public Relations. http://thainews.prd.go.th