CHILDREN at the Phuket Has Been Good To Us foundation aren’t used to having their birthdays celebrated or even acknowledged, but recently a party was held for twenty-two children at the King’s Fund School in Kamala where they live.

Out of the group, seven of the children didn’t know their exact ages or birthdates. Plai, a new boy at the foundation is maybe 11 or 12 years old, but 25 September was now his birthday too.

“The residential children end up at the school because they have no parents, or parents who for one reason or another can’t cope with raising them,” says volunteer Graham Haslam. In total, Phuket Has Been Good To Us provides English classes for 600 students at schools in Kamala and Kalim, plus an after school program called the Coconut Club, just for the 142 residential children.

Opportunities for fun and games are rare for these kids, who eat, sleep, study and do chores at the school. But on this day, the local community and volunteers pitched in to celebrate.

In the school’s top-floor auditorium, festivities included pass the parcel, musical chairs, singing and flour- faced relay races. Volunteers painted the children’s faces with sayings like ‘I Love You,’ and joker smiles. Rockfish restaurant in Kamala donated action figures and colored pencils, and the Banyan Tree Resort brought a dark chocolate cake decked with candles.

It is these donations from the community that make many of the foundation’s efforts possible. “Our major funders are local people and businesses,” said foundation Director of Operations Tina Hall, “and our minor funders are local people and businesses.”

Community support has been even more vital since the passing of founder Tom McNamara last year. After striking gold with his popular Baan Rim Pa restaurant and piano bar in Patong, McNamara started the foundation to give back to the community that had been good to him. The board of directors, including McNamara’s wife, Khun Pensri, is strategising new ways to fund his legacy, now with hundreds of children under its wing.

“Our goal is to teach these kids through to graduation from the school, and to keep the program expanding,” says Vice Chairman Peter Hamilton. “But it is financially quite demanding and will involve more volunteers and sponsorship.” In total, the foundation runs on a four million baht budget, rising to five million this year when they hire an additional English teacher.

The volunteers, who donate their time gratis to teach English, play sports, and do administrative work have been the lifeblood of the foundation. Recently, sponsors have stepped in to pay expenses of an individual child, 23 children sponsored in all.

“Residential children really touch a cord with the sponsors and it’s been successful so far,” says Hamilton.

Donations large and small help the foundation put on activities like Friday’s birthday party. Second-hand children’s clothing, used printers and transportation are also some of the needs the foundation is looking to fill. Kamala Dreams Hotel, for example, will be offering their pool for swim lessons, but with one small problem. “None of our students have swimming outfits or towels,” says Hall.

Australian tourists Andreas Pengilly and Glen Orrock raised over $300 UD at a school cookout in their hometown of Adelaide to buy the foundation new sports equipment. The success of the birthday party for the children was even sweeter when Penguilly and Orrock presented the kids with their new bats, balls and full cricket set.

The future of the foundation, which will host upcoming events like an art exhibition in December and a charity golf tournament, is looking brighter as more supporters become aware of their growing needs.

While afternoon rains battered the wooden slat windows of the Kamala school building, inside the children were blowing out candles and tossing balloons, enjoying their special day with their friends.

Visit www.phukethasbeengoodtous.org or call 076 278 146.