Margaret Grainger is a one off. Her day is devoted to helping the underprivileged children of Pattaya. She runs a day care centre for 50 plus children from the slum area to provide the time for their parents to work. She visits the local prison 3 times per week to help the children who have been caught up with the problems of their parents who have been arrested. She makes regular visits to slums in Pattaya and is also involved with City Hall to educate children to the dangers of online liaisons.
There are also 50 children that have been fortunate enough to have been given a scholarship courtesy of Margaret’s contacts and to cap it all, she is training for the Cross Bay Swim to raise funds for her various projects.
Margaret, Pye and William.
You would think that all this activity would occupy all of her time but, unbelievably, she has found a little bit extra to start something new.
There are a number of children in Banglamung Hospital that come from poor families and suffer from all manner of ailments including respiratory problems, intolerance to their mother’s milk, premature birth, etc. Neither the hospital nor the families have the financial capacity to provide everything that is needed, very often, not even being able to buy nappies/diapers. With this information Hand to Hand will decide if they can help in an immediate, practical way or in the longer term but during the last week, they have attended to 23 children between the ages of 0 and 10. The nursing staff are aware of the help that Hand to Hand can provide and, as such, will contact them to arrange an immediate visit, particularly in the case of an emergency.
A volunteer with a very young baby.
There is an ongoing problem with babies that need specialised formula milk that neither the family nor hospital can afford. It is a special dried milk that comes from a supplier in Bangkok and has all the nutrients babies require and is a substitute for the mother’s milk. They are currently helping an 8 month old baby who was born premature. His parents had to leave him to go back to work and are unable to visit him, mainly from a transport perspective. He has a number of medical issues and the outcome of these is that he is only the size and weight of a 2 month old. He has never had visitors or been held by any other than the nursing staff.
Fortunately, she has the help and dedication of some great volunteer staff and one in particular, Pye, who is as devoted to the children as Margaret and is ever present.
Pattaya Sports Club are always happy to help Hand to Hand whenever possible but if you feel you would like to help in any way, please contact Margaret on 0890936067 or William at Pattaya Sports Club on 0861522754 or look at their web page handtohandpattaya.com Any help would be more than welcome. Give her a ring, Margaret will be pleased to receive the call.
A volunteer with 2 of the older children.
Just a few of the children.
The sleep of the innocence.
