Report: Kindergarten Renovation in a Karen Village
Naoto
This is Sakata from ManiTabi. Thanks to your generous support, we were able to rebuild the kindergarten school building.
Here we report on the process leading up to the completion.
1. Background
In early November 2025, the school was hit by heavy rain. The aging roof had holes in it, allowing water to seep in. As water accumulated in the ceiling, it eventually caused the ceiling to collapse.
As a result, the children were forced to study in the staff room, losing their proper learning environment. Securing a new place to study became an urgent matter.
For more details on the background, please refer to the article below.
ManiTabi 
2. Fundraising and Renovation Process
our previous report, we conducted fundraising primarily among those who had visited Huai Ikan village and ManiTabi followers.
In total, 21 people contributed, and we raised 156,552 baht (approximately 780,000 JPY).
Using the donations received, Yati from the village took the lead and drove the renovation work forward.
Not only contractors and carpenters, but also the villagers themselves rolled up their sleeves and worked together.
The roof tiles were replaced one by one.
All the old roof tiles were removed and replaced with new ones, one at a time.
Materials for the ceiling were brought in by a large truck,
and the villagers and professional carpenters worked together to complete a wonderful school building.
The final costs for the renovation are as follows:
■ Total Project Cost: 155,750 THB(approx. 780,000 JPY)
| Purpose | Amount (THB) | Description |
| ① Construction & Repair Materials | 107,150 | Purchasing of building materials and equipment including roof and ceiling |
| ② Construction & Labor | 25,000 | Construction fees for local craftspeople |
| ③ Transportation & Vehicle | 5,000 | Fuel and vehicle costs for transporting materials to the mountain area |
| ④ Village Labor & Miscellaneous | 18,600 | Labor, food, and other miscellaneous expenses for village residents |
The remaining 802 baht will be kept in reserve for any future needs.
3. The Completed Building
Thanks to the efforts of everyone in the village, the new school building has been successfully completed.
The classrooms have been transformed into bright, clean spaces where children can learn with peace of mind.
It's hard to believe the ceiling once collapsed — now a sturdy roof and walls stand guard over the children.
"It's not just repaired — it's brand new!" — and the children were absolutely overjoyed!
4. The Completion Ceremony
In Thailand, it is customary to hold a merit-making ceremony (Tham Bun) when a new building or home is constructed.
During the ceremony, monks are invited to chant sutras and pray for the prosperity and safety of all those connected to the building. It is a deeply rooted tradition in Thai daily life, involving offerings and prayers.
For this school renovation, the ceremony was held on March 12 (Thursday) with the whole school participating, and I had the honor of attending on behalf of all supporters.
Children from 10 villages attend the school, and each village prepares offerings for the ceremony.
Many people connected to the school attended, including members of the district education board, representatives from the Royal Project, and members of the local community.
I also had the opportunity to give a speech on behalf of all supporters.
We have also received the following message from the school principal.
We extend our deepest and most heartfelt gratitude to all supporters who offered their kindness.
It is our greatest joy to have received your support in repairing our deteriorated and dangerous kindergarten building.
We pray that the virtuous merit you have accumulated will bring boundless happiness and prosperity to you and your families.
We also received the following message from the kindergarten teachers.
Thanks to your support, the children's classroom has been transformed into an incredibly welcoming place.
All staff at Huai Tong School sincerely thank everyone who offered their goodwill. We pray from the bottom of our hearts that you and your families will always be blessed with good health and happiness.
We also heard from the mother of a child attending the kindergarten:
Thank you so much. I'm so relieved my daughter can go to school safely. There is some support for mountain schools, but it's never quite enough. I'm so happy that a safe learning environment for the children has been created.
Hearing this made me truly feel the impact of the support we were able to provide.
5. Closing
Once again, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed.
None of this would have been possible alone, but thanks to everyone's support, we were able to deliver meaningful, tangible help.
ManiTabi's primary business is travel. However, we aim for community-rooted tourism, and for that to work well, the lives of local community members must be fulfilling.
We will continue doing what we can, one step at a time, to contribute to the lives of the local community.
Once again, thank you sincerely for your support.
