Thailand Updates from Farm Director, Alyson Wells
Today we'd like to share the successes of one of our partnering organizations, ZOE International, in Chiang Mai, Thailand. ZOE International began 20 years ago with a call to rescue children from human trafficking. ZOE, a word that means “life” in Greek, tells precisely what ZOE International seeks to do: rescue all at-risk children from human traffickers, giving them a new life through healing and opportunities for a better future. FFC partnered with ZOE International in 2017 to construct a 2,400-square-foot greenhouse and a 12,000-gallon recirculating aquaponic system, which provides fresh fish and leafy greens to the precious ZOE children. Since its inception, the farm has recorded yields of over 5,000 pounds of fish and greens, and in 2022 more than doubled their average annual yield!
In Thailand, upon completing year 9, students can opt to move into the workforce and not continue their education. This past March, ZOE held a graduation celebration for 9th-grade graduates, and all ZOE graduates chose to continue their education! ZOE’s transitional program continues supporting children after they leave, helping them navigate living independently, working, and furthering their studies. This quarter ZOE celebrated one student’s completion of high school and four students’ completion of technical college. The ZOE Prevention team conducted 13 on-site outreaches this quarter, educating 2,453 youth about the dangers of human trafficking. So far, in 2023, the ZOE team has distributed 5,360 food boxes to families in need and impacted 1,070 families through additional distribution of food and supplies. We are so grateful to partner with this beautiful organization working endlessly to fight child trafficking and offer a lifetime of love and support to the children of Chiang Mai, Thailand.
If you would like to find out more information about ZOE International, visit their website at gozoe.org. If you would like to donate to FFC or join our Sustainable Partnership Program, which supports our work in helping create sustainable solutions for organizations like ZOE International, please do so here. This work would not be possible without you. Thank you so much!