Teerawat Dokmai, 14-year boy,  studying in the 8th grade at Baan Nong Bua Chaiwan School, Sri Sa-ket Province, Thailand. He is  one of poor students applying for EDF’s scholarship.

Teerawat lives with his grandmother and other 4 same-age cousins left by relatives in the grandmother’s care. Grandmother was once able to earn money from weaving but she does not do this job anymore due to old age and poor eyesight. Their only income is from Teerawat’s step-father and his mother, working as daily workers in another province who send money to them more or less, depending on the monthly unstable incomes.

Teerawat’s mother was separated from his father since Teerawat was a baby and after that his mother has re married a new person and moved to work as a worker at a piping system factory in Lumlukka District, Pathumthani Province for almost 10 years.

Teerawat’s teacher told us that “Teerawat and his cousins altogether receive a pocket money to school 10-15 Baht  (0.3-0.5 US$) for each day. If their parents send them less money in any month, they won’t have a pocket money and teachers will always share them lunch.

As for the study, Teerawat does not score a good grade. He is quiet and withdrawn from others which may be because of lack of family warmth and support when he was young. However, he wants to continue to study in hogher level because he wants to get a good job and a good salary for supporting his grandmother.”