Goodwill Group is a private Thai foundation initially established in Bangkok in December 2000 as an English language school for disadvantaged Thai women. The scope of our services has since evolved to include computer skills training and job placement as well. The mission of Goodwill Group is to improve the quality of life of young Thai women via skills training and career services. The underlying philosophy of our organization is best found in the words of Ruby Manikan, "If you educate a man you educate a person, but if you educate a woman you educate a family." In a male-oriented society where education opportunities for the poor are few, women are less likely to receive them. Most of our students have migrated to Bangkok from the Northeast and are working to support not only themselves but their parents and quite often, children living upcountry with them. With little education and few job skills, these women often face a lot of pressure, both direct and indirect, to enter the sex industry. The lack of universal access to education is a major challenge in Thailand, yet we believe that women are more in need of a helping hand so that is where we have placed our focus.
We are a school, a community center and a job placement center in one, we offer:
English and computer skills training to fit busy schedules
Assistance in career planning and life management, counseling
a women's center where women can network and make new friends
free internet access via our 8-unit PC center
We are fortunate to be in a major metropolitan area where we can leverage the abundant availability of English teachers. Our teachers are all volunteers and they are our most valuable asset. They tend to be working professionals, both Thai and expatriates, some are qualified English teachers, all share our desire to change lives. Goodwill Group makes use of a volunteer teaching model in order to maximize use of donated funds. So instead of paying teacher salaries, after meeting our small administrative costs we are able to spend donations directly on training programs for the students.
