OUR FOUNDER

Rotjana Phraesrithong (Kru Ae or Mae Jaa for the kids) December 1st 1965 - 24th December 2017 is the founder of the Baan Than Namchai Foundation.

When Rotjana was almost 10-years-old she left home and came to live with her grandmother. Having reached the age of 13, Rotjana was taken by her grandmother work as a cleaner at the Duang Prateep Kindergarten. She cleaned the classrooms and toilets. Each morning, she also woke at 5.00 am to accompany her grandmother to the market to buy fresh produce. After which she helped her grandmother cook in the kitchen for students' lunch. All of this left her no time to play like other children, and no time to spend with friends when she became a teenager. Rotjana's life revolved around work. Nevertheless, despite all the work, she continued to develop herself by studying at night school. She had dreams of becoming a teacher in the slum or performing some type of social work. She believed that helping others was the highest merit in life. Her grandmother had always taught her that helping others is a worthy way to conduct oneself. Having completed high school, Rotjana applied to work as a teacherwith Khru Mingporn and Khru Prateep. She enjoyed composing music and sang joyful songs with the children. She definitely had a talent for working with children. She had the opportunity to study in the United States for 2 years. Due to personal reasons, she took leave to return to Thailand.   But, being a clever and self-confident girl, two years in the USA was enough for her to acquire good skills in communicating in English.

Then, on 26 December 2004, Thailand faced the biggest natural disaster in its history. An undersea earthquake near Indonesia, sent a huge tsunami smashing into the Andaman coastline of six southern provinces. Over 5,000 people were killed in Thailand that day. Back in Bangkok, Khru Prateep held a meeting with DPF staff to identify someone who was willing to go to the south and help the tsunami victims for the next two years. Rotjana, being a person who liked to helping others, raised her hand and volunteered to work there. At that time, her daughter was 3-years-old and her husband closed his "Spicy Minced Duck Salad" shop and followed Rotjana to live in Phang-nga. After that, her husband moved back to Bangkok, but Rotjana and her daughter continued on in the south to help the surviving children. The initial period of working was quite difficult for the staff, as they had to live in a tent. This DPF tent consisted of an area for sleep, an activities corner, a library, toy corner, games area, plus sport. While their older family members were out trying to locate missing relatives, each day a hundred children who had lost parents or relatives came to join the day's activities. Soon, twenty-five children also came to live with Rotjana in the tent, with more and more coming after that. They felt safe and protected with her and started calling her "mae ja" (“dear mom"). Both Rotjana and children dreamed of having proper accommodation and then it came true. A kind-hearted adult, H.E. Mr. Kittiratt na Ranong, Director of the Stock Exchange of Thailand at that time, approved the construction of a building. And together with many foreign sponsors a “warm house” was built to house Rotjana and the 30 children then under her care. “Baan Than Namchai”, a home filled with love and warmth, was born and would the substitute home for children who had lost the love of their families. Rotjana often taught children not to be ashamed of being born poor or an orphan. Instead, do good deeds, have goodness that comes from your heart and abilities. Prove to others that you are smart and good. Be ashamed if you do something wrong or bad and Rotjana also taught children that when we are in trouble, there are people who help us. When others are in trouble, we should also be kind enough to help them.