The revered Korean Dharma master and Buddhist activist Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (법륜스님) and volunteers from the Buddhist humanitarian relief organization JTS Korea, accompanied by a delegation from the International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB), attended a formal ceremony on 18 July to inaugurate two new buildings for a Buddhist orphanage in the western Thai province of Kanchanaburi.
The orphanage, operated under the Dhammanulak Children’s Foundation and managed by Buddhist nun Maechee Chutipa, has undergone a year-long project sponsored by JTS Korea to renovate and remodel the residential buildings for the 80 girls and boys of all ages under the orphanage’s care.
“This is a wonderful refuge for children without families who can take care of them, but it’s very challenging for the nun who is managing the orphanage—they have very little money and the facilities here are very basic,” Ven. Pomnyun Sunim told BDG during the handover ceremony. “When I learned about the conditions here, through INEB, I made a decision to help them out.
“When I first visited the orphanage, I found that the buildings were rather dilapidated and not very suitable for young children, so I made the decision to fund renovation because I wanted to see the quality of life for these children improved—better accommodation, better washrooms, and so on.
“I gave the foundation two options: do you prefer renovation or to rebuild completely? And Maechee Chutipa requested renovation of the male and female dormitories. Although we initially we approached this as a renovation project, as we progressed we found more and more areas in need of improvement, so we decided that it would be more effective to completely remodel the buildings here.
“JTS initially projected the cost to be about US$50,000, but since we decided to carry out further improvements, the project cost has risen to more than US$60,000, which means that we can also include provide additional facilities, such as new private showers next to the female dormitories.”
▶️ Published by BDG on July 22, 2024
▶️ Read more: https://www.buddhistdoor.net/news/engaged-buddhism-ven-pomnyun-sunim-inaugurates-remodeled-orphanage-in-thailand/
