YWCA helps blind students’ plant trees

This project was created in order to instill a sense of environmental responsibility in students and provide an opportunity for blind students to partake in creative environmental developments. This project was initiated at the Thai Island and Naval History Museum in Sattahip.

Patimsongkroh revealed that the YWCA has been continuously coordinating with Pattaya City School Number 7 in developing such environmental projects for many consecutive years. The YWCA have also been associated with other creative projects such as the ‘Riding Bicycle to School Project’ in order to reduce pollution, the ‘Bio-Fertilizer Project’ to campaign against the use of chemical fertilizers. All of these projects are aimed at raising environmental concerns to help reduce global warming. 

This project provided an excellent opportunity for blind students to participate in outdoor activities and to experience mangrove forestation by planting 200 mangrove and Champa Thong trees and 10 Anthocephalus Chinensises trees of which the last 10 seedlings were supported and provided by the Royal Chai Phattana Foundation.

Lieutenant Commander Chamlong Phuluern, Chief of Land and Marine Activities Division of the Thai Island and Naval History Museum, said that this museum is a learning center with primary objectives to support various environmental campaigns. It has been opened since 1998 under the royal patronage of HRP Sirindhorn. There are 9 islands and approximately three rais of mangrove forests connected to Koh Samae Sarn under the museum’s responsibility. This mangrove ecosystem is abundant with several kinds of trees and minerals.   

Phuluern continued to reveal that planting mangrove trees was useful because these trees are the natural habitats of many organisms in the sea. In addition they also act as a natural wall, protecting the coast from being scoured by strong waves.

“I am very happy to be here and participate in this activity today because I have a chance to be a small part of this campaign to plant trees in order to protect the environment, if it was possible, I would love to come plant trees here everyday”, said Mr.Piphat Wiwattanakun, a student from Phra Maha Tai Blind School.