Background

Dada's Boys home (or Baan Dada) is the informal name for Ananda Vidyadharma and is a sanctum for over twenty boys from marginalized families of the Huay Ma Lai community, its surrounding areas and nearby Sangklaburi (Kanchanaburi Province, western Thailand). The home is run by Dada Ramikrishna (as well as several mothers and grandmothers). It is independent, responsible for its own funding and self-sufficiency.

Children's background

Most children in the boys home come from families in which the mothers have been abandoned. Some try to sell or give their children away, while others may turn to prostitution as a way to earn money for their children. Ananda Vidyadharma reaches out to these marginalized children and women, offering a positive solution of stability and love.

Education

Since most of the boys speak only a tribal language when they arrive at the house, they are taught Thai and English in a special kindergarten until they can speak Thai well enough to attend a local Thai school (usually about a year). The boys eat a vegetarian diet, practice yoga and meditation and are also always learning new crafts and skills.

Community projects

Today Ananda Vidyadharma is an independent community project that supports the people in the village of Huay Ma Lai and the surrounding area as well. It has initiated several projects to develop the community in and around Huay Ma Lai.

Affiliation

Dada's Boys Home is a project of the Neohumanist Foundation, a registered charity of Thailand, whose head office is in Calcutta, India. The Foundation is involved in many community development and self-sufficiency projects. It is primarily composed of a base of permanent full-time volunteers responsible for individual projects. Other local and international volunteers help to develop, implement, maintain, review and adjust projects.