Rotary Club of Patong Beach Tsunami Relief Trip Report

Project Name: Mrs. Rah Khunpol Family Support and Scholarship

Project Start Date: 23 May 2005

Mrs. Rah Khunpol Family Support and Scholarship

Background: This is one of those truly heartbreaking and humanly un-comprehendible stories of a family’s loss from the Tsunami. Mrs. Rah Khumpol at age 67 is a mother of 3 grown children, and a grandmother. In the Tsunami, her eldest son and his wife were lost with their son Kan-Chai now under her care. Her second eldest daughter and her spouse husband were lost to the Tsunami with their daughter Somsri now under her care. Mrs. Rah’s third daughter also lost her husband and she is living in our adopted village Baan Pak Triam, where Rotarian Brad Kenny first met Mrs. Rah. On top of losing 2 of her 3 children and all 3 of her children’s spouses, Mrs. Rah also lost her own husband in the Tsunami and is now left to care for 2 grandchildren with no means of income.

The RCPB immediately offered family support of 3,000 Baht for 8 months and to pay for the 2 grandchildren school scholarships through high school graduation.

Mrs. Rah Khunpol with 2 grandchildren

Kan-Chai and Somsri - 19 March 2005

The Rotary Club of Patong Beach board of directors approved the total needed from our general Tsunami funds; however, we are seeking a donor to fully fund this family at Thai Baht 178,000 / US $ 4,238.