Four Preschools in Phang Nga Help Families Grow.

Fun & games at preschool

The Brave Young Seedlings of the Andaman.
The name chosen in a contest among parents.

When Kim Quinley launched the first preschool, barely 6 weeks after the tsunami, little did she suspect she would finally oversee 4 in the region, and lead a staff of 24. That is the case, however, as the WE LOVE THAILAND movement finished in the end of 2006, handing over responsibility to Step Ahead. We now see preschools at the core of our integrated community development and recovery work. Caring for the little ones, after all, is a primary concern for families, and strengthening families helps develop communities.

Step Ahead Training Center - A Place to Find a Hope and a Future.

Step Ahead Training Center

The opening of Step Ahead Khao Lak five months post-tsunami would have been impossible without the 100’s volunteers who came to serve with us from our beginning until now.

Now, Step Ahead holds the top reputation in Khao Lak for language study. English and German, for teenage students and hospitality service personnel alike, as well as Thai for non-Thai speakers who wish to communicate in Thai. Over 2000 students have learned with us since our beginning.

Many thanks to all of these people: Jo Tomblin, Mozza, Jo Butcher, Paul McKnight, Brianna, Laura, Callie, Catherine Ali, Phil, Ian, Karess, Andrea, Aaron, Josh, Marilynne, Karissa - to name but a few, for teaching with such fun and enthusiasm, making all of our students feel so welcome and making Step Ahead a fun place to be.

Dynamic Economic Development Initiatives

Benz the program co-ordinator (on right)

Creating cash for villagers from ladies purses to mushrooms, and orchids to eco-tourism.

Thai Totes is now our marketing arm in Virginia Beach after 3 young ladies went back and moved forward with their own brand. Now they sell purses from the Step Ahead ladies groups they helped to start, and hope to help a ladies group begin to support exploited women soon in a new Step Ahead branch in Pattaya Thai Totes are now seen all across the Tidewater, Virginia area, and as far field as University of Virginia and Princeton where two of the innovators attend university.
http://www.thaitotes.com