Following the "Hill Tribes Violin Project" which was started last year at Insii Thai House, 3 students of the Maechan Hill Tribes school (Suksasongkroh) were offered a chance to travel to Belgium to further study violin.

There were two conditions: 1) Keep working hard on violin learning 2) Learn English in 8 months.

Two of the students very successfuly met the conditions and arrived in Belgium on March the 11th.

They will learn more violin techniques with Belgian violinist Geertje Podevyn, as well as learn how to repair violins. These skills will help them to make revenues when back in Chiangrai, since there are over 300 violin students... but no specialist to repair the instruments.

Once they have reached a high level they will also assist the local teacher Ajarn Paramet in teaching violin in local Chiangrai schools.

Everybody can imagine how happy these two students, who come from very poor families, were when we touched down in Europe.

Their trip is partially financed by the Rotary Maechan, part of the revenues of the book "Chao Phya Abhai Raja Gustave Rolin-Jaequemyns, General Advisor of H.M. King Chulallongkorn", and Rotary assistance in Belgium.

Pictures of the students last year, and now in Brussels.

Congrats Jerry, hope they get good as "Papa John Creech"

Excellent story, hope they enjoy themselves there

now thats one of the most pleasant stories I have learned of here in TV lately....

lets all wish them CHOK DEE and maybe it gives other hilltribe-kids hope for a better future as well, if the Thai government and Thai society only gives them a chance....

now thats one of the most pleasant stories I have learned of here in TV lately....

lets all wish them CHOK DEE and maybe it gives other hilltribe-kids hope for a better future as well, if the Thai government and Thai society only gives them a chance....

In fact, another problem is that the hill tribes kids themselves very often don't believe that "they can do it too".

Usually the dream is so remote that they are convinced it is simply not accessible.

So, the first work is to make them trust such a project and believe in it. It is not always as easy as it seems...

There are 900 more kids at the school, and one aim of this project is also to create an example for the others kids, to make them understand that they are as good as anyone else (if given a chance to prove it, of course).

This is only the beginning, but their progress has been so fast that there are good chances to see some of the 23 Maechan hill tribes violinists have a brighter future.

There are many possible directions; A job at the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, a violin repair shop, a hill tribes violin orchestra, teaching violin to new students... But one thing is sure, they need to be helped and encouraged to reach these goals.

Yes well done. I love the little box that sings.

I wish I could learn english in 8 months.

Thanks for making my day

Great reading!

Thanks for making my day

Great reading!

makes a change from all the doom and gloom i keep reading nice story

Congratulations

Well done

Happy reading, we need more real stories like this