มูลนิธิ: Better Off: Building Youth Library เพื่อชีวิตที่ดีกว่า
โครงการ: จัดตั้งห้องสมุด อุทยานแห่งการเรียนรู้คู่ชุมชน

Proposal:
Better Off- Building Youth Libraries

Project Overview
‘Knowledge is power’, Sir Francis Bacon famously stated in Meditations Sacrae. By empowering people with knowledge, we believe that every individual can unearth his or her own potential and be able to succeed in life. Having said that, there are plenty of ways to gain knowledge and one of the most effective ways is through reading. To this end, we want to develop a long-term organization which provides an opportunity to less fortunate members of society by providing them access to books.

We want to establish the foundation to create a portable library which can be easily sent to any part of the country, bringing help and knowledge to those in need. Our proposed foundation, Better Off, will focus on constructing a library with the aid of a sponsor and a series of fundraising events. We hope to create a foundation in which other students and volunteers can follow and initiate their own projects within the same foundation.

Background Information     
In Thailand, there are a many unfortunate children who have little opportunity to access a libraries within their own communities. The lack of public libraries is a problem that has been largely ignored by the Thai public because there are no organizations which particularly emphasize the importance of providing public libraries to remote, rural communites. There are thousands of children in rural areas who read little else apart from the books within their small schools. In 2004, research from the national statistics department showed that on average, Thai students read seven lines per year. This shocking statistic clearly indicates that these kids lack the opportunity to expose themselves to media that can provide additional knowledge and a potentially brighter future.  

Goals & Objectives
The goal and objectives of the proposed organization are:    

1 – To grant children a library with easy accessibility
Objective 1.1 – Provide children and teenagers an opportunity to read useful information from a variety of sources
Objective 1.2 – Promote learning activities in the community enabling them to learn skills required in their life?

2 – To encourage a habit of reading in the community
Objective 2.1 – Increase awareness of the benefits of reading  
Objective 2.2 – Increase the usage of the library in the remote area

3 – To promote corporate social responsibility among various organizations in Thailand
Objective 3.1 – Encourage both local and multinational corporations to consider their potential impacts on society, especially on rural area.

Plan & Method

1. Search for possible corporate sponsors
2. Contact the company that constructs the library
3. Research and survey information about the rural community
4. Meet the rural community and publishing companies to
1. Make sure that book selections meet the needs of the community
2. Set up a librarian association
3. Train local people on library management
5. Build the library with local people and volunteers from school CIS or rural school?
6. Start and promote some learning activity to encourage a habit of reading in the rural community
7. Evaluate possible developments and activities for local children and teenagers by regularly revisiting the community during first few months
1. Make sure all the needs are met
2. Make sure library is well managed and properly maintained

Time Frame
Late January – Early April, 2009

Budget Plan
Target: 250,000 baht

Possible benefits to Corporate sponsors:

1. A sign to promote their company can be put up on the actual exterior wall of the library
2. Library can be named after the corporate sponsor
3. News and press release through various media such as newspaper, television, website, etc.
4. Promote corporate social responsibility within the organization to make our world a better place

Better Off is about young people reaching out to other young people, giving them an opportunity to learn and helping them brighten their lives. True to the Concordian Mission Statement, we endeavor to be caring and compassionate leaders to make the world a better place.

Thanking you in anticipation,
Yours sincerely,

Soravis S…..
Grade 11
Date