On 10 October 2016 at the Ministry of Education office, Community Children Foundation Under the Royal Patronage of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (CCF) held the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on “Income Generating and Financial Skill for Youth Project” with five schools under the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC); Pittayalongkorn Pittayakhom School - Bangkok, Matthayom Wat Nongkhaem School, Nuannoradit Wittayakom Rajamangalapisek School – Bangkok, Sot Suksa School – Nakhon Pathom (Nakhon Pathom Deaf School), and Wat Trisamakkee School – Samut Prakan. The ceremony was led by General Sutat Karnjananonkul, Adviser to the Deputy Minister of Education, as the honorary Chairperson and witness.
“Income Generating and Financial Skill for Youth” is the project conducted under the partnership between CCF Thailand and Citi Foundation, collaborated with private sectors and educational institutes in producing young entrepreneurs so the impoverished children have more opportunity in finding their sustainable careers, make money, and understand financial management.
“On behalf of everyone here at Citi Thailand, we are pleased that our charitable grant can help support Thai children in reaching their highest potentials, which can be led to self-reliance as the youngsters are able to financially support themselves and their families, and this is what we hope to see in Thai society. Citi Foundation and all Citi branches worldwide determine to continue the support, reaching out to those in need and make the differences, individually and in the communities as a whole. We focus especially on equipping our new generation with knowledge and skills, which is one of Citi’s main development strategies,” stated Mr Darren Buckley, Country Head and Citi Country Officer, Citibank – Thailand.
Associate Prof. Dr. Varakorn Samakoses, CCF Thailand’s president talked about the project, “This is one invaluable project as CCF has always striven to narrow down the gap between the rich and poor, especially the children that we aim to lift up. And it is wonderful that Citi Foundation, who shares similar vision to CCF’s, has joined us in helping the children in need. Together, we give the children opportunity to choose what is best for them, in terms of future careers. We train them with various options of jobs. We motivate them to work for themselves as young entrepreneurs. We also ensure all dreams come with skills and disciplinary in saving. This project is well cooperated by schools and private sectors. I would like to also give thanks to the management of five schools that agreed to join in as pilot schools, and to General Sutat Karnjananonkul, Adviser to the Deputy Minister of Education, for his time spending with us today as honorary chairperson and witness to the MOU signing ceremony.”
Dr Kanchada Piriyarangsan, director of CCF Thailand, added “The main reason CCF Thailand and the management of five schools come together today is that we can officially start the whole process in getting the students ready for today’s career market, under the government and the Ministry of Education’s policy. The students enrolled in the program will be provided with proactive training; business plan, production, financial management, saving, and bookkeeping. The training is supported by SET (The Stock Exchange of Thailand) and professional businesspersons. With the expertise from our business gurus, we learn about risk analysis and business plan. We have had great opportunity to observe successful businesses. The project also helps setup model companies so the children can exercise their businesses, in order to produce CCF young entrepreneurs. We would like to see them be independent financially by making money while studying and hope for them to be ready to go to today’s job world in the near future.”
On the day of MOU signing ceremony, there are products from the five schools on display and a discussion forum from the associates under the topic “CCF’s Young Entrepreneurs – Building Careers, Earning Income, and Spending Wisely”. The discussion team are; Associate Prof. Dr. Wai Jamornmarn, project consultant, representative from the Basic Education Commission Committee, Dr. Payom Chinnawong, Deputy Secretary-General of the Basic Education Commission, Khun Sujittra Pareepat from Coffee Beans by Dao, Khun Hassaya Hasitabhan, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Head of Corporate Citizenship, Citibank, N.A. and Dr. Surachai Phromphan, representative from private sectors, and representatives from students in the project.
