Seven Peaks Insights

Empowering remote Chiang Mai communities through CSR

Written by Seven Peaks | Jun 19, 2023 5:39:00 AM

Seven Peaks, Property Flow, and Kharma Family embarked on an empowering expedition to the remote hills of Chiang Mai’s Omkoi District in 2023. Through a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, the collaboration aimed to improve living conditions and provide educational support for children and villagers in seven schools situated in the region.

A Journey with a Purpose

The Seven Peaks Group’s employees and volunteers undertook a challenging journey to help seven remote schools, visiting four in particular: Lertor, Sor-ae, Mai Thong, and Khun-Tuen Noi. This initiative required navigating treacherous terrain for hours. Despite the challenges, the team’s unwavering dedication made them eager to make a difference in the lives of the children and communities they would touch.

Traveling for 4-6 hours in a rugged four-wheel military wagon, climbing the steep, narrow, and arid path along high cliffs to the villages was extremely perilous,” recounted Pojamas Srisawat, Country Manager/Co-Founder of Property Flow.

 

Impactful Constructions and Donations

The team worked closely with the local communities to undertake various construction projects:

  • At Lertor School, the team helped build a water system and fences.
  • Sor-ae School benefited from the construction of a water sink, a new gate, and entrance, along with a 2km water system.
  • Mai Thong School received a substantial amount of support. The team constructed an entirely new canteen building, gate and entrance, and repaired the toilets.
  • Khun-Tuen Noi School, which served as the base for the volunteers, also witnessed significant improvements. This school, albeit slightly distant, was better equipped to accommodate the group. The contributions here included constructing two new toilets, repairing the entrance, renovating teacher dormitories, and constructing a concrete road in front of the school. The road was crucial, as its earlier state was steep and perilous. Additionally, a refrigerator was provided to help keep food fresh, as teachers could only travel to the city once or twice a month.

 

 

 

 

Empowering the Community

For Seven Peaks, Empowerment is key. The team aimed to not just provide material aid, but to ignite a flame of aspiration among the children. Saowanee Phattharachayasil, Seven Peaks Office Manager, noted the importance of showing these children the possibilities beyond their village.

Jostein Aksnes, CEO of Seven Peaks, took the time to describe his home country, Norway, and the concept of snow to the children. His stories sparked curiosity and dreams among the kids, opening their minds to the world beyond their hills.

Building Trust and Respect

This year, 19 diverse volunteers including Thai and foreign nationals, along with a military special forces team, ensured the smooth execution of projects and activities.

Ensuring fair distribution of essentials like water filters among the villagers required careful budgeting and planning. This reflected our commitment to building trust-based relationships, one of their core values. “We firmly believe that more funding leads to more empowerment. We are dedicated to directing every Thai Baht to those in need, with minimal expenses,” declared the Seven Peaks Office Manager.

Everyone Matters

We believe that Everyone has a Place, Everyone has a Voice, and Everyone Matters. Their CSR initiative is a testament to this value. Through ongoing communication and interaction, We aim to be a voice for the less privileged and make a lasting impact on their lives.

About KFAM

The Kharma Family (KFAM) is a charitable organization in Thailand dedicated to empowering youth in disadvantaged regions through education and community development projects. Founded by Nion Sunpawishu, KFAM operates across Thailand, focusing on providing essentials and support to children in need.

Seven Peaks has been collaboratively working with KFAM since 2011 as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. The collaboration includes volunteering in educational support and basic necessities distribution drives for rural communities, as well as virtual support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both entities are united in their commitment to fostering positive change for underprivileged children in Thailand.