One morning in a small district of Bueng Kan province, rice fields stretch quietly to the horizon. Some children are walking to school, while others are still playing in front of their homes. These scenes may seem ordinary, but for ‘Kru Ja,’ or Corporal Somboon Lokham they represent hope—hope that must be continuously nurtured so it does not fade away under the constraints of life.
Kru Ja is a volunteer with World Vision Foundation of Thailand, and his story is almost inseparable from the foundation’s work in this area, where children are at the center of every transformation.
More than a decade ago, World Vision Thailand began its work in Bueng Khong Long district with a key belief: sustainable development must start with understanding children’s lives. Children are not merely recipients of aid—they are the future of their families and communities. Therefore, the work goes beyond providing material support; it involves seeing children holistically, including their families, communities, and the environments in which they grow up.
In the early stages, the foundation clearly recognized that meaningful, community-level impact could not be driven solely by outsiders. Sustainable change requires local people—those who understand the context, can reach families, and are trusted by the community.
Kru Ja recalls that at the time, he had no intention of becoming a volunteer. He was simply invited to visit 13 schools and 13 villages in the Bueng Khong Long area to understand what kind of support or challenges existed.
“At that point, they just asked me to see what our community needed… I never thought I would become a volunteer,” Kru Ja shared. However, that one visit opened his eyes—he saw children coming to school without enough food, families with unstable incomes, and opportunities that had yet to reach those who needed them most.
That was when Kru Ja began to understand what World Vision Thailand had already seen improving children’s well-being requires addressing the entire system of their lives.
From that day forward, the foundation’s work in the area gradually expanded and deepened—from basic assistance to holistic child development, including education, food and nutrition, and creating safe environments where children can grow appropriately.
At the same time, children’s families were developed alongside them—through vocational training, income generation, and building awareness about child care. This reflects the foundation’s belief that children thrive best when their families are strong.
When Kru Ja retired from his teaching career, this path became even clearer. World Vision invited him to continue working with them and entrusted him with a key role as the district-level volunteer leader.
“Yes, I’ve retired from teaching, but that doesn’t mean I stop contributing to others,” Kru Ja said in a simple yet powerful tone.
From being a classroom teacher, Kru Ja became someone deeply embedded in the real-life changes of children—connecting the foundation’s work to the community, visiting areas, listening, engaging, and ensuring that every child receives the opportunities they deserve.
For Kru Ja, this work is not merely a duty—it is about truly understanding children’s lives. “This is not just about doing a job; it’s about genuinely understanding their lives—what they lack and how we can help.”
The results have gradually become visible—not just in reports, but in the real lives of children and their families:
- Children who once saw no future are beginning to find their own paths.
- Children who once lacked resources are gaining opportunities to learn and grow.
- Families who once struggled are becoming more stable.
Kru Ja added, “In the past, some families didn’t even have enough rice to eat. Today, they do—not only enough to survive, but enough to start planning their lives.”
The ability to plan one’s life may be a small step for one child, but it can mark the beginning of a life transformation. And when a child changes, the family changes—and eventually, the entire community changes as well.
This is the heart of World Vision’s work: child-focused development that expands to families and communities to ensure that change is truly sustainable.
Kru Ja is therefore not just a volunteer—he is part of a system of transformation, someone who helps turn the foundation’s mission into reality in the lives of vulnerable children.
Before ending the conversation, Kru Ja left a simple yet profound message: “I want the next generation to work with heart and faith. Don’t focus on compensation, because what you gain in return is far more valuable.” And that is what makes the work of World Vision Thailand not just short-term assistance, but a transformation that grows alongside children’s lives. And you, too, can be ‘the one’ who truly changes a child’s life.
