Jungle Aid: A Low Commitment, Low Cost Way for Expats To Give Back to Their New Home

Living as an expat in Thailand certainly has its benefits (here are the benefits).  While it’s easy to remember the carefree reasons why one might settle down in the Land of Smiles, it can be even easier to block out the fact that others, those who do not have the luxury of choosing a different life, are not in so fortunate of a position.

While the phrase “out of sight, out of mind” generally applies to society’s attitude toward these peoples and their kin, a not-for-profit organization called Jungle Aid is committed to assessing the needs of each village with the local leader and working together to improve standards of living.

To the west of Hua Hin, from Bon Luk to Bang Saphan are several extremely remote villages; some of them only accessible in the dry season. These villages are home to hundreds of undocumented people living with little or no access to healthcare or essential supplies. These are the people Jungle Aid strives to assist.

To date, Jungle Aid has helped 1,500 vulnerable individuals.

How Does Jungle Aid Help?

The help Jungle Aid provides includes providing medical assistance, food, supplies and education, as well as the materials and skills necessary for them to become sustainable communities. Behind the scenes, volunteers are continually working on the website while others are raising money and organizing events. All profits go directly to the organization.

Run by Emma Neve, a British expatriate and with a specialty in tropical medicine, Jungle Aid is a charitable organization that spends the last Saturday of each month visiting one of the villages and working collaboratively to “make a positive impact on those that are disadvantaged, regardless of their religion, race or gender.”

A trip generally requires a long drive to the village at dawn, a full day of delivering general and specialized assistance, and a drive back home at dusk.

Who Can Volunteer? How Do Volunteers Help?

While Neve’s background certainly is advantageous to the efforts of the organization, especially when it comes to providing emergency medical care, setting up remote clinics and determining long-term care plans, she says that anyone who is interested in volunteering is encouraged to join.

Volunteers will help in different ways. Aside from simple first aid (Emma handles the real medical issues) volunteers may help with any of the following:

• Healthy cooking demonstrations
• English Lessons
• Education about farming techniques and collecting clean water
• Teaching basic hygiene like how and why to brush teeth or wash hands
• Delivering sustenance like bags of rice, clothing, supplies
• Exposing young children and their minds to the world beyond the village

What is the Cost and time Commitment?

While most programs that involve trips to remote destinations require hefty fees and long term requirements, reserving this kind of destination volunteerism strictly for people with lots of disposable income or time. However, volunteering with Jungle Aid though is about as minimal of a commitment as someone who truly wants to give back to the local population can make:

Time: Volunteers leave Hua Hin in the morning and return at night. All Jungle Aid needs is one day!
Cost: 500THB, which is enough to cover the cost of fuel and the T-shirt you wear that day

To contact Jungle Aid, either to donate time or money or simply learn more about the organization visit www.jungleaid.org or email info@JungleAid.org