As part of an effort to assist the thousands of children whose education was disrupted in tsunami ravaged regions, the Helen Doron Group sponsors 14 school-age children from Tung Dap on the island of Koh Phra Thong, Thailand, by providing long-term financial scholarships for their continuing education.

Many of the children were in the water when the giant wave hit, surviving only by clinging perilously to palm trees, or floating for hours on bits of debris awaiting rescue. These youngsters have lost almost everything; loved-ones, home, and the promise of a future. Trauma is also prevalent, and they continue to live with devastating memories and fear.

It's heartbreaking to know so many children eager to be in a classroom and learn, are instead being inducted into an underage workforce, just to help keep their families alive.  The scholarships provided by the Helen Doron Group are an essential life-line.

These young students are not just names on a roster to us. We enjoy sharing a personal relationship with each and every one, and their beautiful smiles speak volumes.