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Learning Compass will focus on the recruitment of underprivileged high potential children, from the age of 15, who don’t have the financial opportunity to finish upper secondary school. Our aim is to finance these last 3 years (grade 10-11-12) of school and to provide continuous financial support for studying, either vocational training or university to achieve a degree. Learning Compass gives commitment to the children recruited, that they can finish their studies.

The students selected are committed and with high potential. Their families take the chance of financial support offered with great gratitude and stimulate their children to pursue their studies.

Learning Compass will monitor study progress and results closely with the student, teacher, school head and our partners through developed monitoring tools. We make a contract with the student, which includes arrangements and frequency of contact between student-school-Learning Compass (at least after every school report).

MEET OUR STUDENTS
NAOWARAT (JAIYA)

Naowarat (Jaiya) was studying at Ubon Ratchathani University in her second year when she first received a scholarship from Learning Compass in 2017. Jaiya was born in a farming family. Her father is very old and has diabetes. Jaiya's mum is deaf and has neuralgia. When there was no work from farming, they made bamboo rice containers for sale. Jaiya worked part-time, also during school holidays to ease the family burden. Her family had little income, so she didn’t have enough money to study. Her dream was to become an accountantt. With the help of the LC sponsorship, she did a bachelor’s degree in Account Management and graduated in 2019. She writes: “Now I am an accountant. I had the intention of studying to complete a bachelor's degree but worried about the cost because my family is poor. I borrowed money for education from the government. but not enough to study. My family and I were very stressed about not graduating. But then one day I saw the Learning Compass scholarship application announcement, so I applied. I got a scholarship and me and my family were very happy. It gave me more encouragement to study. It kept me graduating and having a job to this day. Thank you learning Compass for providing educational opportunities for me.”

JINTANA (MOD)

Mod was 15 years old when Learning Compass awarded her a scholarship in 2018. She was just attending M4 in a "poor" government school in the small town of Prakhonchai, Buriram. Mod was always in top-stream class of her year group. She is the youngest in a family of 4 children. 2 older brothers work in a different town, her sister works with her mother in their family sewing shop. Her father works on a construction site in Chon Buri and sends money whenever he can. The actual income of her mother comes from assembling between 300 and 400 dresses a month, earning between 8 to 12thb per dress. In Mod’s free time, she helps her mother and sister in the sewing shop. Mod completed high school in 2021 and began studying engineering. Learning Compass continued her scholarship, so she can work towards a good future. “I'm at home with my mom right now, my sister's son and cousin. The situation at home is not good, but it is not bad. At home I've been working on some sewing, but because of the COVID-19 situation, I've got fewer jobs than before. So less money. It's nice that I haven't been to the dormitory because I can help my mom.” Mod is studying in the second year at the Faculty of Engineering, Suranaree University of Technology. “It's like a giver of opportunity and my future. Because without a learning compass, I probably wouldn't have the opportunity to study until today.”

NATTAWAN (PIA)

Pia was just 15 when she started M4 in 2017 and Learning Compass took her on board. She was then in the top 3 of the year group of more than 600 students for three consecutive years. She is a very hard-working girl with great potential. During high school, she participated in many academic competitions (music, sciences, technology), excelled in all of them and was in the gifted and talented program. Pia’s mum passed away in 2015. She lives with her grandparents and her younger sister. The family income is quite low, the grandparents have a food stall at the hospital that doesn’t cover enough. It’s a very unreliable and unstable income. Pia gets up early every morning at 5am to help her grandparents to get the food from the market and prepare food for the stall. After school, in late afternoon, she goes to help them again packing up the stall and clear it up for the next day. The grandmother is mentally ill so the family gets some support from the government, this is actually the only guaranteed income they have, which is insufficient. Pia graduated from high school in 2020 and started a 4-year study at the College of Aviation and Transportation, Sripatum University, because she was interested in a career in aviation. She writes: “Learning Compass is very important to me. You make me study comfortably without worrying about the cost of studying. You made me study and do activities to the fullest. Thank you very much I love and miss you all. see you later”

SUMALEE SUKSAMARN (NOI)

Noi was in M5, 15 years old when she first got her scholarship from Learning Compass. Although she had to commute 25km to school, she attends this government school because it was the best in the area. She had very high ambitions, however the family financial situation made her worried about the future. Noi comes from a family of 6 (two older sisters, one older brother and herself). Her siblings left the family house when she was in school to work in other cities. Unfortunately, none of them can support Noi studies as they all must refund the government for the loan they got while studying. Her parents rent a rice farm but can’t make enough money with it. Every end of the month is a challenge, they often have to borrow money from the neighbors. With the Learning Compass scholarship Noi could finish high school in 2021 and started studying.

“I'm studying in English major, at Faculty of Education at Buriram Rajabhat University. Learning Compass is give me the chance to receive the scholarship that means a lot to me because not only is it helping me with student tuition, but it's a token of appreciation from God, Ms. Caroline and Ms. Salilla, they are so kindliness to me so much, they are always give me the good advice when I have some hesitation and I'm very glad to meet them of my life it is not who I am met but I feel like they are my family all of you (Learning compass). However, I'm very honored to be getting the award. I am deeply appreciative of your support. As I continue my studies at Buriram Rajabhat University in English major, faculty of education that I want to study and pursue my dream. I am extremely thankful for this scholarship, as it will help me pursue this goal. Thank you again from bottom of my heart for your generosity and support!”

MOL

In 2017 Learning Compass granted a sponsorship to Mol (in collaboration with Philanthropy Connections) when she was in M2 in Mae Hong Son province, Northern Thailand and lived in a school boarding house. She was one of the top students in class, the school gave her opportunities to compete in academic activities and others competitions. Her family has financial issues. Her mother is a single mother, taking care of three children, her father remarried. Her mother works in construction and is the one earning for the family. When she goes back home, she is responsible for taking care of her younger brother, cooking, doing laundry, filling water tank. Her older brother is responsible on more difficult works including cutting grass, carrying water, helping mother in farms and other things to help her. Mol finished high school in 2022 and started a Bachelor of Education (General Science) at Chiang Mai Rajabhat University. This programme aims to produce science teachers. It is a four-years programme with three years of studying at the university and an internship at a school for the final year. She writes “ The first thing that the organization gave me was a dream and an opportunity, allowing me to study and follow the dream I wanted to be. I have to thank you very much.”

PIYAWAT (BALL)

Thanks to our partnership with Philanthropy Connection (PCF), who works closely with local schools and minorities, which helps us find this hidden talent. Piyawat was one of a top students with good heart in his former school, but no opportunity to pursue his future since his local village they did not have high school. When Learning Compass granted a scholarship in 2017, he could continue in M4 in Chang Mai.

He is living with his grandparents and three nieces. His grandmother has diabetes and his grandfather has Osteoarthritis and has to go to hospital for treatment. Because they are getting old and having health issues, they cannot work hard. Their works include pigs and chicken farming, and growing crops. Their income is not stable and cannot afford to essential things. However, they have an aunt who sends 4000 THB per month to them. At home, he is responsible for taking his nieces to school, doing house chores, and helping his grandparents to feed the pigs every day after school.

Piyawat is very responsible and studies hard, since he believes that education leads to stable future. He finished high school in 2021 and is does vocational training in Mechanic, at Chiang Mai Technical College. He writes: ”I have learned to use the knowledge I have learned to work for myself and my family to have a better life in the future and to repay the grace to all who support me in getting a good education.”

MANEENUCH (GIFT)

Gift was 15 years old when Learning Compass started to sponsor her in 2018, when she was in M4. She is an orphan from rural Buriram province, she has been living with her grandma after her mother passed away when she was 12. The father is unknown. The small family is living on grandma’s small government pension, and sometimes selling bethels and fruits in the wet market. Now she is too old to work and Gift works to earn a living. She is an extremely motivated student who works very hard. For the last 2 years she really struggled studying from home. She lives in a very basic traditional thai house, with limited electricity and no internet connection. During the pandemic in 2021, she managed to graduate from high school, online with her phone, as she didn’t have a computer. When she started university Learning Compass supported her to buy this important tool for her education. She couldn’t be happier. She is now studying Public Health and would love to become a nurse. She finds her actual program quite rigorous, but she will keep working hard to achieve her dream. If everything goes as planned, she should graduate in 2025. Gift is more and more concerned by the health of her grandma and tries to help as much as she can with the daily home chores. She writes: “Thank you to Learning Compass for helping. Providing this scholarship has greatly eased the burden on families and help me to have the opportunity to continue my studies. I will strive and study hard the most.”

APIWAT

Apiwat was 15 years old when Learning Compass started sponsoring him at the start of M4 in 2017. He was in the top 3 of his year group of over 600 students and won some awards at the Traditional Thai poem recital. Apiwat comes from a farmers’ family of 5. He has an older brother who quitted school after M3 and who is now working in Bangkok trying to send money to the family. His younger brother is in kindergarten. His parents work on the land most days and sometimes the father goes away to work in the construction in order to help cover family’s expenses. The family hopes the older brother will get a better job soon so he can pay the costs of Apiwat’s education. Apiwat completed high school in 2020.