The Children of Rainbow
School Series
At èrii we believe that “you make a life by what you give.” It is close to our hearts that every purchase provides three meals for a child at the Rainbow School of Sangkhlaburi.
Rainbow School is situated deep in the jungle on the border between Myanmar and Thailand where many of the villagers are refugees fleeing civil unrest. Neither country has accepted Sangkhlaburi as part of their nation, leaving children born there without nationality, and many as orphans, abandoned by parents who were unable to receive an education. Rainbow School was created to embrace these children, giving them a nurturing home and education to grow and thrive. Thank you for joining us in caring for these precious children and we are excited to introduce you to a few of the children of Rainbow School.
The Four Brothers
In the next few weeks, we will be sharing the stories of Win, Joe Ei Mai, Ponsai, and Bon. Four brothers who we have been so proud to see grow and flourish since joining Rainbow School in 2014. Tomoko, the founder of Rainbow School had known them for 5 years before they came to the school.
At an early age, they had lost their mother to illness and their father had abandoned them. From there, a relative cared for them temporarily until a kind woman was able to take them in. However, soon she was getting too old to work and could no longer afford to continue feeding the four growing children, and had to send them to an orphanage. That is where Tomoko met the four bright boys, playing with them and teaching them to study. While the Orphanage in Sangkhlaburi took the boys in, it was not a home for nurturing growth and happiness. To move the boys, it took years of difficult negotiations, but the boys and our team were so excited to finally welcome them to their home at Rainbow School in 2014.
Meet Joe Ei Mai
Joe Ei Mai is 14 years old and is a bright light of humor and joy. Before joining Rainbow School, he felt like he was in limbo, without there being a safe place for him to feel supported and free to open up and be himself. When he first came to Rainbow School, he had little energy and found it very difficult to concentrate on school or activities. It was finally finding his love for music that sparked his energy and lit him up.
He enjoyed practicing and when he was 7 years old, a young Japanese volunteer came to Rainbow School and befriended Joe Ei Mai. He always applauded Joe Ei Mai’s singing and the songs he had written. Especially in the lives of children who have lost their parents, the support of adults means the world. When the volunteer returned to Japan, he wrote Joe Ei Mai a letter, encouraging him to keep singing, and he has continued ever since.
His love of music has changed his energy from feeling lethargic to excited about life, from school to soccer. We are so thrilled to see Joe Ei Mai grow and we cannot wait to see how he continues to express himself and grow his talents.
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It is close to our hearts that every purchase provides three meals for a child at the Rainbow School of Sangkhlaburi. Head to Our Cause to learn more about our partnership with Rainbow School.