LifeLong Learning Foundation


1. SUPPORT A TREE OF LIFE
Tree Planting Project
Target is per tree

Why coconut trees?

The coconut provides a nutritious source of meat, juice, milk, and oil that has
fed and nourished the fishing village populations along the coast and islands of
the Andaman Sea for generations. Nearly one third of the people living here
depend on coconut to some degree for their food and their economy.

Among their culture, the coconut has a long and respected history of being a
traditional cure for many illnesses. Modern medicine has only just managed 
to catch up to the benefits of this ancient food source. A coconut tree
can grow up to a hundred feet and can produce up to a hundred coconuts
a year. It has an infinite life span and is sometimes referred
locally to as the ‘Tree of Life’.

How can I support a Tree of Life?

For every USD 100 donated to the Lifelong Learning Foundation, we will within
one month plant one coconut tree along the coast and islands of Trang.
So for example, for USD 500, you could choose to support five coconut
trees for the benefit of the islanders.

Not all coconut species are the same and we will ensure that we will choose the very 
best breed which produces  delicious fragrant coconut juice and meat. Thought wil
also go into allocating  the plot of land for planting the tree (it will grow very big!).
‘Your’ tree will be specially taken care of and will be named after you (or your loved one). 

There will be a tag to acknowledge your support to our nature conservation project. 
Other information such as your country, organization, date of planting etc. will also be
stated (data display is optional as you also  have the choice to remain anonymous). 

This information will be recorded in a common book where all can inspect.
 You will receive from us pictures and news about ‘your’ coconut tree every half
a year so that you can follow its growth and development.

You are always welcomed to visit us and see with your own eyes where 'your'
tree(s) is (are). If you are here with us in Trang and want  to support
a coconut tree, we will arrange for you to plant the tree yourself here.

* A Certification of  Appreciation will be sent to you with pictures (via email) once
the donation is  received and the planting process is completed. For every support
of five or more coconut trees, you will receive a special souvenir from the Lifelong
Learning Foundation which we will post to you wherever you are in the world.

Support a Tree of Life in your name
or the name of your  loved one today!


(Tree Planting Project)

2. SUPPORT THE WILDLIFE VISITOR CENTRE
Wildlife Conservation Project
Target USD 50,000

What’s so special about our wildlife?

Part of Libong Island  is protected by the Wildlife Sanctuary and the location is
well known for tracking the near extinct dugong, rare migratory 
birds and for watching dolphins.

Dugongs are classified as an endangered species under the Wildlife Protection Act 1992. 
They can grow an average of 1-4 metres in length and weigh between 200-900 kg.
Dugongs can be tracked by following their feeding trails when their thick hard lips
pluck sea grass (their main food source) from sand dunes and munch it like pigs.

Early explorers and sailors believed they were  once mermaids and these mammals
were traditionally hunted for meat to eat and husks/ front teeth as medicine, love
potion ingredients and talisman/ good luck charms.
     
Little is known about these  legendary creatures and their numbers are becoming
less and less as a result of their low reproduction rate and human inducing elements.

Apart from the dugongs, Libong Island has a bird assembly point for rare birds 
fleeing the Siberian Cold Winds. Various species such as the Black neck storks, 
kingfishers, waders like Eurasian Curlews and the near extinct
Crab Plover can be seen here.

The Indo Pacific  Humpback Dolphin “Sousa chinensis” can also be found
swimming in groups  of 3-7 with the occasional congregation in a larger
group of around 25 animals. Humpback dolphins have a unique way of
surfacing, the beak and often the entire head breaks the surface
before the body arches tightly, making the hump and dorsal
more prominent, and submerging.

 

The greatest threat to wildlife – us humans

There are of course many threats that we can list that affect wildlife.
However, the Lifelong Learning Foundation is most concerned with issues relating to
conservation awareness. There is a need to educate the local villagers on the
necessity to protect these creatures. One of the methods in which we are trying to
achieve this objective is by training  fishermen to operate our
wildlife safari tours the sustainable way. 

We encourage interaction between the boatman and the tourists and guests help by
providing feedback to us on the tour. The response has been very positive and the first
to take part was the local Imam (head religious leader of the village). With him as a
good example,  other fishermen have followed his path and since then, our Foundation
together with the local community have taken many Thai and
Foreign Documentary filmmakers on the tour.

The locals were very excited to play host to German Vox Tours and to assist in dugong
research for Swedish (SIDA) and Danish (DANCED) govt, conservation groups and
marine biologists from all over the world. Today, the tour is highly recommended
by the Lonely Planet and Rough Guide travel books.

What can be done?

Due to our  Foundations’ platform work, local people now have a very enthusiastic  
dedication to conservation issues. More tourists are coming to the island
requesting these wildlife tours. Villagers see the benefit of conserving these
creatures as it is a supplementary means of generating income into their village.
It is also a step to integrate the process of tourism development
in the small fishing communities.

We ask for your support in setting up a small visitor centre to provide for
pictures/ displays and information about wildlife in the marine park, with the aim to
educate local and international tourists coming to the area.

How can I support this Wildlife Visitor Centre?
  

We invite donors to contribute USD 100 or more towards the set up of the Wildlife 
Visitor Centre. The money will go towards buying display equipment, making
information charts and vinyl, obtaining replicas of the different species
and producing mini-information booklets in Thai and English.

Funds will also be allocated to train local villagers as guides to give
information to visiting tourists. All  donors supporting our wildlife conservation
project will be acknowledged by name (data display is optional as you also have the
choice to remain anonymous) on an engraved plaque when the visitor centre officially
opens.  This information will also be recorded in a common book where all can inspect.

You will receive from us pictures and news about the development of this project
every half a year so that you can follow its growth and development.

You are always welcomed to visit us and see with your own eyes the project
you have contributed to. We also encourage you to contribute ideas or best
practice experiences that you may have to make this centre a very special
place for both locals and tourists alike.

 * A Certification of Appreciation will be sent to you (via email) once the donation is received.
For every support of USD 500, you will receive a special souvenir from the 
Lifelong Learning Foundation which we will post to you wherever you are in the world.

Support our Wildlife Visitor Centre in your name
 or the name of your loved one today!


(Wildlife Visitor Centre)


3. SUPPORT THE VILLAGE CHILDREN'S
ENGLISH CAMP

Next Generation Education Project
Target USD 3000

Why is English important?

As tourism becomes more developed along the coast and islands of Trang,
there is a need to nurture positive integration of this process with the existing rural
communities. With more and more international tourists coming into the area, job
creations for the younger generation are changing from formerly working in
fish factories to training to be guides and independent tourism service providers.

English language skills have become crucial to success in virtually any profession
and it is now regarded as the international language of commerce and technology.
Most important for the rural communities is that the skill provides a passport out of
poverty through employment in urban areas; as well as providing greater opportunities
for rural children to communicate internationally, as they become
exposed to a more developed society.

The Lifelong Learning Foundation has been providing free basic English lessons
to interested village children with the objective to break down social and educational
barriers in the small fishing communities. We need your help to support our
on-going project. Funds are needed for writing equipment, story books,
teachers,  uniforms, meals, mini-field trips for the village children, food
and lodging for volunteer English teachers and many other necessary items.

How can I help support the Village
Children’s English Camp?

For every USD 100, your grant contributes to teaching  English to a small group
of 8-12 village children for one camp term (6 hours a week for three months).
Supporters of this project will be acknowledged (data display is optional as you
also have the choice to remain anonymous) on printed T-shirts which will be the
official uniform of the camp. Your contribution will also be recorded
in a common book where all can inspect. 

* A Certification of  Appreciation will be sent to you with pictures (via email)
once the donation is  received and classes are in progress.

For every support of USD 500 you will receive a special souvenir from the
Lifelong Learning Foundation which we will post to you wherever you are in  he world.

Support the Village Children’s English Camp in your name
 or the name of your loved one today!


(Village English Camp)

What is Lifelong Learning Foundation’s role?

The Lifelong Learning Foundation acts as a trustee to ensure
that your hard earned money is well spent. We also undertake to match the
target funding from our own reserves as well as from other sources such as
that derived from income generated by tourists at our
partner organization Nature Resorts.

 The Foundation will provide the site of  the tree to be planted, facilities for the camp 
and location plot of the visitor centre. Our duty is to ensure that all donations
received for the above stated projects achieve the objectives
that it was set up to fulfill. 

The Lifelong  Learning Foundation is committed to a long term process
of nature conservation and local welfare activities along the coast and
islands. We would like to thank all our current and potential supporters.
Together we can make a difference!


(Overall General Project Activities)