Father Ray Children’s Village
In 1990 Father Ray opened the Home for Street Kids in an old disused factory in the center of Pattaya. Almost immediately it became a safe haven for street kids, children who had run away from home, escaping poverty and abuse. Many became beggars, joined criminal gangs or prostituted their young bodies to earn money for food.
He had previously opened an orphanage, but these street kids needed more specialized care, they needed somewhere they could feel comfortable, where the rules were relaxed and a place they could come to when they needed help.
In 2000 the Home for Street Kids moved 5kms out of town and became the Father Ray Children’s Home, and while the children may no longer have all come from the streets, most were from very poor families, there was still a need to help the street kids.
In 2004 the Drop-In Center for Street Kids opened and quickly became known as a place where they could get the help they needed. Many went to live at the Children’s Home, while others returned to live with their families.
Father Ray Children’s Village opened in 2008, providing small houses which became homes for young children. They lives as a family, with new brothers and sisters and a house parent they call mum or dad.
In 2017, the Drop-In Center became the Child Protection & Outreach Work Center, offering support to keep families together.
In 2020, after thirty years of service, the Children’s Home closed and all the children moved into new houses at the Father Ray Children’s Village.
Our main priority, before we accept any child into our care, is to work to try to keep the family together.
While we have evolved over the years, changed the names of our projects and opened on new locations, our aim has always been to give those in our care a safe place to live, an education, a happy childhood and, just as important, the love and support they need to grow into worthwhile members of society.
