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The Coconut Club
- Changing the Lives of Children
What is Coconut Club?
The Coconut Club is a series of ongoing programs that provide after-school, weekend and inter-session education for the 142 residential students of King's Foundation School in Kamala. It is part of Phuket Has Been Good to Us Foundation's general project to supplement our classroom English instruction with additional opportunities for Thai children to practice their conversational English outside the classroom. As with any language, this significantly enhances the childrens' ability to retain and further develop the language skills they have gained in the classroom. What the students have to say about Coconut Club: J, age 12 - "I like Coconut Club because it gives us knowledge, makes us happy, and entertains us." Am, Age 10 - "I like Coconut Club because all the teachers are so kind." Bolsee, Age 11 - "I like Coconut Club because I love to play games." Bow, Age 13 - "I like Coconut Club because it is fun. I learn new English vocabulary and the teachers are so kind." The Club meets four times a week, Monday to Thursday from 3.30pm - 4.30pm and at weekends. During the week the teachers at Kamala, with the help of our volunteer staff, plan arts and crafts, sports, and team building games. Teachers tailor the activities to the interests of the children and volunteers. At weekends we run sports programs including a Golf Foundation, swimming and arts and crafts workshops. 
How does the Coconut Club help the children? The residential children we serve are mostly orphans and rarely if ever have the opportunity to leave the school grounds or engage in any activity outside the routine of their school lives. The Coconut Club enhances not only their English language skills, but their imagination, experimentation and independent thinking abilities. It provides a safe and comfortable developmental environment, raises their self esteem and confidence, and allows them to use and apply what they are learning to their everyday life. Additionally, since we involve many volunteers who visit Phuket, it is an opportunity to interact with a diverse collection of individuals from many different parts of the world, attuning the children to different accents and ways of speaking English. Beyond this, the activities involved often connect the children to their community and raise their awareness of issues specific to Phuket Island. 
Why is it called the Coconut Club?
The name Coconut Club was inspired by the Phuket Has Been Good To Us logo, the coconut tree. The logo was designed by co-Founder Fleur Birch-Atkinson. When Fleur first moved to Thailand as a little girl, she and her father, founder Tom McNamara, planted a coconut tree in front of their house on the beach. Her father told her that "all you need in life is a coconut tree." It has some many uses; food, water, shelter, transportation, oil to produce heat, and much more. The logo is a reference to tropical Phuket, and to that tree, but also is a metaphor for education. Just as the coconut tree provides the basics of life, education gives children the basic tools they need to succeed in the world. 
How can I help the Coconut Club?Volunteer! You don't need to speak a word of Thai and we can work around your schedule. In addition to the late afternoon regular meeting times during the school year, we have arranged day trips during school holidays, weekends and during months when school is not in session. Whether your interest is in sports, arts and crafts, music or some other activity, we can work with you to find something appropriate for the children. In the past our volunteers have conducted programs involving scuba diving, golf, cricket, soccer, beadwork/jewellery making, elephant trekking, photography and beach activities. Give us a call or visit our Kamala office. Donate! We always need monetary donations, which can be used to cover our general costs or as a sponsorship of a specific trip or activity. But we also need donations of supplies and equipment as listed on our in-kind donations page. Specifically the Coconut Club needs arts & crafts supplies, play clothes and swimwear/ gear for the children, and educational toys
For more pictures of the Coconut Club's activities, visit our
page on Facebook.
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