DHAMMAJARINEE WITTHAYA SCHOOL
 

Dhammajarinee Witthaya School (DWS) is the first and only free boarding school for girls in Thailand, administered by Buddhist nuns. 

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For more than two decades, DWS has provided disadvantaged girls in Thailand, free of charge:

• a safe place to live, meals, and medical care

• quality, award-winning education grades K-12 and life-skills training 

• stress management programs, meditation, and culturing in traditional values

Without this opportunity, the problems associated with poverty would only continue when these girls grow up and have children of their own. 

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MISSION
 

You change lives. Orphaned or disadvantaged Thai boys have always had the option to study at Buddhist monasteries. DWS was the first school to provide a similar opportunity for Thai girls.
You provide safety. Poverty and lack of education have often led disadvantaged Thai girls to dangerous and degrading occupations. Education improves their future opportunities.
You do more. Having met our goal to double the amount of classroom and dormitory space at Dhammajarinee Witthaya School, we are now planning a four-story multipurpose building with space for a computer lab, science lab, music and dance hall, library, specialized classes, and an infirmary to care for any children who may have a medical need.

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SOCIETAL & ENVORONMENTAL IMPACT
 

• With every year of schooling, a girl’s income will increase by 20%.

• A child born to a literate mother is 50% more likely to survive past the age of 5.

• Educated women are 50% more likely to educate their own families. 

• Educated women invest 90% of their income back into their families.

• Researchers from all around the world agree that improving access to ‘quality education’ for girls is ‘one of the most powerful yet underused strategies' to tackle climate change. 

• 37-41% reduction in global emissions by improving access to quality education, SRHR (Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights), and modern contraceptives for girls.

• Women’s equality and empowerment is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, but also integral to all dimensions of inclusive and sustainable development.

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REFERENCES:

F Devignes, J Lamouri, M Boccalatte, MS Simao, 2021. Gender equality in education: Digging beyond the obvious. UNESCO-IIEP: http://www.iiep.unesco.org/en/gender-equality-education-digging-beyond-obvious-13854. 19 July 2021.

UNESCO, http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/ED/pdf/gmr-ec-4-50.pdf

UNESCO, https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse/girlseducation

United Nations, https://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/phlntrpy/notes/clinton.pdf

The World Bank, https://blogs.worldbank.org/health/female-education-and-childbearing-closer-look-data

UN Women, https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/women-and-the-sdgs/sdg-5-gender-equality

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