REWRITING THEIR FUTURE | A Story from Thailand That Changed My Mind

Recently, William Aura, the Asian Program Director for Asha Foundation for Humanity, visited Dhammajarinee Witthaya School.

William is a creative collaborator whose work for over 50 years has woven together music, storytelling, and social action. A foundational member of the Playing For Change movement, he has served as a senior writer, field producer, and co-founder of its early programs in Southeast Asia. Parallel to this, his work with nonprofits like Asha Foundation for Humanity has focused on building schools and community centers across the region. As the co-creator of the Billboard-charting ensemble 3rd Force, Aura channels a belief in music as a unifying force. He now lives in rural Northeast Thailand, where he co-manages a weekend culture center for Isaan village children. 

William was very moved by his experience at Dhammajarinee, and afterwards created the most powerful, inspiring article on the school that we have ever seen. Please enjoy it below.

REWRITING THEIR FUTURE | A Story from Thailand That Changed My Mind

by William Aura | Asha Foundation for Humanity

They practice meditation instead of scrolling. They build resilience instead of resentment. Meet the students defying every statistic.

For nearly 3 decades, my life’s work has been in the trenches of social action in Southeast Asia. I've spent significant time in Thailand, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Tibet. I’ve seen hardship. I’ve also seen the flicker of hope in a child’s eyes when they realize someone sees their potential. I thought I knew what success in this work looked like.

I was wrong.

What I witnessed at the Dhammajarinee Witthaya School in Thailand did more than move me - it transformed my understanding of what is possible. After months of reading about the school, following its journey on Facebook, and hearing of its impact, Maurie and Vivien Stang, of the Asha Foundation for Humanity, encouraged me to visit and tour the facility I had long admired from afar. The goal was to see firsthand how we might participate in and support its extraordinary work. To appreciate the sheer magnitude of its light, however, you first need to see the darkness these girls came from.

The Cliff Edge

Imagine you are a young girl in a rural Thai village. Your family is trapped in the grinding cycle of poverty. Perhaps you’re an orphan, or have been abandoned. The statistics are a cold, brutal reality - the overwhelming majority of the girls at this school come from such circumstances. For generations, the path for girls like you has been terrifyingly narrow. The traditional safety nets available to boys have never been an option. You are a girl. You are on your own.

Without an intervention, your future is written by desperation. Lacking education and opportunity, you become vulnerable. In Thailand, nearly half of the girls who only finish primary school are married before they turn 18. Compare that to just 5% of those who complete higher education. Child marriage isn’t just a personal tragedy - it’s an economic trap that shackles generations. When you’re uneducated and desperate, dangerous and degrading work can seem like the only option. The cycle is relentless - poverty leads to desperation, which leads to early motherhood and more poverty. Your children will likely face the same.

This was the predetermined script for the students of Dhammajarinee Witthaya. Their potential, their brilliance, their joy - it was all at risk of being extinguished before it ever had a chance. This was the grim reality that a remarkable Buddhist nun, Dr. Aunampai Passakchai, looked in the eye and refused to accept.

The Sanctuary

Walking onto the school’s campus is like stepping into a different universe. It’s not just the beautiful facilities - the dormitories, the classrooms, the gardens. The real magic is in the atmosphere. I have never, in all my life, seen children so uniformly happy, healthy, vibrant, and present. These are kids from the toughest backgrounds imaginable, yet they carry themselves with a grace and confidence that is breathtaking.

The architect of this miracle is the school’s director, Dr. Aunampai Passakchai, known to the girls as "Acharn Yai" (Headmaster). Sitting with her was an experience I’ll never forget. I felt a profound sense of peace and purpose in her presence. Her story is one of breathtaking determination.

She started with just 20 orphaned girls. When the government mandated that the school director must have a Master's degree to stay open, the easy path would have been to close the doors. Instead, she convinced them to let her lead while she worked towards her degree - a monumental task for a nun now acting as a full-time mother and administrator to what would grow into a family of over 1,000 children. She didn’t do it for prestige - she did it so the doors of this sanctuary would never close.

But a miracle of this scale cannot be sustained by one person alone. Acharn Yai’s vision has lit a candle in the hearts of a dedicated team of teachers, staff, and volunteers who have gathered around her. Together, they ensure that each one of those thousand girls feels seen, valued, and loved. In my 25 years of work, I have never witnessed an institution of this size where the quality of attention and the depth of compassion remain so profoundly consistent for every single child.

So, how does this transformation happen? It’s a powerful, holistic alchemy.

The day begins and ends not with chaos, but with quiet. The girls practice meditation, a tool as fundamental here as reading or writing. This is how children carrying deep trauma learn to manage stress, find a still point within themselves, and build resilience. It’s not about doctrine, but about equipping them with an inner compass for life.

In a world where our kids are lost in screens, this school has, what some would consider, a radical policy - no cell phones during the week. They’re allowed two hours to contact family members and friends on Sunday. The constant dopamine hits, the social media comparisons, the cyberbullying - it’s all removed. What replaces it? The sound of laughter, of study, of creation. It is human connection, pure and simple.

The school prepares them not merely to pass tests, but to lead self-sufficient, empowered lives. The academic curriculum is intentionally rigorous, with a deep focus on STEM - the vital fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics - alongside practical vocational skills. This powerful combination ensures these girls won't just navigate the modern world - they will help build it. They are being equipped to be in charge of their own futures, not defined by their pasts.

The results are staggering. In a country where only 5% of children from low-income families advance to higher education, over 90% of this school's graduates go to a university. They are winning provincial and national awards in science, coding, sports, and the arts. This isn't just beating the odds - it's rewriting them entirely.

The Ripple You Can Create

This story isn’t just about saving lives - it’s a masterclass in breaking cycles. While the daily meditation is rightly seen as the core of this training, I believe its power is magnified by another, quieter force - the near-total absence of social media. For all but two hours a week, these young women are free from its noise - from the comparisons, the curated realities, the relentless stream of distraction. What I've seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears is the profound effect of this combination. The meditation builds an inner strength, and the protected space guards that foundation. It allows focus to deepen into true learning, and self-worth to be rebuilt from the inside out, not in reaction to an external feed.

I don’t pretend to know all the answers, but I feel compelled to share this - what happens here is more than education. It is a deliberate cultivation of presence. And when you educate a girl with such clarity, you don’t just change one life. You create a powerful agent of change - one who invests in her family, raises healthier children, and builds a stronger economy. This school is a factory for transformation, proving that sometimes, the most powerful tools are an ancient practice of looking inward and the courageous modern act of stepping away.

For these girls and their tireless teachers, knowing the world is watching isn’t a luxury - it’s fuel. Your acknowledgment fortifies their spirit.

So, I have a simple, personal request.

Of course, supporting this miracle directly is profoundly impactful. Financial contributions are the lifeblood that keeps the lights on and the dreams alive.

To support the school directly: Please visit the Dhammajarinee Witthaya School's official website.

To support through their dedicated Australian partner: The ‘Asha Foundation for Humanity’ works tirelessly to channel resources to the school.

We know times are tight for so many wonderful hearts out there. If you have the capacity to give financially, it is a direct and powerful lifeline.

But here is my personal suggestion for a different kind of contribution - one that costs nothing but a moment of your time and a bit of your heartfelt energy.

Become a friend of the school. Please, visit their Facebook page and see the faces of these incredible girls and their devoted teachers. Then, drop a comment of encouragement. A simple “You are amazing!” or “The world is cheering for you!” can be a beacon of hope.

I believe this school is one of our world’s hidden gems, quietly doing monumental work without nearly enough people aware of it. Your engagement changes that. Your comment tells a student she is seen. It gives a teacher strength. It amplifies their story.

So this is my personal appeal - let them know you’re there. Spread the word. Use your voice and your attention to send a wave of positive energy across the world. It is a simple, beautiful thing to do. Let’s be the people who show them that the world is, indeed, full of friends.