Our Projects
Health
In a district where 54,000 people are served by four doctors (13,500 to 1), two dentists (27,500 to 1), one EMT (54,000 to 1), and no ophthalmologists, and there are no services for the disabled or elderly, Warm Heart works with local health officials to provide access to basic services.
Health
The situation: The Phrao district has four doctors for 54,000 people, 1,000 of whom are disabled. All 17 provinces of northern Thailand are served by just one school for the disabled.
The Warm Heart philosophy: Warm Heart believes that the disabled should lead the best, most independent lives possible and that the families of the disabled should assisted where possible with the often overwhelming burden of caring for a disabled family member.
What Warm Heart does: Warm Heart has just completed the first ever field research survey of all disabled people and their families living in Phrao in order to understand the needs of the disabled community. Warm Heart has already identified important, low cost interventions that will dramatically improve the quality of life of the disabled and their families. We are also developing a model system for how district-level disabilities centers can leverage resources available in Chiang Mai for rural areas and can assist Chiang Mai-based organizations with their outreach. Warm Heart has plans to develop a sheltered workshop program that will permit some of the disabled to work and contribute to supporting their families. We have already been asked to establish a residential facility for the most disabled and for the very elderly. It is our aim to create a program that can be replicated elsewhere in Thailand.
