When disaster strikes
Panyaden School near Chiang Mai in Thailand is unique in its delivery of a great education based on strong universal values in a magnificent green school environment.
On the 12th October 2017, Panyaden suffered immense damage from a massive flash flood leaving 220 children with no school.
Mindfulness at a time of crisis
Panyaden was built from natural materials only mainly clay and bamboo as they have many advantages over conventional materials. They reconnect the children with nature, they are great insulators and keep the rooms cool in the hot season and warm in the cold season, they are strong and beautiful to look at, they have zero carbon footprint.
The only disaster that can really threaten especially the earthen walls and floors is a flood. And just that happened. An unprecedented and also unmitigable flood occurred without any warnings from the authorities. Thus all equipment, all computers, books, copy machines, all documents and files, tables, chairs etc was lost. Also the whole property and buildings took heavy damage. Some walls collapsed, pumps and sewage systems flooded, access road and walkways subsided, the list of damage is endless