JESUIT SOCIAL SERVICES CENTRE (JESS) Center for the Development of Quality of Life and Society JESS was founded on 1 August 1995 by the Society of Jesus Thailand. The office is in Xavier Hall, Bangkok, under Father Alfonso de Juan SJ as the director, and Ms. Dhananuch as the Associate Director. JESS is inspired by the Jesuit Constitution, the tradition of the Society of Jesus, the General Congregation 34, the Naples Congress of the Jesuits in Social Apostolates, Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach's (the Gerenal of Society of Jesus)  letter to the Jesuits `On the Social Apostolate' 24 January 2000, as well as the previous works of our Jesuits in Thailand. The politico-social evolution of Thailand and the important events that have taken place, helped JESS to start defining more concretely the points of insertion. Our experiences in working with the refugees from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and the immediate needs and plights of the young victims of sexual abuses in Thailand, all helped us to start  the first projects with the most useful assistance of Mr. Phanlop Meankeeree (Tan). JESS is supported by voluntary donors and friends, from inside Thailand and from abroad (Europe, Japan, USA). It is, therefore, like an NGO in its kind of work. The vision preferential love for the poor working in service and solidarity with many other men and women, with a faith that does justice and promotes human rights and dignity, in dialogue and participative management. The Characteristic We are people-centered. The projects and issues are flexible and adaptable to the real circumstances, Our feet are on the ground. The Roles and Function We collaborate and support in solidarity with others who are engaged in the promotion of justice We initiate projects according to our visions and characters, with the participation of collaborators in diverse roles as catalyser, animator, co--ordination. Works and Projects JESS initiates, supports, encourages, or collaborates with people, organizations, institutions, of all religions, in areas which contribute to the betterment of society and the quality of life. We initially started with an emphasis in the prevention of children (mostly girls) being taken to the exploitation and commercialization of the sex Industry, and continue to do so by way mostly of scholarships.We also develop good relations with other Asian peoples, like Japan, Cambodia, Myanmar, etc. Most of the projects and programs are small and medium range. JESS continue to develop contacts, keeping our eyes and hearts open, being particularly sensitive to the needs and sufferings, joys and hopes, of the poor ones. 1. Networking. JESS supports peoples or local initiatives and organizations, and other organizations also support us. We work with the ASIAN HOUSE HIMEJI of Japan and with Mahidol University, Faculty of Medicine, of Bangkok. 2. Redistribute the wealth from the rich to the poor; from the urban to the rural in a simple manner. We take computers, typewriters, cloths, books, etc from donors in Bangkok to rural villages in Thailand, to rural Cambodia. 3. Identify and translate good books for children and youth with `values' from foreign languages (mostly Spanish) to Thai language. We have very good collaboration with some professors from the Department of Western Languages of Chula and Ram, and some time with university students overseas. We print the books, distribute them to the villagers. Sometimes we propagate good books for children and teachers. 4. Produce good videos, like THE CRY OF MY APPEAL. It shows the causes and effects of the sexual exploitation of children. The videos are available in Thai, English, Spanish, and Japanese languages. Now we are making a Thai version of a cartoon movie called FLOWERS WITHOUT FRONTIERS from Spainish language. It is about 'sharing' value. We have helped a Spanish NGO to produce a video on sexual exploitation of children by Spanish tourists. 5. Attend national and international conferences related to our social work. We are always available for consultation. 6. On very special occasions we also take volunteers, or help volunteers to find a suitable work and place for their activities. We take and provide information, etc. for the use of others. 7. Support programs and activities for the rights and quality of life of women and children in rural areas and also among the hill tribes. o We have helped to produce music cassettes in Pakeno language. We also financed one cassette in Hmong language. o Conscientise minorities against drugs, HIV+ infection o Develop friendship among the youth with sports, music, or agricultural educational activities. o Helped two Pakeno Catholic Centers with agricultural development, fish ponds, poultry, piggery, etc.  We supported training seminars for Hmong women in Chiangkhong, Chiangrai, as well as . Young Hmong Literacy Summer Courses. We have assisted in small vvays the group of hill tribe female students in Chiangkham with their poultry activities. o Support some poor rural schools, like Sapmuang and Thaparat schools, with water tanks, bicycles, books, scholarships. computers, agriculture, two Canteens, etc. We have helped them to become sister-schools of two Japanese Junior High Schools in Hyogo prefecture, Japan. We have helped twelve students, first graduates of Sapmuang school, to enter Colleges and Universities, as a 'case role model' for the district. o Provide small `seed money' for HIV+ groups in rural northern and eastern Thailand to have income generating activities (weaving, mushroom growing, etc.), and provide moral and information support. We provide power milk for 107 children affected by AIDS of their parents in Phayao. o Give hundreds of scholarships every year to the orphans of AIDS victims, and to the poor rural children. 80% of them are girls. o Support a mini-school in Chiangmai, Warali House, for the formation and training of young girls, to make them dress-makers. It is one year full time training. After that they can find jobs in the shops or companies in the city, or they can start their own little shop. The training and formation is free for the girls. Most of them are hill tribes. We have trained three girls from Myanmar, who are now teaching in their dioceses. o Support few and special political refugees from Cambodia with moral supports, counseling, advice, small material needs, and education. o Helped starting and developing a Khmer organization, called Farmers Economic Development Organization or FEDO in Sisophon and Phnom Penh, Cambodia. We supported their two centers, Saint Isidro, . We have a Ping Bank, developed with the assistance of the experts from Kasetsart University, Kamphaengsaen, Nakonpathom province. Thousands of pigs have been produced and distributed. The professors have traveled to Cambodia twice to impart information and training to the Khmer farmers with JESS logistic and financial support. o Helped a Thai volunteer in Sisophon area to start several bamboo schools for children in a resettlement area in Poipet. Now these schools are being supported by UNICEF and Khmer officials. o Collaborate with Xavier Hall Students Center in some projects, such as Work Camps, Scholarships, or school materials More information, open www.jessthai.org back to the top
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