GUEST SPEAKER- Dr. Phyllis Kaplan

Posted by Mike Balster 
 
Dr. Kaplan was introduced by Mike Balster, a former student. Dr. Kaplan, a professor of Educational Psychology, California State University, East Bay, spoke with passion about her favorite project, Good Shepherds Sister project in Thailand. Good Shepherd Sisters is an international non- profit organization dedicated to developing the quality of life of all those in need, regardless of their religious affiliation. In Thailand, they focus on helping children and women to become productive citizens through the development of small entrepreneurial opportunities.
 

Dr. Kaplan was involved in the two plane flight to the USA filled with displaced Viet Nam children close to the end of the Viet Nam war. One plane crashed, the other made it to San Francisco to a big warm welcome. Eventually, nearly all of the 1000 children who were saved became USA citizens. 

            In a remote corner of NE Thailand, Good Shepherd Sisters established a school and work place for people and children in need. She reported that they have 75 children going to their school and have set up work and training opportunities where families are trained to make enough money to care for themselves and their children. If this didn't happen, many families would be forced to sell their children to the sex trade in Bangkok. Unscrupulous men offer money to the families to take their children to Bangkok. These children end up in the sex trade in Bangkok or neighboring large cities.  Dr. Kaplan said, "I'm doing this to keep children out of the bedroom!"

            They have found a way for the families to earn a living. They weave cloth for clothing, embroidery shirts with their own designs, make pottery, make exotic paper greeting cards, and are shown how to improve the production of their rice fields. They have cow banks where a cow is given to a needy family, the offspring are then given to another family, and eventually every needy family owns a cow for milk. They have found ways to touch the lives of over 800 families with 4-10 people in each family. They offer education on such subjects such as AIDS, nutrition, economics, etc. Many of the people that are touched are disabled, blind, deaf or otherwise impaired, and they are given special help to become productive in the community.

            As an example of how a person could become involved in being a volunteer to help these communities Dr. Kaplan introduced her associate, Ashlee Sakaishi, . She also described her program with pictures of the villages, the houses, agriculture, and the living conditions.

            During the question/answer period, Dr. Kaplan said that she has no children of her own but has adopted 10 special kids and has helped 6 other kids get through college. In Thailand, she said that $150 would put a child through school including a uniform, books, and food. 

            Mike has also arranged for Dr. Kaplan to speak before the Pismo Beach Rotary and Arroyo Grande Rotary Clubs. The three clubs will get together and figure out how we can best help move this worthwhile project forward.