How One Person’s Dedication and Passion Can Make a Difference in Helping Others
Yiran (Coco) Xu is a young student leader who has made a big impact on the local Chiang Mai community through her food bank initiative.
Her journey began at Prem Tinsulanonda International School Chiang Mai with simple acts of donating to animal and human causes at Junior School to eventually becoming an events leader and fundraising coordinator currently in Grade 11.
Her passion for helping others led her to start the Food Bank project in 2020, which aimed to support local faculty families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
In an interview with CNXMAG.com, Coco shared her inspiration for starting the initiative and how she went about organizing it.
We first started this Food Bank project in 2020 for a class because we realized that Covid-19 hit many local faculties hard – many staff on campus lost their jobs and some, even their houses. We helped those families in need by providing them with food donations.
Throughout the next year, Coco and her team were able to support over 100 households with basic supply donations, raised through fundraisers. However, Coco knew that this was not enough and that more needed to be done to support low-income families facing household problems.
“Educating global citizens who strive for excellence, live sustainably, lead responsibly, celebrate diversity, and whose integrity champions a just and more peaceful world.”
The Prem Vision
This year, they were able to help over 300 families, including those disabled, a local public school, and many exceptional cases. To finish off the year, they engaged over 10 international schools in Thailand to help out with this cause.
Coco faced many challenges while organizing the initiative, especially when it came to deciding how to approach the subject of poverty.
It is sensitive to some: how much help do they want? How much is too much? Who should we rely on?
However, Coco pushed through by seeing the bigger picture and creating a team that helped her in all ways. She positioned people so they would be at their happiest, and together, they were able to deliver 250kg of surplus to 100 staff on campus through SOS Thailand.
Coco’s initiative has had a significant impact on the community, with over 500 families and households helping in total. They were also able to support public schools, and orphanages, and spread their advocacy across many international schools and organizations.
When asked about how it made her feel to be a part of it, Coco said:
It makes me smile to be able to give back to the community and be able to spread this campaign!
Looking back, Coco wishes she had developed more programs earlier and reached out to people to help sooner. However, she plans to continue her involvement in community service initiatives by developing a new educational program that not only directly helps people but also allows them to pass what they have learned onwards.
Coco’s story is a testament to the power of youth leadership and the impact that one person can make in their community. Her food bank initiative has not only provided essential support to those in need but has also inspired others to get involved and make a difference.
Coco’s dedication to helping others is a shining example of what can be achieved when we come together and work towards a common goal.
As Coco continues to develop new programs and initiatives to support her community, we can all learn from her example and strive to make a positive impact in our own lives. Whether it’s through volunteering, donating, or simply spreading awareness, we can all play a role in creating a better world for everyone.
As Coco says, “Never underestimate the power of one person to make a difference. We all have the ability to create change, and it starts with taking action.“
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Email: foodbankprem@ptis.ac.th
Instagram: @foodbanklc_th
Facebook: Food Bank & Local Communities
