You can volunteer to work and live at our orphanage through a number of agencies or you can contact us directly to arrange your visit. The information below should help you understand more about what's involved but contact us if you have further questions.
What's involved in volunteering
What to expect from volunteering
What's involved in volunteering
You can come to stay at Baan San Fan for as little or as long as you would like, most people choose 1-2 weeks. We have six buildings here: the main kitchen building, the garage, and four living houses, one for the family, one for the boys, one for the girls and one for visitors. So, you have your own building for sleeping, with a Western bathroom.
We eat all three meals together and do daily tasks around the home together. You can get involved in all those tasks, from washing up and weeding to helping build fences and go to the market for food. The children also love to have new people to play with and learn from during their free time before & after school and at the weekend.
We are about 3 hours from Phuket in the beautiful province of Phang Nga in Thailand.
What to expect from volunteering
You'll be part of family life here so expect to be part of a proper domestic Thai routine. If you'd like to see the local area or do some travelling you can also make time for that during your stay.
Most people enjoy being part of the life here, getting to spend time with the children and contributing to the development of the home.
You will also find your stay at the home very relaxing. The location is tranquil: in a tiny village, at the foot of the hills and surrounded by tropical plants. The food is traditional Thai (we can cater for different dietary needs, e.g. vegetarian, vegan, gluten free) and plentiful.
Volunteering requirements
The minimum stay is 7 days and the cost is 750 THB per day (or 20,000 THB per month). This price includes your 3 meals a day and your lodgings. We are looking for people that can help with any of the the primary functions of the orphanage; childcare, product sales & marketing and organic farming.
How do I volunteer?
If you would like to volunteer at Baan San Fan you should contact us by email with details of your planned stay. Your email should include your proposed arrival & departure dates as well as details of any flights or transport. You should also include any dietary requirements (vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, etc).
We are happy to drop you off or pick you up from Phuket or Surat Thani airports for a fee of 1,500 THB. Free pickups can also be arranged from our nearest bus stations (Takua Pa or Kura Buri) or, you can get the bus to drop you off right outside (Bang Wan village).
Testimonials
James & Rebecca, UK - September, 2010
We stayed with Baan San Fan Orphanage for a wonderful week in September 2010. As it was the end of the rainy season, we worked with the family to weed vegetable patches, preparing them for seeding and growing in the coming weeks. We stayed onsite, lived, ate, worked and played with the family and the children. It has been an amazing experience, to see how well the children are cared for, how much the orphanage is like a family - providing love and care for all the children. It has been incredibly warming to be able to help and be part of the support to the children.
Thai cooking lessons are also a part of the experience, and a brilliant one too - the food here is very good, and varied, and Gai is an extremely good teacher.
Thank you to all the family at Baan San Fan, we thoroughly recommend the experience to other volunteers - get involved and help this very worthwhile home provide support to the children.
Jean Francois, France - October, 2010
Les enfants ont trouve ici une vraie maison.... trop cool
Steve, Australia - November, 2010
We arrived at Baan San Fan Orphanage not knowing what to expect, over the week my mother and I stayed we became part of a beautiful family. Sam and Gai care for 15 children 3 of whom are their own but share their love equally among all. We have made bamboo lattice, built fences, played football, taught English, sung songs and ran around laughing for hours, not to mention eating the best Thai food cooking by Gai and the children. If you have the opportunity to come and visit for one day, one week or one month your time here shall be something to remember. Hopefully I will be writing another one of these next year.
Robin, Australia - November, 2010
I have a family of my own to love and now I have another to love. Enjoy the wonderful Thai hospitality, the smiles that make you smile back and enjoy an experience that only comes from giving. I cannot recommend the Baan San Fan Orphanage highly enough. Add another dimension to your travel and feel the difference. We look forward to coming back to see the chickens and their house which has been our project whilst here. If you would just like to come for time-out, I am sure they would welcome you with open arms.
Lucy, Australia - December, 2010
I've just spent two superb weeks here at Baan San Fan. Gai, Sam and all the children have been so warm and welcoming, coming here really is like having an instant family! I'm really happy to have been included in so much around the home: going to the markets with Gai, helping to dig the new pond with Sam & the children, playing games, doing homework, helping (I hope!) with coconut oil. There were special occasions to: I was here for Christmas which was a lot of fun, food and giggles, we also had an awesome trip to beautiful Bangsak beach one morning, again a lot of giggles. One of the highlights for me was being able to teach at the local school and my enormous thanks to Gai & Sam for helping to arrange that, it was more than I'd hoped for. Gai's cooking deserves a very special mention. If nothing else, come for the peanut curry, mushroom salad and plentiful papaya. I hope to be back to visit again soon.
x Pi Lucy
(you can read more about my experiences at Baan San Fan at www.lucyjjames.com
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