Proper educational opportunities for their children is hard to achieve. Children may get kindergarten and primary level education in their villages, but the standards are often inadequate. In many cases, children still cannot read and write properly after completing primary school. There are secondary schools in some large villages, but for many youngsters these schools are simply too far away to make them a viable option. The lack of educational opportunities for Nan's hill children has a host of devastating knock-on effects.
Many youngsters find themselves working as child labourers and are forced to migrate to seek a job.
When work is hard to come by drug abuse, prostitution and crime is sometimes seen as the only alternative - and with that comes a higher risk of HIV and Aids. Thus in 1997, the Redemptorists launched the project to build an accommodation centre for underprivileged youngsters. And to enhance educational opportunities for children in areas where there are no secondary schools. To fulfil these aims, it was decided the land the missionaries had earlier acquired, would be used to build an accommodation centre. The site is in Vangtao village, in Tambol Tuebtong, about 15 kilometres from Nan town, and yet there is a government secondary school just round the corner.