RADION International

Last updated
RADION International
Formation2007
FounderEugene Wee, Benjamin Goh
Type Non-governmental organization
FocusVulnerable & Marginalized Communities
Location
Area served
Thailand Laos Singapore Philippines Myanmar Pakistan
MethodChild rescue, Advocacy, Rehabilitation, Humanitarian Relief, Disaster Recovery, Community Development, Education, Livelihood development
Website www.radion-international.org


RADION International is a Singapore-registered Christian humanitarian relief and development non-government organisation (NGO). RADION's core work primarily focuses on both short term aid, and long-term assistance to underprivileged and marginalized communities in Asia. RADION International, headquartered in Chiang Mai, Thailand, serves communities in across Thailand.

Contents

RADION has also been involved in short-term projects to disaster areas, like in Myanmar, Laos and The Philippines during Haiyan typhoon,

RADION programs cover child rescue and protection, community development, disaster recovery, with the bulk of its work dedicated to aiding vulnerable and at-risk children, and looking upstream to strengthen social safety nets in target communities.

Most of its donors are Singaporeans and Thais. [1]

Founding

RADION International was founded in 2007, starting as two-man team based in Chiang Mai. The founders of RADION had learned of the plight of some 8,900 Hmong from previous humanitarian missions and were inspired to provide aid to the critically needy among the refugees. The Hmong, who had sought asylum in Northern Thailand following the events of the regional conflicts, had fallen into extreme poverty, with children becoming a particular high-risk group.

The organization designed most of its programs to address the needs of these children and their families, which founders say necessitate long-term efforts of some "20-to-40 years". [1]

In 2018, RADION claims to have reached as many as 7,000 direct beneficiaries in 2018 alone. [2]

RADION International's Chairman is Mr Peter Phan, and is led by Executive Director Eugene Wee, who is also one of the founders.

Initiatives

RADION runs a number of both long-term and short-term programs in Asia, with most of its efforts targeting the under-reached communities in Northern Thailand. The number of programs have grown over the years, in response to the evolving needs of the beneficiaries on the ground.

STREETKIDS! Rehabilitation Shelter (STK)

An rescue and rehabilitation program for children from high-risk backgrounds (i.e. poverty, substance abuse, gangs, physical abuse/neglect). The program provides education, nutrition, healthcare, emotional support and character development for these children.

Building on the success of the StreetKIDS, a second shelter was set up in Chiangmai in 2011 to accommodate the influx and education needs for the older children. In 2012, The StreetKIDS programme started to receive more high-risk and abuse cases, prompting the management to set up a rescue arm to provide direct assistance to children who were at risk of being trafficked as well as victims of abuse.

RADION now operates two shelters in Chiangmai and Phetchabun Province.

HOPE Center

An integrated trauma care and family service center was started in 2022 to extend support to child survivors and families who require counseling and therapy.

The HOPE Center provides needs assessment, trauma first aid, counseling and treatment (cognitive behavioral therapy, art therapy, music therapy).

The HOPE Center works on a subsidised and pay it forward model, allowing full paying patients to offset treatment costs, for other lower income families.

Social Enterprise

RADION started the Project SHOPHOUSE, one of its earliest initiatives, to provide low-cost internet access to needy students.

RADION started an integrated farm in 2009 to trial and showcase the feasibility of different farming technologies for farmers, helping them in areas of animal husbandry, agriculture, aquaculture and bio fuel development.

RADION's social enterprises are created to aid victims of domestic violence by providing jobs, work skills training and rehabilitation in a safe environment. The goal is to empower these womenfolk to one day attain financial independence and self-sufficiency.

Community Development & Empowerment

The organisation built on the success of the farm to start off the community development program - a holistic programme to address issues of poverty, domestic violence, substance abuse and lack of healthcare among rural communities.

A two-pronged program with an advocacy arm to educate youth in an effort to break the vicious cycle of poverty, violence and drugs, and a social business arm that provides practical work-skill training and safe shelter for victims of domestic violence.

Village Outreach Program (VO)

A dignity program that provides nursing care, nutrition and emotional support to critically needy, disabled and terminally-ill beneficiaries in the community.

HOPE Scholarship

A scholarship programme started in 2020, in response to the economic downturn post COVID-19 pandemic, where countless thai families lost the ability to continue sending their children through university.

The Hope scholarship, provides a bursary to high performing students, who have a clear goal of contributing back to their communities after graduation.

Project LIVES!

Project LIVES! is an annual humanitarian relief and awareness campaign. The campaign was first started in 2007 and sought to aid targeted communities relief items through community action. Relief aid has typically taken the form of cold wear, food items and hygiene items. Held yearly in Singapore, the Project LIVES! has also become a platform for inspiring action in the community, creating awareness for caring for communities.

Organizational Philosophy

The organisation is founded on Christian values. According to the organization's founders, RADION's name originates from the combination of two words, "RADIATING" and "MISSION". [3] It strongly believes in reaching vulnerable and needy groups through practical actions and to be a catalyst for change within these communities.

Long-Term Developmental Model

RADION targets communities that are under-served due to political, geographical or social constraints. The organisation promotes aid and community development through a two-prong approach, administering programs to beneficiaries, while looking upstream to strengthen social safety nets.

The organization is currently the only non-governmental organization serving the Hmong hill-tribe village of Khek Noi — the largest Hmong community in Thailand. [4]

Short-Term Humanitarian Relief

RADION provides direct assistance to all rural villages within a 120 km radius of its integrated centre in Phetchabun, Thailand in the event of natural calamities or disasters that occur in the area.

Humanitarian Relief projects are projects targeted at channeling timely life-saving support to underserved communities in the event of natural disasters or calamities.

These adhoc projects provide affected villagers with food, shelter, medical care and crisis support.

Disaster Recovery projects aim to provide mid-term assistance to communities impacted by disasters through the provision of livelihood options and economic recovery.

Past Projects

2007–2009 : Pioneered outreaches spanning 600 km across Thailand, providing 8900 Hmong-Lao refugees in 3 different areas with humanitarian aid.

a. Phetchabun Refugee Camp (8,200 refugees)

b. Nong Khai Detention Center (158 refugees)

c. Refugee Settlement (450 refugees)

Each site had different pressing needs, and as a result, outreach operations varied in scale and intensity from basic MILK! Missions (children nutrition augmentation missions), FRUITS! Mission (family food augmentation mission) to first-aid training.

Jan 2009 : Disaster Relief & Medical Support

RADION International responded when the Thai government called for additional support during the sudden cold snap in 2009. RADION International provided medical assistance to 8 villages within a 120 km radius from RADION's field office in Phetchabun.

Nov 2013 - Jan 2014: Disaster Relief For Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda)

RADION was amongst the first to respond after Super Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines in Nov 2013. The disaster response team spearheaded missions into Capiz Province that had been devastated by the typhoon but neglected by aid agencies.

The relief and rebuilding effort continued for a period of 1 year, with volunteer teams providing medical care, relief items and establishing development initiatives to assist and restore affected communities.

2017-2020: Child protection and development program (CPDP) was initiated to serve communities in Laos, in partnership with the Ministry Of Labour and Social Welfare (MLSW), Laos PDR. [5]

Impact and Accolades

The STREETKIDS! programme saw a 66% rehabilitation success rate for juvenile drug users on the programme.

RADION's community development initiatives and successful collaboration with local leaders brought juvenile substance use down from 25% to 11.9%. The effort was recognized by the Social Development Office, Royal Thai Embassy and RADION was awarded Outstanding Brands by BrandAlliance.

Partners

RADION International accepts donations from a number of countries, including Singapore, Thailand, Australia, United States and United Kingdom.

RADION receives support from individuals and corporate partners, including:

Supporters

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Rescue Committee</span> Nongovernmental humanitarian organization

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a global humanitarian aid, relief, and development nongovernmental organization. Founded in 1933 as the International Relief Association, at the request of Albert Einstein, and changing its name in 1942 after amalgamating with the similar Emergency Rescue Committee, the IRC provides emergency aid and long-term assistance to refugees and those displaced by war, persecution, or natural disaster. The IRC is currently working in about 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities where it resettles refugees and helps them become self-sufficient. It focuses mainly on health, education, economic wellbeing, power, and safety.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercy Corps</span> American humanitarian aid NGO founded 1979

Mercy Corps is a global non-governmental, humanitarian aid organization operating in transitional contexts that have undergone, or have been undergoing, various forms of economic, environmental, social and political instabilities. The organization claims to have assisted more than 220 million people survive humanitarian conflicts, seek improvements in livelihoods, and deliver durable development to their communities.

Lutheran World Relief (LWR) is an international non-governmental organization that focuses on sustainable development projects and disaster relief and recovery. The organization was founded in 1945 to collect and send aid to people living in post-World War II Europe. Today, LWR helps communities living in extreme poverty adapt to the challenges that threaten their livelihoods and well-being, and responds to emergencies with a long-term view. It is a member of the Corus International family of faith-based international development organizations, which include IMA World Health, CGA Technologies, Ground Up Investing, and LWR Farmers Market Coffee.

Children International is a global nonprofit humanitarian organization that helps children break the cycle of poverty. It addresses children’s critical needs through early intervention and regular interaction in community centers. The goal is to help children overcome the effects of poverty, support their education, and prepare youth to contribute to society.

The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is the global humanitarian aid and development organization of the United Methodist Church (UMC). UMCOR is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization operated under the auspices of the General Board of Global Ministries. Administrative expenses are funded by an annual offering collected by United Methodist churches on UMCOR Sunday.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Relief Services</span> Humanitarian agency from the USA

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Founded in 1943 by the Bishops of the United States, the agency provides assistance to 130 million people in more than 110 countries and territories in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medair</span> Natural disaster aid organization

Medair is an international non-governmental organisation (INGO) whose purpose is to relieve human suffering in some of the world's most remote and devastated places. Medair aims to assist people affected by natural disasters and conflict to recover with dignity through the delivery of quality humanitarian aid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development</span> French humanitarian organization

Acted is a French international solidarity non-governmental organization (NGO), founded in 1993. It is headquartered in Paris. 

Food for the Hungry is a Christian international relief, development, and advocacy organization. Food for the Hungry was founded in 1971 by Larry Ward. Food for the Hungry's stated mission for long-term development is to graduate communities of extreme poverty within 10–15 years. The organization also works in disaster relief and humanitarian response, including working with the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

MERCY Malaysia or Malaysian Medical Relief Society is a non-profit organisation focusing on providing medical relief, sustainable health related development and risk reduction activities for vulnerable communities in both crisis and non-crisis situations. As a non-profit organisation, MERCY Malaysia relies solely on funding and donations from organisations and generous individuals to continue their services to provide humanitarian assistance to beneficiaries, both in Malaysia and internationally. The organisation is a registered society according to the Societies Act 1966 in Malaysia, and the headquarters is in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.

Sexual exploitation and abuse in humanitarian response first came to public attention with the release of a report in February 2002 of a joint assessment mission examining the issue. The joint mission reported that "refugee children in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone have been subjected to sexual abuse and exploitation, reportedly by employees of national and international NGOs, UNHCR and other UN bodies..." Humanitarian agencies responded almost immediately with measures designed to prevent further abuse, setting up an inter-agency task force with the objective of "strengthening and enhancing the protection and care of women and children in situations of humanitarian crisis and conflict..." In 2008 there were signs that sexual exploitation and abuse of beneficiaries not only continued, but was under-reported. In January 2010, the ECHA/ECPS task force developed a website devoted to protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) by personnel of the United Nations (UN), non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other international organizations.

Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA), based in Alexandria, Virginia, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) humanitarian agency and member of the Islamic Relief Worldwide group of organizations. IRUSA was founded in California in 1993. In addition to international relief and development initiatives, Islamic Relief USA also sponsors and funds domestic projects ranging from emergency disaster responses to assisting the American homeless population and supporting those who cannot afford basic healthcare.

IsraAID is an Israel-based non-governmental organization that responds to emergencies all over the world with targeted humanitarian help. This includes disaster relief, from search and rescue to rebuilding communities and schools, to providing aid packages, medical assistance, and post-psychotrauma care. IsraAID has also been involved in emergency response and international development projects in more than 60 countries, with focuses on Water, Sanitation & Hygiene, public health and medical care, education, and mental health and protection.

NetHope, Inc. is a global consortium of nearly 60 global nonprofit organizations that specializes in improving IT connectivity among humanitarian organizations in developing countries and areas affected by disaster. The organization has partnerships with Accenture, Amazon, Cisco, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Oracle NetSuite and more than 60 leading technology companies. Its humanitarian development, emergency response, and conservation programs are in place in 180 countries. It was founded in 2001.

Matthew 25: Ministries is an international humanitarian aid and disaster relief organization headquartered in Blue Ash, Ohio, US. Matthew 25: Ministries provides humanitarian aid and disaster relief to the poor throughout the US and around the world. Matthew 25 collects excess products from corporations and manufacturers as well as the general public and ships these donations to those in need.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humanitarian response to Typhoon Haiyan</span>

In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, the Philippines received numerous messages of condolence and offers of assistance from a range of international leaders.

MAP International is a Christian nonprofit organization based out of Brunswick, Georgia. Their mission is to provide medicines and health supplies to those in need around the world.

Mercy Relief is a Non-Governmental humanitarian organization based in Singapore. It was established in 2001 by Perdaus, a Malay-Muslim organization and became the first Muslim organisation in Singapore with a disaster humanitarian relief wing. The organization was officially launched on 12 May 2001 by Mr Abdullah Tarmugi, Minister For Community Development and Sports and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Medical Relief</span> US-based non-governmental organization

International Medical Relief (IMR) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) headquartered in Colorado, United States. Its primary objective is to offer healthcare services to marginalized and underserved populations worldwide. IMR achieves this by enlisting healthcare professionals and volunteer doctors who donates their time and expertise.

References

  1. 1 2 hermes (2015-08-09). "Giving up all to help villagers". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2019-06-23.
  2. RADION. "RADION 2018 Annual Report" (PDF).
  3. "Radiating Love and Care | GoodPaper" . Retrieved 2019-06-24.
  4. The Land Without The Concept Of A Title Deed
  5. RADION. "RADION Blog: A New Chapter In Laos".
  6. A Fisheye View Of Project LIVES!. 2009-09-02. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
  7. A Worthy Charitable Cause. 2009-09-14. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  8. A Heart For The Hmong. 2011-11-25. Retrieved 2011-11-31.
  9. ActivAid 2012: Understanding How Working Together Works. 2012-08-25. Retrieved 2012-08-31.