Hands Across the Water

Our history

In 2004, countless Thai children were left alone and homeless by the Boxing Day tsunami.

 

Hands founder, former police forensic specialist Peter Baines, working with the tsunami disaster victim identification team, was deeply touched by the number of children left homeless and alone by the natural disaster. He was inspired to establish an organisation that could make a difference.

 

In late 2005, a team of committed individuals with the desire to help others formed Hands Across The Water.

 

Who we are

Hands Across the Water is a boutique Australian charity that gives at-risk Thai children and their communities a helping hand.

 

Our projects are tailored to meet local communities’ needs – for the long term. The work we do is focused on improving the lives of the kids and their communities today and in the future.

 

In our first 6 years, we’ve raised more than $7 million without spending a cent of donors’ money on administration or marketing.

 

What we do

Building our first orphanage, Baan Tharn Namchai In 2004, we initially supported 32 kids who had lost their parents and were

living in a tent at Baan Tharn Namchai (BTN) in Phang-Nga, a town on Thailand’s northern Andaman coast. The kids were left without food, shelter or support.

 

Hands, along with a number of equally committed supporters pooled their resources to build the first orphanage at Barn Tharn Namchai.

Our director, Khun Rotjana, led the centre. Baan Tharn Namchai was opened in August 2006. We added a girls-only building, in

January 2009.

 

Today, Baan Tharn Namchai is home to 74 children and 12 bouncing babies.

 

Hands today

We support hundreds of children in multiple locations across Thailand: