This month for Pattaya Patriots Gloria Visits: Fountain Of Life Women’s Center

I am using the term Patriot for a series of articles to feature in the magazine. Firstly because I love the alliteration, and secondly because I wanted a word to describe some very special people who live amongst us here in Pattaya. Sometimes given a military connotation, the word patriot actually describes someone who deeply loves, supports and defends their country (or, for the purposes of this article, their city).

They often demonstrate loyalty through service, sacrifice, or civic engagement.True patriotism goes beyond mere pride—it involves striving to make improvements for all, for freedom, and for progress.

The Fountain of Life Women’s Center was founded in 1988 as part of the Good Shepherd Sister Congregation, dedicated to supporting women and children vulnerable to exploitation, poverty, and abuse.

Last year, we featured Sr. Apinya and Khun Chanida at The Fountain of Life Children’s center. If you wish to read that article, it is still available on the homepage of our website, pattayatrader.com.

This month, following the recent celebrations of International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day (in the UK), we felt it a perfect time to shine the Pattaya Patriots spotlight on The Fountain of Life Women’s Center. A nonprofit organization focused on providing practical assistance and emotional care to those who come through their doors.

During my visit to the center,I saw women learning easily transferable skills such as hairdressing, Thai massage, nail technology, and even jewelry making. Many others were engaged in language classes, eager to expand their opportunities and be proud of new accomplishments.

My guide whilst I was there was the serene and gracious Sr. Piyachat who has been at the center for 13 years. She explained that between 80 and 150 women attend each weekday and in addition to offering morning and afternoon classes, the center also places a strong emphasis on community development. I saw preparations were already underway for the upcoming Songkran celebrations.

Many women who work in Pattaya’s bar complexes face immense pressure from their families. One told Sr Piyachat (or Teacher as they affectionately call her)

“They don’t even ask how I am doing but phone me all the time – sometimes at 5:30 in the morning to ask when I will be sending money.”

Others have endured abusive relationships and for some of these the center is a refuge where they feel safe enough to rest, even falling asleep during the day because it is their only safe place.

The protection and care offered at the center reflects a truly holistic approach. Volunteers and staff strive not only to meet the immediate needs of the women but also to help address the root causes of their vulnerability.

With training in social care and an acceptance of all religions and faiths when you walk around the building you can see motivational mottos everywhere:“One Person is of More Value Than the Whole World,” “Small Acts, Big Change,” “Jubilee of Hope.” By providing vulnerable women with friendship, education, healthcare, counseling, and support, this center can create lasting, positive change in the lives of those who come through its doors.These include women aged 35 and above, who are considered too old to continue working in bar complexes and cast out on the scrapheap. Others who are forced by families and partners into work and which makes them feel wretched, seeking a way to build a different life. All the women who attend classes at The Fountain of Life Women’s Center want to support themselves with dignity and to learn to value themselves. But perhaps the most difficult lesson of all for many of these women is simply learning to say “No.”.