The Founder: Mudita Karnasuta

Hello, my name is Surapee Mudita Karnasuta and you can usually meet me whenever you visit the Hamilton Arms and Nava Thai Restaurant in Stedham, West Sussex. (That's a picture of me to the left, with one of our waitresses in traditional Thai dress, in the grounds of the Hamilton Arms.) I was born in Bangkok, Thailand, and have been living in England since 1969, running several Thai restaurants around Britain.

You may be interested to know how I came to be in this lovely West Sussex village. It's a story that is, for me, something of a personal crusade.

My reasons for the Trust...

As a privileged child being driven through Bangkok with my father, I saw many homeless children begging. My father explained to me that many were the children of women who worked as prostitutes to support their families, and that many of the children would follow their mother's way of life. I promised myself that one day I would help such children to a better life through education.

To England...

After my own school life in Bangkok and Penang, and then at the Conservatoire of Music in Sydney, Australia, I came to England in 1969. In 1970, with my mother, I opened the first traditional Thai Restaurant in the UK - The Siam in Kensington, London. We adapted the menu to the Western way, by serving the meal as separate courses; traditionally, Thai food is served all at the same time. More restaurants followed around the country, and in 1991 my business partner, Suhail Hussain, and I came here to the Hamilton Arms in Stedham, West Sussex, just a few miles from the Chithurst Buddhist Forest Monastery, which I support.

From Small Beginnings...

At last the opportunity presented itself to fulfil my lifelong promise. My good friend Khun Namtip Milligan and I sold our old clothes and raised the grand sum of £34.50 - the foundation for the Mudita Trust. The Trust was founded on 17 January 1992. It is a non-profit, non-sectarian and non-government trust to help abused, distressed and underprivileged children in Thailand. Research shows that education is a genuine way to prevent child prostitution.

...to the Hope for a Brighter Future for Thai Children...

Now the Hamilton Arms is the Head Office of the trust, and we raise funds by giving 10% of the net profit of the pub and the restaurant to the Trust. All proceeds from our small shop in the bar (which sells Thai Ingredients and handicrafts) and from sales of my Thai cookery video, Simply Thai, are donated to the Trust. (Picture of video launch at right.)

The Objects of the Trust:

• To give education to underprivileged girls who might otherwise be lured or sold into child prostitution through ignorance
• To raise money to support the Dharmajarinee School in the province of Rachaburi, south west of Bangkok. This school is for girls aged from 8 to 16 (more information...)
• To raise funds to support further education/training and assist in finding suitable employment for the girls. (more information...)

Our Fundraising Events...

We also hold a variety of fundraising events, here in the extensive grounds of the Hamilton Arms and further afield. These have become really popular in the area and the local community really enjoys joining in. Major events include:

• The Eastern Cultural Fete is held every Spring Bank Holiday on the green opposite the Hamilton Arms
  (See pictures here)
• The Amazing Thailand Festival is held every other year over the August Bank Holiday weekend at Secretts, Milford and features
  (See pictures and more information here)

Some of the Projects we Support...

The Dharmajarinee Witthaya at the Ratchaburi branch of the Nun's Institute of Thailand

This school was founded in 1990 by a group of Buddhist nuns who built the first Convent School there to enable girls from poor families to continue their studies. Believing as I do that "Education is the only way to prevent child prostitution from its root", when I met Khun Mae Prathin, the Buddhist Head Nun, in summer of 1992 I saw this as a wonderful opportunity and so the Mudita Trust began financing the girls, all from poor families, who may well have found themselves becoming child prostitutes through no fault of their own.

The girls live and are cared for at the convent, studying the 5 basic subjects needed for further education at college: English, Thai, Maths, Science and Buddhism. They also learn to cook, grow vegetables, care for pets, tend the garden and flowers, together with sewing and many handicrafts, ensuring everyone has the opportunity excel - if not academically, then in other ways, thus increasing their self-worth and employment opportunities.

The Centre is delighted with the progress and support it receives from followers all over the UK, Thailand and other parts of the world. They are now extending the facilities to take more young girls into their care and the Trust is able to help with the equipment and books needed. The Trust now also helps the girls to further their education and to find suitable employment once they finish their time at the Dhammajarinee Centre.

Self-Access Learning Centre

In 1995, the Mudita Trust appointed an experienced, voluntary English Teacher who, with funds from the Trust, set up a Self-Access Learning Centre for English, to enable the girls to study on their own. This is still growing and a great benefit to all. Further voluntary teachers followed and will continue to be appointed in future.

The Surua Siraw School

This school, in a poor, rural part of Bangkok, is where the street children can receive an education and thereby an opportunity to work for a better life.

School at Tambol Submagrood

This school is in the southern province of Klonghard, one of the poorest areas in Thailand.

Career Training Centre, Bangkok

After discussion with Government officials in Thailand, and with the advice and support of the Trust, a new and inspiring project is being set up in Bangkok. It is a Career Training Centre to prepare the young students for their chosen occupations and careers, giving them opportunities for a more purposeful future. This is a new scheme to help settle the young and underprivileged on a worthwhile path once their school life is ended.

Plus many individual young people...

Woman of the Year Award

In 1998 I was proud to be awarded Woman of the Year Award by Soroptimists International for my work with the Mudita Trust.

If you would like to know more about the Mudita Trust and its activities, please come and talk to me about it. I'll be happy to see you at The Hamilton Arms in Stedham. Or, if you prefer, write, telephone, fax, or e-mail me. My contact details are shown at the bottom of this page.

Reg. Charity No. 102 9665