Growing a Brighter Future with Mushrooms: One Student’s Journey in Rural Thailand
When 14-year-old Imrak, a Grade Eight student at school in rural Thailand, received a scholarship from The Education Development Foundation Thailand (EDF), she didn’t expect her school days would include cultivating mushrooms or running a small business. But thanks to the nonprofit’s Career & Environmental Development Project initiative, she and her classmates learned how to grow, process, and sell value-added agricultural products like mushroom balls and dried mushrooms. The income didn’t just support their families — it improved school facilities and provided better meals. “Thanks to your kindness and dedication to helping students succeed,” she said, “my friends and I now believe in our futures.”
She’s not alone. Across Thailand, thousands of students like Imrak are building better futures through EDF’s unique model of combining education with real-world skills.
“I am delighted that our school has been selected to join the project. This grant provides valuable support for vocational skill projects, enabling students to gain hands-on experience, apply their knowledge in real life, and even generate additional income.”
– Ms. Thongsa Khammungkhun, Thai Teacher
Empowering Students Beyond the Classroom
Established in 1987, The Education for Development Foundation (EDF) is a Thai nonprofit organization working to break the cycle of poverty through education. While basic schooling is technically free in Thailand, many students, especially those in rural or low-income areas, still can’t afford uniforms, transportation, school supplies, or meals. EDF steps in with scholarships and life-skills training to bridge that gap.
Over the past three decades, EDF has awarded over 422,000 scholarships, totaling more than $22 million USD in support, and built a nationwide network of more than 5,000 public schools, colleges, universities, and community partners across Thailand. But their work goes beyond traditional charity; EDF believes that education must be holistic, preparing young people not only to pass exams, but to participate in their communities, launch businesses, and pursue sustainable careers.
In recent years, EDF expanded its efforts through programs like:
- Green Job Skills Development, where students create eco-friendly products and learn sustainable business models
- Youth Business Development, featuring workshops on budgeting, marketing, and entrepreneurship
- ICT for All, offering digital literacy training and access to technology
- Career and Environmental Development Projects, which integrate entrepreneurship into school curriculum and teach students to pitch and sell their own products
These programs are implemented nationwide, reaching students in underserved provinces such as Kanchanaburi, Nonthaburi Ratchaburi, Rayong, Samutprakarn, Sisaket, and beyond.
Partnership with CAF America
Since 2018, CAF America and EDF have together supported 13 distinct projects across Thailand with over $526,000 in funding, directly benefiting more than 17,000 students and positively impacting another 36,000 youth, teachers, and community members.
Each grant has been targeted, impactful, and community-based. In 2022, for example, funding from one grant powered the Skilling Up Youth for Community Development Program, training students in ten provinces on resume writing, job readiness, and launching micro-businesses. In 2023 and 2024, grants supported the Youth Business Development Program, where students developed and sold products like herbal inhalers and date palm cookies, gaining real experience in finance, marketing and product design.
Teachers, parents, and students alike have voiced their gratitude: “This grant allowed us to run our first student business,” said Wannapan, a Grade Eight student. “I’m truly grateful for this opportunity.”
These projects are part of a broader, nationwide effort to strengthen education and entrepreneurship among Thai youth. Programs like Career and Environmental Development I & II and ICT Service for All have helped students launch more than 80 environmentally friendly business models, enhance digital skills, and improve career readiness. These efforts transformed classrooms into innovation hubs where students learned to budget, design products, and sell through online platforms. Collectively, these programs have contributed to long-term educational resilience, economic opportunity, and community-driven development across Thailand.
“We’re really grateful to have received this award, and send a huge thanks to the committee, the moderator, and all the mentors for their support and encouragement. We were so excited to join this long-term workshop. It was such an amazing experience where we got to learn about innovation and technology. Not only did our team grow a lot, but we could also see real progress in other teams too. We’re planning to use everything we learned to keep improving our project, and we’ll definitely be sharing what we gained with our classmates and juniors.”
– Prawit Klumprasert and Thanakorn Rangrob, Students at Bankhai Technical College,
Participants in the 2019 Skilling up Youth to Grow, EEC’s Growth Program
What’s Next for EDF Thailand?
While the results are encouraging, EDF knows their work is far from done. The need is still great — especially in remote communities where schools lack resources, students face food insecurity, and families are still recovering from economic setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
EDF’s vision for the future includes:
- Expanding access to scholarships to reach more underprivileged students in rural provinces
- Launching more Entrepreneurship Stations in Opportunity Expansion Schools, offering dedicated spaces for student innovation and business incubation
- Integrating Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economic principles into curriculum so students learn sustainable production methods that align with Thailand’s environmental goals
- Building stronger networks between schools, local businesses, and vocational colleges to offer students clear pathways from education to employment
Imrak’s story is just one among thousands, but it reflects the heart of EDF’s mission. By combining education, skills training, and community empowerment, EDF is helping Thai youth write new futures, where poverty doesn’t limit potential and even a mushroom garden can be the start of a life-changing journey.
“Thank you for providing the funds for the children to undertake this career project. The children get real learning and hands-on experience, and they share their experiences with their parents, who also gain knowledge from it.”
– Mr. Surapong Saben, Student Parent, 2023 Youth Business Development
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Learn more about how The Education for Development Foundation Thailand is driving change in their community.
