BASF and World Vision Foundation build a natural playground at a school in Rayong, Thailand
- Joint project brings out creativity in children and promotes a sense of exploration, through play and interaction with nature
- New recreational facility built using natural and strong materials such as wood and rope
- Approximately 300 children in the community will benefit each year
Bangkok, Thailand – September 18, 2020 – BASF and World Vision Foundation of Thailand (WVFT) have completed a joint “Natural Playground” project for a school in a remote area of the Rayong province. The project engaged community members to design and construct new recreational facilities using natural and sturdy materials such as wood and rope, for children at the Mab Chang Non School, Khao Cha Mao District.
The Mab Chang Non School currently hosts 65 children aged 6 to 12 years. Prior to this project, 90 percent of the playground equipment was damaged and unusable by the children. Recognizing that providing children with a safe play area is crucial to their physical and emotional development BASF and WVFT envisaged this project under the name, “Natural Playground.”
“At BASF, one of our key focus areas of corporate citizenship is to provide quality education to the communities we operate in. We aim to create a healthy learning environment to support the physical and mental growth of children,” said Petrus Ng, Managing Director of BASF (Thai) Ltd. “We are excited to collaborate with WVFT for another year and do something meaningful for the community and the environment.”
A conventional playground is usually installed with ready-made equipment made either from metal or plastic, with minimal lifespan. Once worn out, it becomes dysfunctional and often unrepairable. This project utilized natural materials, such as wood and rope, to design and construct the playground facilities, using traditional methods. With local wisdom from the community, the equipment can be easily fixed using materials from nature. The locals from the villages around also contributed in the building process of this project.
The “Natural Playground” project considered four key components: safety, convenience, fun, and maintenance. The playground encourages various aspects of child development, including fine and gross motor skills, emotions, and social behaviors. The variety of playground equipment installed can boost children’s imagination while cultivating a sense of gentleness and environment conservation.
“Together with BASF, we have engaged teachers, students, and the community in every phase of the project. A natural playground can let children explore and interact with nature,” said Phurit Yossundharakul, Public Engagement Department Manager, World Vision Foundation of Thailand.
“Opportunities for outdoor play in nature are essential to children’s all-round development. With great support from BASF and WVFT, we are happy to see our new playground help our children develop to their full potential,” said Pattama Chua-Rod, Director of Mab Chang Non School.
About BASF in Thailand
BASF has been present in Thailand for more than 50 years. With 632 employees in Thailand as of December 31, 2019, BASF offers a wide range of products and solutions to support almost all the key industries in the country, including agriculture, automotive, personal and home care, health and nutrition, and packaging. BASF maintains a head office in Bangkok and operates three production sites around the country, as well as an automotive coatings and performance materials technical lab in Samutprakarn province. In 2019, BASF posted sales of €514 million to customers in Thailand. Further information is available on the Internet at www.basf.com/th/.
About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 117,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €59 billion in 2019. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.
