About

The Chiang Mai Charity Calendar
An Overview of the “Children helping Children” non-profit  Project

Objectives: a) To promote Chiang Mai and Lanna in an enduring unusual and attractive fashion; b) to raise funds for rural children; c) to involve local schoolchildren in a creative, charitable and rewarding endeavour.      

Method: Students from different schools voluntarily paint pictures depicting attractive aspects of Northern Thailand. Independent judges select the best 14 which are featured in the calendar. Promotional text and photography are added. The end product showcases the destination year-round in an appealing, non-commercial way.  

Production:  Artworks are provided free by City Life Magazine. Chotana Print Company prints at cost. 10,000 calendars are printed. Total production expenses are approximately 500,000 Baht (approx US$14,500)  The calendar is privately funded, has no sponsors, and carries no advertising.  

Fund raising: The calendar is sold for Baht 100 to residents, tourists, travel agencies, hotels and corporate companies, and can be custom-made with company logo, greetings etc, on the front cover, or on both sides of an extended 1-inch base. The total revenue less the production expenses is donated in full towards the education of rural children. The project is non-profit, supported by volunteers, and no party receives any financial benefit.        

Results: The first 2008 calendar generated 604,000 baht which was donated to an orphanage in Samoeng. The 2009 calendar was affected by increased printing costs and the economic crisis, but nevertheless raised 423,000 Baht. It has hence raised over a million baht for rural children in two years; travelled to offices and homes all over the world, and raised global awareness of Chiang Mai in many different countries.

The third 2010 Chiang Mai Charity Calendar is going ahead, and should be ready in August, 2009 with the theme “Nature & Culture of Northern Thailand”