Yaowawit School Kapong

The tsunami of December 2004 caused widespread devastation in the southern part of Thailand. After the tragedy, the Yaowawit School Kapong was founded with the aims to provide education and living support to needy children. This public welfare boarding school has been completely funded by partners and donors from all over the world via the Children’s World Academy Foundation. However, a major question looms: For how long can the school continue to financially rely on charitable help? Because of this challenge, from the beginning the school’s projects have been created to offer a practical education for the children and also generate income to cover the costs of running the school. One of these projects is the Yaowawit Lodge, which was developed to serve as the essential income-generating unit and to provide children with practical training in the hospitality business, the most promising job opportunity in this part of Thailand. Because of its unique character as a for-profit unit within a non-profit organization, Yaowawit Lodge must find ways to target niche customers, position itself in the market, and deliver marketing strategies accordingly. Additional challenges it faces include the location, which is far from the popular tourist areas; market perceptions concerning the combination of a primary school and a hotel; and the child labor issue.

This teaching case is available for purchase here.

Authored by Krittinee Nuttavuthisit.

Published by Kellogg.