Login
Login

Name: Mae Thiew

Role/Connection: Director of Baan Home Hug

Country: Thailand

The Heart of Home Hug: Mae Thiew’s Legacy of Love

At Hands Across the Water, we believe in building bright futures—and few people have brought that belief to life more powerfully than Mae Thiew.

Her journey didn’t begin with resources or recognition. It began with love. A love so deep and determined, it would go on to change the lives of thousands of children.

Raised in a home where affection was scarce, Mae Thiew grew up as what she calls a “love-deficient child.” But even then, her parents showed her something vital—that we teach best by example. Her father brought joy to others. Her mother shared love in quiet, consistent ways. It was enough to plant a seed.

During university, Mae Thiew joined a volunteer camp in rural Yasothon. She saw poverty up close—but more than that, she saw children who had been forgotten. Children who were sick, hungry, and alone. After graduating, she became a teacher in Thailand’s mountainous north, working with ethnic hilltribe students. Later, in Bangkok, she joined a nonprofit supporting slum communities, where she again saw the suffering of children living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. Many had lost their parents. All of them needed care. All of them needed love.
In 1987, she returned to Yasothon and opened the doors to what would become Baan Home Hug. It was small. It was underfunded. There was no government support. But there was Mae Thiew—and her belief that love, even in the face of impossible odds, could be enough.

The early years were heartbreaking. Children died far too often. There were nights she stayed awake, unsure if those in her care would live to see the morning. There were days when food or medicine had to be chosen—never both. She cooked. She cleaned. She comforted. And in the hardest of moments, she buried more than a thousand children. And still, she showed up. Every single day.

Everything began to change in 2010, when Peter Baines visited Home Hug. At first, both were cautious. But as they shared their stories, a quiet understanding formed. Respect grew. And so did something even stronger—a partnership built on shared desire to bring about meaningful change for children in Thailand.

With support from Hands, Home Hug became a place of healing. Children stopped dying. They had food. They had medicine. They had access to hospital care, school supplies, and security. For the first time in decades, the impossible choices began to fade.

One year later, in 2011, Mae Thiew joined the Ride to Provide—800km across Thailand. Since then, she has ridden countless kilometres with Hands. And every time she does, it’s for her children. To show them that we can do hard things. That love can be fierce. That even when life tries to knock you down, you can get back on the bike.
In 2024, when Peter set out to run 1,400km for the Run to Remember, Mae Thiew quietly said she would ride beside him. No one knew what her role would be. But it didn’t take long to find out. She became his constant companion on the road—riding behind him for 1,300km, or just ahead to alert villagers he was coming, shoo away dogs, and quietly raise awareness. She didn’t ask for recognition. She simply showed up. Every day. Just like she always has.

To the Hands community, she is a mother. A mentor. A picture of what it means to love without conditions. To the children at Home Hug, she is home.

Mae Thiew has never sought the spotlight. Her only wish is for her kids to thrive. Her strength doesn’t come from circumstance—it comes from purpose. And that purpose has shaped generations.
Through her, we see what’s possible when one person decides to give everything they have to those who have nothing. She has never stopped believing in her children. And because of that belief, they’ve grown—not just in years, but in confidence, in joy, and in possibility.

This is what building bright futures looks like.

This is the legacy of Mae Thiew.

Come and celebrate the impact of 20 years of Hands Across the Water at our anniversary events in Sydney and Bangkok. Let’s honour the stories, the love, and the people—like Mae Thiew—who have shaped it all. You might even get the opportunity to meet her in person.
Buy Tickets for the Night of Celebration