Melissa & Ton-Hom: Finding Belonging Through Sponsorship

Some connections begin long before we realise their meaning.

For Melissa, that beginning came through movement, purpose and a shared desire to give back. Alongside her life partner Martin, her first bike ride was in 2022 with Business Blueprint, a journey that challenged the body while quietly opening the heart. Like many riders, the experience sparked curiosity, not only about the ride itself, but about the children and the homes it supports.

That curiosity deepened over time. In April 2024, while Martin returned to ride again, Melissa joined the Partner Program at Baan Tharn Namchai. It was there, around a simple dinner at a beachside restaurant, that she met a young woman named Ton-Hom. Ton-Hom was seated among the older girls, confident yet gentle. As they talked, Melissa asked what she hoped to study at university. She was blown away with Ton-Hom's response, “Logistics and Border Trade."

It was not just the words themselves, but the clarity behind them - a young woman thinking beyond borders, imagining a future shaped by possibility. Over the following days, the two spent time together, talking, listening and slowly building trust. A connection formed naturally, without expectation.

For Melissa, sponsorship had always been part of a broader commitment to helping children gain a fair start in life. But this was different. This was personal. She didn’t just want to support Ton-Hom financially - she wanted to walk alongside her, to encourage her ambitions and nurture a relationship grounded in care and respect.

That bond grew further during a quiet walk around the Home. Ton-Hom shared parts of her story - moments of loss and resilience that had shaped her path. It was a gift of trust, and one that Melissa received with humility.

Ton-Hom’s Journey Toward Brighter Days

She grew up in Phru Tiao, Takua Pa, Phang Nga, living with her father after her parents separated. Life was unstable. Her father struggled to find consistent work and battled alcoholism. There were days without food, days without certainty, and no safe adult able to care for her.

After the loss of her older sister, Ton-Hom came to Baan Tharn Namchai - a place where safety, nourishment and belonging could begin to replace hardship.

Today, she is 18 years old, with a love for English and the arts, and dreams of becoming a movie actress. Like many young people in our Homes, her aspirations are fuelled by the security of knowing she is supported.

Sponsorship offers more than practical support. It provides love, warmth and stability. It creates space for education, growth and self-belief. And, as Melissa and Ton-Hom show us, it creates relationships that shape both lives in lasting ways.

This is the impact of sponsorship. Not measured only in milestones, but in moments of trust, shared stories and futures imagined together.

This Christmas, we celebrate the bonds between sponsor and child — and the lifelong impact it brings to both. If you’d like to see for yourself how rewarding this type of sponsorship can be, for just $110 a month we can help make that happen.