Helping Students after Tsunami
Bui Porntip Nakhirunkanok Simon, former Miss Universe, arrived at Phuket Airport together with her mother and friends to visit and donate necessities to more than 100 orphaned students at Yoawavit School in Kapong District in Pang-nga Province. Png-nga Province was most affected by the 2004 tsunami.
Through her Angels Wings Foundation, Bui donated much needed supplies including: clothing, towels, short-supply items such as computers and funds for the school lunch program. She also donated a check in the amount of one million Baht to purchase a school bus to accommodate transportation for the children.
Bui has consistently shown much concern for these children. She has traveled yearly to Pang-nga and Phuket to visit them. Bui mentioned that she was very impressed with the support the children have received. “Rebounding from such a disaster was not going to take months but years.” she stated. Her greatest fear, was that after the initial out pour of support, people would move on to other issues and the children would continue to struggle. However, she was very relieved after witnessing how the city has grown that the children were living happy and well.
The former Miss Universe traveled from the United States for her charity work but also made time to relax in Thailand with her American husband, Herb Simon, their four year old son Sean Robert Simon and eight year old daughter Jacklyn Simon. She will be returning to the United States on July 13.