Ama Obeng-Sakyi, Grade 12
UWC Thailand

In UWC Thailand, there’s a service CCA called Bodhi Dogs. It's about volunteering at a dog shelter once a week. I joined the CCA, around March 2022, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I love dogs, they’re playful, kind and loyal creatures, so this service was perfect for me. There are about 50+ dogs there, it’s located at a temple, and the dogs are all in different sizes and breeds. My first time going there was a bit scary, I mean, imagine standing in a small space surrounded by a fence with 50+ dogs all barking at you, the only thing separating them from you was a gate which you had to open to get to the other side full of barking dogs. Getting to the other side was actually much more calm than I thought. The dogs quieted down and just smelled me, then went into play mode. We drained their pool - which was full of mating frogs - and the smaller dogs kept jumping in and out of it, making more of a mess but they were too cute for us to be mad at them. Cleaning and draining the pool takes nearly an hour, because we have to scrub the tiles, drain the water with a pump, scoop out dirt, sand and frogs, and then refill the pool. We also sweep the compound, clearing their poop and the fallen leaves from the ground. We play with the dogs and groom them, getting to know them and their little antics, and generally just have fun with them. A lot of human interaction is good for the dogs, because they get used to our presence and have higher chances of being adopted. Although it’s not always sunshine and rainbows, feeding time is extremely unruly, that’s when the dogs get a bit wild. Some fight over the food and attack each other, so the shelter workers are usually there to separate them. Going to the shelter every week and working, changed me a bit. It made me more patient, and more caring. For the next season of CCAs, I’m hoping to get more volunteers and raise more donations for the shelter, so we can help the dogs more, especially medically. The Bodhi Dogs centre has a special place in my heart, and I am hoping to help as much as I can before I graduate from UWC.
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Image Courtesy: ​https://www.google.com/search?q=bodhi+dogs+centre+phuket&sxsrf=ALiCzsYbsaSrqmVKn4HZ4YU-imiNphBfTw:1658798648854&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi2yd_BspX5AhU5SkEAHXA5B8sQ_AUoAnoECAIQBA&biw=1373&bih=579&dpr=2#imgrc=dJ298E3OQMTFZM