Background

Lisa May

1979-2004

In Nicola’s own words..

Thank you to everyone for your generous donations in memory of Lisa. It is the sheer scale of this tragic disaster that has made us all realise how fragile we are.

Lisa had embarked on a life-changing trip that she had planned and saved for over many months. She was bridesmaid at my wedding on Phi Phi Island and had remained there for Christmas, which she spent with very dear friends.

As those of you that knew Lisa will always remember, she was a great joy to have around. Fun was always to be found where ever she was.

Christmas night was one of those nights, with Steve, Craig, Liz, Greg and many other new friends. They all laughed and joked and shared special gifts. They remained on the beach until the early hours and together went back to there rooms laughing and enjoying life.

Sadly Lisa didn’t return with them. But if there is one thing she would want us all to take from this experience, it is that life is meant to be lived and not to be wasted on trivial things. She would have been the first to try and help the people of Phi Phi Island and she would agree that the Long Tail Boat Captains are a deserving choice for her memorial.

If we are ever able to make sense of this massive loss of human potential, we should remember happy times and that miracles are rare and few but that if you knew Lisa, one had touched you.

Please continue to check the site for updates of our progress.

Thank you all once again and please email for any information you require and please keep in touch. We’d love to hear from you.

Nicola May

 

Returning to Thailand

One year on I returned to Thailand with my husband Stephen not knowing really what to expect. It was an extremely positive experience and even though Phi Phi hasn’t moved on as much as I thought it would have the island felt peaceful and I felt ok with that.

Stephen’s first comment on returning to Phi Phi was that the smell had gone. On TV you never get the full impact of a disaster or the scale of it. I think were lucky that we escape these harsh realities.

As the efforts on Phi Phi are at a stale mate we concentrated our time in Khao Lak, which still is in need of our help. This area is considered forgotten to the people of Phuket. Where as Phuket is fully back to business as usual, almost as if nothing happened and Khao Lak and the Moken (sea gypsies) are still so in need.

We teamed up with the Tsunami Volunteer Center: an NGO with one objective for the region – Restoration through empowerment.

Today, every undertaking from children’s programs to community reconstruction efforts is done with a commitment to partnership with the people served. As a result, the Center has quickly grown to become one of the area’s most-trusted partner organizations, known for delivering high-impact, sustainable results.

Despite the strides that have been made, widespread progress will take years. As an entirely donor-funded organization committed to continual renewal in the region, the Center continues to depend primarily on financial aid and volunteers. We are working with the TVC to help with its projects and to create new ones.

Nicola May