HIWC is proud to support this inspiring project, founded by Gigi Nemrod—a French national and one of our own club members. Since December 2024, our club has been contributing to The Paintbrush Foundation through monetary donations raised at various charity events we have organized.
After seeing Playing for Change “Stand By Me” video on YouTube , musicians Gigi Nemrod and her friends were deeply inspired. Little did they know that simply viewing a video would soon change their lives in a profound way. Upon further investigation they initiate a music program for disadvantaged Thai children. In 2012 Gigi and her team founded a local NGO that has now become the Paintbrush Foundation.
Opened in 2013, the Paintbrush Foundation is a non-profit organization born out of a passion to create positive social change through arts education. Based in Bangkok, Thailand, the Paintbrush Foundation teaches the arts for free to the underprivileged children of the Khlong Toey* slum community. It aims to provide extracurricular opportunities that help guide the lives of these children in a positive direction.
The arts program in the Khlong Toey slum provides a safe and uplifting space where self-esteem can strengthen and creativity flourish through free music and art lessons, rehearsals and English classes. The program instills a sense of hope, self-worth and cross-cultural awareness in children who come from challenging circumstances. Instructors currently teach group lessons in guitar, ukulele, bass, keys, drums and vocals. Traditional Thai music instruments are also part of the curriculum.
Today, 12 years after opening, the Paintbrush foundation is open 6 days a week, and teach western music, Thai classical music, visual arts, dance and English to about 70 children.
* With over 100,000 inhabitants spread over a densely populated swathe of Southern Bangkok, Khlong Toey is the largest slum community in Thailand. The area was initially developed in the early 20th century around an enormous slaughterhouse, and is now home to Bangkok’s primary shipping port along the Chao Phraya River.
Please visit Paintbrush Foundation to find out more.