Scholarships for the Socially Vulnerable: A Space of Hope within Thailand's Education System

This article addresses the issue of scholarships for socially vulnerable groups in Thailand, focusing on children often excluded from conventional funding schemes, such as those in extreme poverty, stateless children, those from unstable families, or LGBTQ+ youth lacking safe spaces at school. Data from the Equitable Education Fund (EEF) shows that more than 1.25 million children fall under the “Extreme Poverty” category, yet only a small fraction manage to pursue higher education. To bridge this gap, the article proposes the concept of community-based scholarships through Baworn the integration of home, temple and school (Baworn) in local areas to provide small but meaningful support that emphasizes understanding rather than bureaucratic criteria. This approach resonates with international models such as the Community Scholars Initiative in the U.S. and NYKids’ Equity-Oriented Schools, which demonstrate how community-driven support fosters sustainable equity. The conclusion suggests that truly equitable scholarships must rely on the compassionate insight of local communities, aligning with the role of the Buddharaksa Moral Community Project in creating a space of hope for children who are often invisible in mainstream systems.