Girls’ Night and Boys’ Night: Welcoming the New Year with Togetherness at Baan Unrak.

The New Year arrived gently at Baan Unrak, bringing with it a beautiful spirit of care and togetherness. Some of our university-age Baan Unrak children wanted to do something special for the younger ones—something joyful, meaningful, and bonding.

The idea of a Girls’ Night came from Rochana, our psychology student. She was inspired by fond memories of one of our mentors in the past and the special girls’ nights we once shared. As soon as the idea was mentioned, excitement spread quickly—soon all the girls wanted to join.

Being together only as girls created a space where everyone could relax and express themselves more freely. There was a feeling of freedom, trust, and sisterhood—a space without boundaries, where each one could simply be herself.

That evening, Rochana and Pripana, our talented young artist, brought all 35 girls to the guest house. What followed was a night full of joy: dancing, acting, games, laughter, music, and of course snacks, sweets, and soft drinks. But more important than all the fun was the feeling of being together—sharing, connecting, and celebrating sisterhood.

The girls stayed together until after midnight. Even the next day, they were still full of energy and happiness. We could clearly see how this experience created a much-needed sense of team spirit and empowerment. Small tensions and misunderstandings seemed to disappear, washed away by this shared joy. It was a strong confirmation that we are sisters, growing and sharing life together.

A few days later, our boys began to ask for the same experience—and of course, they deserved it too. So the Boys’ Night was born.

The boys enjoyed plenty of snacks and soft drinks as well, but their activities naturally took place in a larger, more active space. They went to the lake, swam together, relaxed, and enjoyed being outdoors. After returning, some of them headed to the newly built sports field to play football.

Vijay and Janako took on leadership roles, guiding the boys into an exciting time of play, teamwork, and healthy competition. It was important for them to be together as boys—to test their strength, cooperate, compete, and simply enjoy their own space.

Both nights reminded us how powerful simple togetherness can be. These moments of shared joy, freedom, and connection welcomed the New Year in the most meaningful way—by strengthening our bonds as one Baan Unrak family.