Students play an important role in the management of the school which empowers them to bring social and economic development to their communities, as well as learn leadership, empathy and compassion. In 1974, our speaker, Mechai Viravaidya, launched the Population and Community Development Association (PDA) to combat Thailand's soaring population growth rate. Using unconventional methods and humor, he made contraceptives widely accessible, leading to a significant reduction in the growth rate to 0.5% by 2003. The Bamboo School, founded in 2008, stands as a beacon of lifelong learning and socioeconomic advancement. Mechai’s remarkable achievements have earned him numerous accolades, including the United Nations Population Award and the Bill and Melinda Gates Award for Global Health. To learn more, go to: http://www.mechaifoundation.org/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnmLeWYj6J0 https://youtu.be/iphYDcCNoR4?si=dTHqZa93EZHHs-G- https://www.ted.com/talks/mechai_viravaidya_how_mr_condom_made_thailand_a_better_place_for_life_and_love?subtitle=en https://tinyurl.com/MVFdocuments (a folder with articles and more)