Chantal Jauvin co-authored, with Dr.
Amporn Wathanavongs, The Boy with A
Bamboo Heart, an account of Dr. Amporn’s life.
Dr. Amporn, the founder of the Foundation for Rehabilitation and Development of Children and Family (FORDEC), is today one
of Thailand's most generous benefactors – but he didn’t have an easy start to life.
Orphaned at six, he scrambled for survival in the markets of Surin. At fifteen, he became a boy soldier, trekking
through the Cambodian jungle. His tumultuous experiences left him prone to self-loathing,
but through learning to accept the kindness of others he surmounted his
self-destructive tendencies. After a spell as a Buddhist monk, he was able to
follow his true vocation, and, eventually, to save the lives of over 50,000
street children.
