Barnhem opened in February 2005 and initially focused on helping tsunami victims. All of those have been able to move out and today Barnhem is not disaster victim oriented – many people in Thailand were already poor and exposed before the flood waves. Today Barnhem houses children for many different reasons. Many have lost one or both, of their parents; others are here because they lack a family member or relative to care for them - or their relatives lack the strength to do so.