Mechai
The name ‘Condom King’ rightly insinuates what Mechai Viravaidya is celebrated for- promoting condoms in a country whose population growth rates were utterly concerning. But normalizing the use of contraceptives is not where the 82-year old’s story ends. “My job is not done yet”, he says. “Development is an infinite process where you need to move from one goal to the next.”
For over 49 years, the former politician and activist has been devoting all his efforts toward poverty reduction in Thailand. Something that the government was reluctant to do. His projects range from family planning and AIDS/HIV awareness to entrepreneurship and a reformed education system. “You can’t have a sustainable impact by just addressing one of these factors. Everything is intertwined with each other.”
Mechai grew up in a rather distinctive family constellation, with a Scottish- Christian mother and a Thai-Buddhist father. Living in such contrasting contexts, unsurprisingly, taught him how to be an uninhibited and rational out-of-the-box thinker. Characteristics that continue to appear in all of his projects.
Until 1973, Mechai worked as a civil servant in Thailand. At this time, the average Thai woman had seven children. A number that was hindering the country from developing. Disconcerted by the government’s ignorance towards its nation’s needs, Mechai left his public position. “If you see your country struggling, don’t wait and hope for the government to respond. Find some allies and bring about the change yourself.”
Immediately after quitting his job, Mechai started to advocate for family planning throughout Thailand. And what’s a better way to do this than by promoting condoms? But this was easier said than done. While sex still continues to be a sensitive topic in many countries today, only imagine how the topic was treated in a conservative country like Thailand during the 70s.
But this didn’t hold the Thai back. “Taboos are there to be broken. And the best way to break them, is by using humor.”
To normalize condoms, they had to be just as easily available as vegetables at the supermarket.
Condoms had to be everywhere at all times.
So, Mechai traveled the country and got everyone involved. Teachers would hold condom blowing competitions at schools, hotels added condoms to their mini bar assortment, police officers were handing out condoms to pedestrians, and Buddhist monks blessed condoms with holy water.
Mechai himself was not shy to participate.
While family planning seemed to be well underway, Thailand was suddenly struck by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which peaked in 1991.
Worried about the country’s profitable sex tourism industry, the government was in absolute denial about this epidemic. But Mechai didn’t take no for an answer. Instead, he went to the military’s commander in chief, explained to him that the “HIV/AIDS fight had to be won.” And because the military’s ultimate goal is to win battles, it came to no surprise that they agreed to give Mechai access to 300 of their radio stations and two TV networks. With quirky broadcasting, Mechai continued raising awareness.
Meanwhile, students distributed condoms and HIV/AIDS information sheets to every single household in Thailand.
Both projects turned out to be great success stories. Between the start of Mechai’s efforts in 1974 and the year 2003, the average number of children per woman dropped from seven to less than two. Also, according to the World Bank, an astonishing 10 million lives were saved from HIV/AIDS.
Mechai was considered a revolutionary figure who was not intimidated by breaking social norms. When an upset newspaper tried to stop his movement by giving him the label ‘condom king’, it accomplished quite the opposite. “Humor is the best tool to break social norms. Being labeled condom king only supported my movement.”
And that’s not all, the word ‘mechai’ is now officially recognized in the Thai dictionary as a synonym for ‘condom’.
With population growth and HIV/AIDS infections seemingly under control, Mechai started devoting his efforts to entrepreneurship and education. Tools that, according to him, can revolutionize every country if applied correctly.
The Bamboo School is his most recent project that aims to improve the Thai education system for future generations. Instead of memorizing formulas, the Bamboo School prepares students to be social entrepreneurs and philanthropists. It sets an excellent example of how a school can be a hub or gateway for social and economic empowerment in communities surrounding the school.
“When you go to a restaurant, you want your customers to be satisfied, correct?” he explains. “A school should be treated no differently. If students are not satisfied with the education they receive, why would they be motivated to learn?”
Mechai looks back to his teenage years and explains that he himself was under-educated. But that didn’t stop him. “Learning is a life-long process. Having a degree is not always indicative of your actual knowledge.” His hope for the Bamboo School is to set an example of how all future schools in Thailand and beyond should work. It should create good citizens of tomorrow.
The school’s success already proves to be more than evident. In 2017, the United Nations recognized it as one of the most innovative schools in the world. On behalf of Hun Sen, the Minister attached to the Prime Minister’s Office of Cambodia, H.E. Samheng Boros personally approached Mechai to introduce the Bamboo School’s concept to Cambodia as well. A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Bamboo School together with two of its Thai partners and the Cambodian Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation.
Throughout his life, Mechai has received countless honorary degrees and awards such as the UN Gold Peace Medal, the Asian Hero award, the Times award, and the Gates Global Health Prize, but he doesn’t want to magnify them. “Awards are awards, but what really matters is the impact we have and still can have as a people.”
With his decades of experience, Mechai wants to stress that a country belongs to the people and not solely to the government or other specialists. His story shows that you shouldn’t dream about change but should act on it. It only takes a motivated mindset to do so.
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