Thailand
Case study: Nanda
Nanda is from Burma which is ruled by a violent dictatorship. When she was young, her family fled to Thailand. When her mother died of AIDS, her stepfather raped her. Neighbours helped her get away and she was adopted by a Thai couple who trafficked her into forced labour.
Eventually her health got so bad that she couldn’t work and they abandoned her in Mae Sot. She was referred to the Children’s Crisis Centre which provides migrant girls like Nanda safety, support and an education. Nanda is finally safe and getting the counselling she needs as well as being given an education. Education and vocational training increase the chances for her to get a job and lead a settled life in the future.
There are many obstacles and challenges ahead for Nanda and the other girls at the centre. One of the challenges will be when she needs to go on to secondary school. At the moment it is very difficult for Burmese migrant children to gain acceptance in the Thai education system. To help fill this gap, Children on the Edge will provide secondary school education for migrant children who are either survivors of trafficking or who are vulnerable to being trafficked. They have also teamed up with other organisations to lobby the Thai government so girls can continue their education in Thai schools.
By supporting Children on the Edge, you will help to change the lives of migrant children in Thailand forever.
The photo shown above is not of Nanda.
Understanding of costs
The cost of caring for a girl in the Children’s Crisis Centre is £1,266 for one year. The cost for teaching one girl in the school for migrant children, without counselling but with a good education and start in life, is only £86 per year.
One day’s care in the Crisis Centre costs approximately £3.50
One week’s care costs approximately £24.30
One month’s care costs approximately £107.50
Whether you raise money to keep a girl in the centre for one day to a year, or you fund a girls place in the school for a term or a decade, you can make a difference that will change a life!
Summary of location and problem
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Burma is ruled by one of the most brutal military dictatorships in the world, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), which imprisons or murders all opposition. The generals and the army stand accused of gross human rights abuses. This has resulted in more than one million people fleeing their homes, and many more who have fled the country in fear for their lives. Many of the refugees have fled to Thailand. Those who are unaccompanied or orphaned children are very vulnerable to being trafficked into the Thai sex industry.
Why will education help?
Education for unaccompanied children puts a structure and support mechanism in place. They have somewhere to go and someone is looking out for them. It also gives them the tools and skills to have a greater chance of establishing a settled life either in Thailand or back in Burma.
Who are they as an organisation?
Children on the Edge was founded 20 years ago in response to the orphanage crisis in Romania. They have developed an expertise in working with vulnerable and marginalised children. They aim to bring about long term change through lobbying, advocacy and building the capacity of the organisations they partner with in Thailand. They are committed to ensuring that children’s fundamental needs are met and rights protected, giving them a voice particularly in relation to their right to education.
Giveway to Freedom is working with Freedom Ticket For Life and will help create the publicity and support to help fund this Children’s Crisis Centre on the Thailand–Burma border. For more information on Giveway to Freedom go to www.givewaytofreedom.org
