This Week in Mae Sot

We just finished meeting with twelve migrant schools here in Mae Sot. Many of these schools began because members of the migrant community saw children in their communities picking up garbage in the streets, begging, or staying home all day without being able to learn anything that could help them in the future. Desperate parents who can't find work often send their children to the streets to earn whatever money they can.

Moreover, the children are vulnerable to trafficking as many children become orphans or their parents suddenly become missing due to arrest and deportation caused by lack of legal documentation, etc. It's really heartbreaking - most of the trafficking is for child labor demands, prostitution, or the drug trade (police don't expect children to carry drugs as much as adults). Without an education, vulnerability to deception and exploitation greatly increase. And what hope for a future can children have without literacy and numeracy skills? The schools are thus vital, but technically "illegal" as migrant people are considered "illegal" here in Thailand. The Thai authorities allow the migrant schools to continue though, as it keeps children off the streets and away from begging or crime. The schools are amazing for their perseverance, resourcefulness, and courage. I admire the people I met in each of them so much! Here are pictures from a few of the schools we visited:

Sawadeeka from Parami School!

Meeting with the headmistress of a night school for children who work during the day.
Nya Li Ah Tah School

Classroom
Greetings from America and Canada

Singing songs together before our meeting with the teachers
Lunch break

Working together with Burmese Migrant Worker Education Committee staff

Talar Aor Klar School

Children at Agape School singing "We are the world"


Some of the teachers at Elpis School. They presented a plaque for the Hussman Foundation.

The children from Elpis gave us over 100 drawings one by one.


Moe Ma Kha School. Serving mostly Muslim children, an often neglected minority group in the area.

Hongsar, our accompanying photographer. I told him he is from the land of Teddy Bears.