On World Refugee Day We Call For Your Solidarity !

Today, on World Refugee Day,  we wanted to take a moment to bring attention to the Burmese refugees that we are currently serving with our school.

There currently are a total of about 140000 Burmese registered refugees living in Thailand across the Burma/Myanmar border. Estimates of non-registered vary from 300.000 - 500.000.

Our Somwang School is located at this border and the people living here are mostly Shan and Palaung who've fled (and are still fleeing) the terrors in Burma, seeking refuge in Thailand, bringing nothing than what they're wearing.  As Thailand is not part of the 1951 Refugee Convention, the country has no domestic legislation recognizing refugee status. Thus considered illegal, yet tolerated, migrants, they are subject to arrest and deportation by Thai military authorities and have no legal rights to employment.

Around the world, the refugee numbers are higher than ever, and many refugee children do not access education and enter harmful, often illegal, work to maintain themselves and their families.
This is exactly what we are trying to change and prevent. The truth is that these people are no different from us and if we deserve an education, so do they.

On this international day of refugee protection, we thus call for your solidarity so that we may continue to support these amazing children and shall continue to see smiles on their faces.

They need your help.
Let's give them the chance to thrive and walk towards brighter futures.
I promise you, it will not be in vain.

Metta.