As the great inventor, George Washington Carver once said, “Education is the key to  unlock the golden door of freedom.” This quote paints a vivid picture of the situation in the Thai/Burma border. For many people in developed areas, education is a basic need. It is safe to say that it is considered a right in most places. This is, however, not the case in the Thai/Burma border region.

For decades, the Thai/Burma border region has been plagued by ethnic conflicts. As with any conflict-afflicted areas, development stagnated for the entire period of the conflicts. This resulted in the continuous deterioration of social and economic infrastructure in the area leaving a vacuum that was filled by criminal organisations. These criminal organisations have been engaging in human trafficking, narcotics trade, slave labour, and child prostitution. The victims in all of this? Thousands of children in the region with no access to education and necessary infrastructure.

Taking action

A few years ago, residents in one of the small villages in the Thai/Burma border region got fed up with the lack of schools in the area. They couldn’t stand by while their children lacked basic education and crime thrived in the area. Faced by the glaring threat of losing their children to all the criminal activities in the region, the only solution was constructing a school themselves. They aimed to pull together their resources since they couldn’t get any outside support and use that to build the school. Unfortunately, their resources weren’t enough to complete the school, and they got stuck halfway. Their efforts, however, didn’t go unnoticed. Recently, we partnered up with the GENESIS Network to help the community complete constructing the school.

We need your help

You see, education in this part of the world is a matter of life and death. Six years of school in this region reduces a child’s risk of falling into child prostitution by 95%. It also reduces the chances of child trafficking by 70%. Education is the only sustainable and long-term solution to the darkness that threatens this region. The school we’re building will provide education to over 300 children every year. By getting a basic education, kids in this region will acquire the essential skills necessary to earn a living and strengthen the local economy. In turn, the children can implement what they learn to improve the region both socially and economically.

Currently, we are working with local volunteers and donors, but we need more support to finish building the classrooms, outfit the school with books and teaching materials, and make the school capable of educating 300 kids. Your support is crucial in our effort to uplift this community that has been downtrodden for years. We need your assistance to save these children from the darkness in this region. We need your help in giving these children a future.

How can you help?

We need donations from you to keep the community’s dream of getting children quality education alive. A contribution of $50 can buy a hundred books. $2,000 can build an entire classroom. Every dollar counts. You can donate any amount you’re comfortable with. Whether $10 or $1,000, your donation will go a long way in fulfilling this community’s lifelong dream. Head over to our GoFundMe page and donate whatever amount you can. You can also follow our Facebook page to stay updated on the project’s progress.

Our promise

Our promise to our donors and the community is to build a fully equipped six-classroom school with the capacity to accommodate over 300 students every year. In turn, the school will provide both the children and the community with exponential opportunities for growth. Ultimately, by empowering the children with education, we will have enabled the community as a whole to stand on its own economically. Education will also give them the tools they need to fight the inhumane criminal activities by reducing their vulnerability and the likelihood of exploitation.

See, education is indeed the key to freedom for this community, and you can join us in their fight for freedom. Just donate whatever you can, no matter how small or large the amount might be. In case of any questions or clarifications about the project, make sure to contact us either through the blog or via our Facebook page.