Instigated in the 1950’s the Karen Education Department (KED), in its current capacity, has been governing the education of the Karen People in Karen State (Myanmar / Burma) and 7 refugee camps along the Thai-Burmese border since 1998.
Despite ongoing antagonistic activities inside Myanmar and restricted resources, the KED has managed to set up a platform through which more than 125,000 children receive education at various levels in a total of 8 subjects (Karen / Burmese / English / History / Social Studies / Science / Geography / Mathematics / ).
Although its work encompasses a large number of activitiesthe KED especially concentrates on:
• Development of curricula and course syllabi;
• Development of teaching material;
• Training of regional trainers and local teachers.
Through the support of Global Development Group the KED is able to carry out its so-called TOT-project, Training Of Trainers. A group of experienced and skilled trainers train specially recruited individuals who operate in the 7 Karen Districts on how to best apply the KED-curricula, general teaching skills, and how to develop teaching aids with limited resources. These individuals subsequently train and evaluate local teachers within their relevant districts.
Beneficiaries:
• 24 Area Teacher Trainers
• 3961 teachers
• + 90,000 students
If you are interested in receiving more information on the zealous work of the KED, or would like to support its activities, please feel free to contact Global Development Group; we are more than happy to tell you more about our joint work. You can also contact the KED directly through e-mail: support.ked@gmail.com or by phone +66-(0)55 546 933 (Karen) / +66-(0)89 51 89 159 (English).
This Klong Toey Community Centre project is led by a dedicated Australian couple, Ashley and Anji Barker, who live and work in the Klong Toey slum in Bangkok. Klong Toey is the largest slum community in Bangkok with some 80,000 residents.
Unemployment, poor housing conditions, over-crowding, flooding, drugs, gang violence, AIDS and other health problems are just some of the difficulties faced by this impoverished community. Many families in the slum cannot afford to send their children to school. Some children are orphaned and are in the care of relatives. These children are at great risk of being involved in drugs, crime and prostitution.
A multi-purpose community centre, which provides education and training, recreation, family support and community development, is a lifeline of support to families residing in the slum. The Foundation is currently supporting the pre-school education program, which is providing learning opportunities for 40 'children at risk' from the slum. The program runs five days a week and is focussed on assisting children with special needs, especially those with mild disabilities, troubled backgrounds, AIDS, or learning difficulties.
Located in the north-eastern plains of Thailand, the Child Help Community Development initiative is a grass roots rural development program which seeks to improve the lives of the rural poor who have either been abused, at risk, abandoned or living on the streets by providing viable training and employment alternatives. The Project will also reduce the drift of wage earners and economic resources to the cities and preserve the family unit, where children and parents can remain united. To break the cycle of poverty and abuse, the initiative aims to provide vocational training and facilitate access to quality education programs for participants and their dependents. The project will also work towards sustainability by introducing mix crop agricultural programs which will also provide employment for beneficiaries.
Project Manager: Utis and Suriya Somjai
Along the Thai/Burmese border live an estimated 550,000 ethnic minority people and Burmese refugees who have migrated from different countries to the north (most recently Burma) to escape civil war and military persecution. These people live in poverty. These families typically speak their own ethnic languages and their children find it hard to make progress in the Thai schooling which is available to them. These groups suffer from high levels of human trafficking, involvement in drug-smuggling, HIV/AIDS and social problems. The project aims:
To increase the number of places in preschool education centres children from Burmese or ethnic minority backgrounds who can speak Thai at age 6 by a further 200 places by the conversion of 8 village day care centres/kindergartens to Montessori-based literacy centres
To provide education at the new preschool education centres to 200 Burmese or ethnic minority children during the period May 09 – Apr 10
Planet Wheeler is the major sponsor of this project.
This project seeks to provide support for children and families assisting them to acquire the skills to become self reliant and productive members of the community. This is being achieved by providing: opportunity for education to needy individuals
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emergency aid to those deemed to be at risk
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skills training and financial support to individuals desiring to start their own business
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job skill trainings to beneficiaries within the program. Project Manager: Tony Kirwan
The initial project is a house in Chiang Mai that will be available for rent by adoptive parents as they come to pick up their new child. The house is in close proximity to a number of foster homes.. The desired goals are:
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To provide opportunities that will allow relinquished children to learn to bond with their new parents
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know as much of their background and heritage as possible
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maintain important relationships
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develop strong relationships with others.
Project Manager: O’Neill Foundation-Amanda Slinn
This is a pilot project in North East Thailand. It is a family run home for children who would otherwise face life on the streets. Samuel House encompasses a vision to educate and empower the children to reach their full potential in life and provides a loving family environment with; academic opportunity, literacy classes and micro-economic enterprise to try and achieve this.
