By Alinda Suya | Director of Projects
Happy Thai New Year from DEPDC’s Community Learning Centre in Mae Sai! In Thailand, the Buddhist New Year is celebrated every April, during the school summer break. The students are taking a two week well earned break and will start up again at the end of April. Thanks to all of your generous assistance, CLC provided vital English language education support for over 100 members of the Mae Sai community including children, teenagers, adults as well as 50 novice monks.
CLC provides free literacy and human rights education to up to 200 undocumented migrants, refugees and other community members living along the Thai-Burmese border. These migrants are at significant risk of being trafficked into an exploitative situation such as forced sex work or hard labour. Providing an opportunity of academic, vocational and human rights education significantly reduces this risk. CLC has been operating since 2005.
The students at CLC are split up in to 7 classes each learning a different level of Thai or English. The students are taught by International Volunteers and teachers from the Half Day School. English language classes also double up as an opportunity for students to critically think about important social issues such as poverty, statelessness, prejudice and discrimination. They also get to explore their opinions, hope and dreams through practicing their English language. Please read this student’s biggest dream, here.
CLC accommodates a wide age range of students from 6 years old to adults in their 40’s. Classes are held in the evenings as to allow young people and adults to attend classes after work or for students to take these classes along their everyday studies. Some adults and young people have not had the chance to attend school, basic or higher levels of education; CLC offers a cost free way of doing so. Due to socioeconomic problems faced by many of our students removing any financial restriction is important to granting access to learning opportunities.
On behalf of the students at CLC, I extend most sincere thanks for your support. From the special contributions of so many friends, we are demonstrating that everyone has the right to learn in order to thrive and grow!
Thank you so much,
Alinda Suya
DEPDC Director of Projects
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