Feeding orphans of HIV+ Burmese women

We are finally returning to Mae Sot and our friends at Social Action for Women in December!  After a two and a half year absence, we are jumping for joy!

In the meantime, Ko Myo, our SAW liason in Mae Sot, reports that 20 young Burmese arrived at SAW orphanage during the last week of September.  Twelve girls and eight boys were among the many Burmese peacefully protesting the Feb 2021 military coup ( Grades 8-10 ).  When the police started arresting protesters, they fled to the Thai side of the Thai/Myanmar border near Mae Sot. At this point they were arrested by the Thai army. Fortunately, the army did not deport them but instead turned them over to the Karen National Union (de facto governing body in Karen state).  The KNU brought them to SAW where they are now safe and waiting to enroll in several migrant learning centers to pursue their GEDs.

At the end of May, SAW will close its pre-school, middle, and high schools due to low enrollment and the high cost of maintaining them. SAW director Aye Mar says that the migrant learning centers, approved by the Thai government, are fulfilling the educational needs of SAW's children.

As always, funding is an ongoing challenge as the world's attention has been focused on the war in Ukraine, hurricane Fiona, and the rising cost of absolutely everything.

When I return to Mae Sot, I will be volunteering out of  Minmahaw Migrant Learning Center as well as SAW to run photo workshops.  This time we will be using the ubiquitous cell phone cameras for our projects, as basic point-and-shoot digital cameras are increasingly hard to find and increasingly expensive.

Yes,we are 'cautiously optimistic', to quote many public health experts, on how life is opening up in Mae Sot after 2 years of being closed down.

The Mae Sot - Myanmar border is still officially closed due to continued fighting between the Myanmar army and several insurgent ethnic groups.  This has made contact between the orphans and family members inside Myanmar challenging and stressful.

In May, SAW decided to close its Migrant Learning Center (MLC) for two reasons:

1. Most students from the orphanage are attending Thai government schools, now open for in person learning.

2.  Lack of funds.

The orphanage students are now studying at the following schools/ organizations:

• 3 students are studying in HCTC (The Passport Restaurant) Hospitality and
 Catering Training Center.
• 13 students are studying in Thai Non-Formal Education program.
• 20 students are studying in Thai schools
* 48 students from SAW's MLC transferred to other MLCs in the Mae Sot area
• 3 students are working in DHL Express company after finishing Grade 10 at
  SAW MLC
• 15 students are working in other Maesot-based community based organizationss and NGOs
• 5 students are waiting to continue their education in Myanmar
• 2 Final-year students are studying in Chaing Mai University, in Social Science
  Department’s international program

The young people at the orphanage continue to grow vegetables and some fruit, as will as producing handicfafts for sale, and all with a positive attitude.

As always, a huge shout-out and thank you to Ms. Aye Mar, Social Action for Women Director, and Mr. Ko Myo, MSppa's man-on-the-ground in Mae Sot.

Thank you for your continuing support,

Susan Tileston

Project Leader, MSppa