By Alinda Suya | Project Leader
Thanks to the generosity and support of Global Giving participants, The Community Learning Centre (which runs under the instruction of DEPDC) continues to provide free literacy and human rights education to up to 100 refugees, members of ethnic minority hill tribes, undocumented migrants, Buddhist monks and other community members living along the Thai-Burmese border.
Many of these people are at significant risk of being trafficked into exploitative situations such as forced sex work or hard labour. Here at our DEPDC HQ in Mae Sai, we provide them with the opportunity for academic, vocational and human rights education, which significantly reduces this risk. CLC has been operating since 2005 and is still going strong.
The classes on offer at DEPDC differ from term to term. At this point in time, we have seven classes teaching Thai and English language at various levels. Classes are held in the evening so that students may attend after work or school. Adult students meet three evenings a week, young learners meet five evenings a week, and monks meet five evenings a week. CLC is open to anyone in the community and no one is ever turned away. Thanks to your generous support, CLC has continued to provide vital English and Thai language and literacy education to up to 100 members of the Mae Sai community.
Our International volunteer from Ireland, Erica, is still teaching our Intermediate English class on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. She says
"I've developed such a great friendship with my students over the past few months, we've had fabulous conversations and they've taught me as much as I've taught them. My time with DEPDC/GMS is up at the end of November - I'm not looking forward to saying goodbye but I'm so glad I had the chance to be part of this amazing project, everyone deserves the right to education."
We've also been very lucky to welcome two new volunteers to DEPDC. Matt (Australia) is a psychology student and is planning on staying for up to a year, and Julie (U.S) who is a teacher with plenty of experience in Thailand and fluent Thai to go with it! Both new volunteers have been teaching CLC during the week have already formed great working relationships with the students
We invite you to visit the DEPDC blog to read recent updates and information about CLC and other DEPDC projects.
On behalf of all of the students at CLC, I would like to humbly thank you for your generous support. Your kind donations are proof in the belief that everyone – no matter their age, gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, citizenship, religion, or skill level – has the right to learn, thrive, and grow!
Thank you so much,
Alinda Suya
Director of Projects, DEPDC/GMS.
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