Prevent Trafficking Through Literacy

Earlier this year, we welcomed Mo (short for Theng Mo, meaning Watermelon in Thai) to our team. During my recent visit to Thailand, I had the privilege of observing a few of her classes—I was impressed with her ability to teach under unique circumstances.

The sun was setting as I stood outside talking with Mo. Women of various ages began to arrive in clusters, socializing with one another and stopping to greet their teacher.

We entered the village-style structure, where just an hour before, some of us sat on the ground for dinner, eating rice and vegetables next to the small fire that kept a kettle warm.

As the women entered, they all helped to prepare the environment. Some women unrolled long mats to sit on while others grabbed books and pencils. Everyone sat in a circle around a single light bulb that would provide just enough light to see. Some women wore their headlamps, a necessity for all villagers after sunset.

Along the wall, there is a large chalkboard that rests on the floor with Thai writing left from the morning lesson.

When class begins, it doesn't take long for kids from the neighborhood to show up and join in the lesson, not distracting the class but observing and occasionally participating.

The following morning not all women were alone as the night before. I watched from the inside as mothers entered the space, their toddlers holding tightly to their mother's hands. Some mothers came with infants secured to their bodies, tightly wrapped in cloth.

When the lesson began, I was amazed at how the mothers kept their little ones entertained while engaging in the lesson. The class was about an hour long—it's all the time the children allow. The class ended with a few snacks and a time for socializing.

I observed one of the women stay longer to write notes from the blackboard in her notebook.

At Creative Life Foundation, we believe that access to education is a human right and the necessary tool needed for breaking generational cycles of poverty and exploitation. With your continued support, we can continue providing literacy classes for hill tribe women in Northern Thailand.

In 2016, after 1/2 of the children dropped out of school within the first year of joining our program in the north, we knew that creating access to education for children and youth would take more than providing scholarships. 

We learned that a one size fits all model doesn't work for us because among our diverse students are a unique set of obstacles and hardships which threaten their right to an education and their freedom. Creative Life Foundation's holistic and individualized approach has proven critical to their success. Since 2016, the graduation rates among our students in the north have increased to over 85%. [Read our Theory of Change to learn more]

While holistic care supports our programming, we continue to look at other ways to reinforce the importance of education throughout the villages we serve.

Among these villages, families live in geographic isolation with few available government or social services in reach. Economic opportunities are limited, and sustenance farming is how most make a living. These opportunity deficits are often compounded by statelessness, poverty, and the pressure of child marriage. Here, many girls are encouraged to abandon their education, marry, and become mothers while still children themselves. 

While advocacy continues to be a key element of our work, we wanted to help make access to education available beyond children and youth. Earlier this year, we launched a pilot program to teach basic Thai literacy to women from the villages where we serve. Among the women are grandmothers, mothers, and youth who have had to abandon their education to help at home.

Standing tall with smiles on their faces, we watched as 24 participants proudly held their Level-1 certificate of completion. 13 of whom learned how to read and write, including writing their name for the very first time!

Breaking cycles of poverty and exploitation demands considerable energy, creativity, and risk. By boldly following this pathway of change, we envision a Thailand where all children, youth, and adults are free to live full lives, pursue their dreams, and live without the threat of exploitation.

—an excerpt taken from CLF's Theory of Change

Thank you for helping us empower change by providing access to education. It's these critical resources that we are creating pathways to freedom and preventing human trafficking in Thailand. If you would like to support this initiative, please click on the giving link.

 With thanks,

The Creative Life Foundation Team