It’s not easy living in Burma (now officially known as Myanmar) – the country has one of the least developed economies in the world, made worse by the economic sanctions imposed by the EU and US governments, and it is widely known for its history of political unrest and human rights violations*.

Over the years, many Burmese citizens have faced persecution due to Burma’s military regime. As a result there has been a steady migration of Burmese nationals out of Burma and into the surrounding countries. Many journey to Malaysia, China, Bangladesh and India – but scores more head east to Thailand.

The Burmese Community Volunteer, Thailand programme was set up to help the thousands of Burmese migrants that have fled their country in search of a better life for themselves and their families in Thailand. The project is based in and around a community centre in Kuraburi and it focuses on providing the Burmese with shelter, food and a place to learn new skills and receive a basic education.

Thailand is far from being a tranquil home for the Burmese migrants that have fled there, they are subject to martial laws (which includes an 8pm curfew), they are denied simple things such as the right to own a mobile phone or drive a car, and the children are unable to attend the Thai education system.

Many Burmese children end up having to earn a living working in rubber plantations or fisheries.

Education is a big thing for the Burmese Community Volunteer project - It endeavours to break the vicious poverty cycle that is inflicted on the Burmese children and their parents. Resources and funding however, are scarce, and there is no budget to employ qualified English teachers – this is why volunteers are needed. You will work in the project’s main centre and help the Burmese community with their education, teaching them new skills and helping them become self-sufficient individuals so that they can improve their ability to make money.

Whilst the central aim of the community centre is to teach English, the input of volunteers does not have to stop there. The project welcomes participants who can help out in many more ways – this can include advising on leadership and socialisation skills, creating marketing initiatives that highlight the work that the project does, or even helping with administration work at the centre.

There is much to do at the Burmese Community Volunteer project, the work is ongoing so whatever skills you have will be much appreciated.

Without birth registrations and legal citizenship in Thailand, it is impossible for Burmese children to attend Thai schools.

This is a hard-line uncompromising community programme that provides participants with an intense volunteering experience. It has been given a three-foot rating because of the challenges that volunteers will face – a lack of resources, basic teaching materials, small classrooms with corrugated iron roofs that generate intense amounts of heat on par with that inside an oven!

Despite all the hardships, the atmosphere at the Burmese Community Volunteer project is incredibly cheerful and upbeat, the children are wonderful to be around and make the entire volunteering experience all the more enriching.

For more information please contact WAVA.