Overview:
Our partners work among the ethnic minority hill tribes of Thailand near the borders of Laos and Myanmar, where cultivation of the opium poppy and drug abuse has contributed to families living in poverty for generations. This project seeks to improve the health of villagers through the provision of clean water sources and hygiene training in 6 villages over 3 years (2 per year). The project also aims to increase family income through awareness building, community participation and obtaining better agricultural yields together with environmentally sound practices for all activities. Year 3 starts 1 January 2023.
Why support this:
Through empowerment, raising the standard of living and building awareness of a changing society, we can encourage the long-term integration of the tribal groups into economic and social mainstreams so that families can become permanently settled and economically stable. In addition, our partners will follow-up for three years after completion of the project. If other needs are identified, such as schools, health clinics, micro-loans and coffee production, our partners will help facilitate this process. Villagers will have buy-in by providing labour and sharing in the expense of materials and supplies.
Budget: $35,000 per year for three years (total $105,000).
The Need:
Hill tribes receive fewer educational opportunities, suffer poor health, and earn lower incomes than other groups in Thailand with most living below the poverty line. Most hill tribes were traditional opium users, which aggravated the problem of opium poppy cultivation. This has diversified into other drugs. Hill tribes want an alternative way of generating incomes and better opportunities to enter Thai society in a more sustainable way.
Life Change:
