Burma

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	Thai-Burma Border Projects Below: Map of the Thai-Burma Border Learning Centre in Mae La Camp Mae La refugee camp currently houses 50,000 refugees, with more arriving each week from Burma. The learning centre gives young refugees, with limited education, the opportunity to prepare for a brighter future. Mae La is the largest refugee camp on the Thai-Burma border, and the Learning Centre provides English classes, computer training and personal development enhancing art and drama workshops for post year 10 students. There are 4 teaching staff and 2 adminstration and finance support staff, managed by the ALCC committee. Visiting teachers are also arranged by the AKF which fully supports the Centre. Top: ALCC Sign, Bottom: ALCC Staff & Students AKF's supporters provide funding for the operation of the school covering staff salaries, building construction, purchasing computers and other equipment and educational material. THe centre is expanding and offers evening classes. The school's computers which are in heavy demand by the students and the community. AKF has been requested to assist with additional computers, the construction of a volleyball area and funds for additional staff. If you would like to support the development of the school please contact us. Left: The ALCC Computer Room, Right: Joan, the School Principal ln 2008 John Bolton and Lindy Marlow introducted drama to ALCC students. Students receive drama training including juggling lessons in preparation for a performance of Shakespeare's The Tempest. Men's Weaving Projects AKF has assisted in the formation and operation of a Men’s Weaving Project through one of the churches in a camp. A men’s group wanted to utilise weaving skills to produce cloth for sale in and outside of Mae La camp, and train others in the work. AKF provided seed funding to purchase three large looms and thread, and continues to assist the weaving committee in business development and management. Two looms are used to train new weavers and one loom is used to produce cloth.Profit from the weaving supports the expansion of the project and asssists people with needs in the camp. This includes new arrivals, who require food and housing. AKF IS LOOKING FOR MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES FOR KAREN STYLE FABRIC AND GARMENTS PRODUCED IN THE WEAVING PROJECT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE A KAREN JACKET OR LONGI AT A GOOD PRICE PLEASE CONTACT US! Left & Right: Men's Weaving Projects Golden Home for Refugee Orphans, Tham Him Refugee Camp AKF supports the Golden Home for Children in Tham Him camp (see above map). The camp houses 7,000 refugees. This project provides opportunities for 52 students to study up to at least year 10. These opportunities are not available within Burma. Some students come from within Tham Hin camp, whose relatives (aunts and uncles) have gone to a third country, and there is no accommodation available for them. The Golden Home for Children has two dormitories and can accommodate up to sixty students (boys and girls). AKF is assisting the Golden Home Committee to seek funds for dormitory supervisors, clothing, additional food (rations are inadequate), dormitory improvement, computers, power, lighting and musical instruments. If you would like to support the development of Golden Home, please contact us Fun with Balloons during a visit from AKF in October 2009. The home is managed by a Camp Committee - no administration costs are incurred by AKF - all donations benefit the children. The camp is close to the River Kwai and the 'death railway' of WW2, and the Committee have carved a sportsfield from the jungle. Fun with Balloons on AKFvisit Jungle Camp Games The Girl's Dorm at the AKF Sponsored "Golden Home" in the Tham Hin Refugee Camp Solar Lights for Karen Families At night in the refugee camps it is dark, as there is no electricity provided to the small bamboo houses. Most families only have small candles as a source of light at night-time, while some have small kerosene lamps. Both of these are costly and inefficient options that make it difficult to study at night, and kerosene lamps emit fumes that are dangerous to family health and the environment. Andrew Flint, one of AKF’s founders, visited the Mae La and Tham Him refugee camps in July 2008. He took an LED lamp and small solar panel (the ‘Barefoot Solar 12’) and demonstrated how it works to groups of Karen. Andrew is associated with providing solar technology to African villagers via Carbon Community Foundation and to Australians via Barefoot Solar. Charging the solar panel for six hours per day gives Karen families five hours of a bright and healthy light source at night. It also frees money that was formerly spent on candles and kerosene for other necessities like medicine and school supplies. Would you like to assist in bringing light to Karen families in Mae La and Tham Him refugee camps? For just $39.95 you can donate a Barefoot Solar 12 LED lamp and solar panel set to a Karen family. We will purchase them on your behalf and they will be taken to the refugee camps in June 2009. To make a positive difference to a Karen family simply make a donation of $39.95 or more and indicate that it is for AKF’s Solar Lights project. Saw En Sian is a teacher at ALCC. A refugee, he had to study, prepare and mark in his dark house by candlelight until he received a Solar Light. He wrote...... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dear Sir Greeting in the name of our Lord Savior and Christ Jesus, I hope everything is going well with AKF. I am Ensian, one of the teachers at ALCC (Mae La). And I would like to show my heartfelt thanks to you and AKF for the splendid present of Solar light that was brought by Mr. Michael North. Your delightful present came to hand on 3^rd Nov, and I must thank very much indeed for it. It is just the kind of thing I have been wanting for a longtime. Once again, many thanks for the handsome present. May our living God continue to bless AKF abundantly. En Sian ALCC (PS) Wish you Merry Christmas and New Year as we shall soon celebrate the birth of our Savior ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Left: Kerosene lamp, solar panel and LED light, Middle: Reading from a kerosene lamp, Right: Reading from an LED light Study Tour to Thai-Burma Border Those interested in learning more about the Karen are given the opportunity to experience the Thai-Burma border first-hand. A study tour or pilgrimage to the border in Thailand usually takes place in January and runs for two weeks.Participants meet Karen refugees and other displaced people on the Burma border. Tand visit Refugee Camps, Karen organisations, community groups and churches. The trip is facilitated by Australian Karen Foundation president Ron Browning, who has significant experience in this journey. The study tour is offered as a course at Melbourne University in the Faculty of Theology. Please visit http://www.uft.edu.au/ for more details. For a full course description see Field D “Cross-Cultural Studies”. Students from other faculties or universities can enroll for credit or audit. Others can often enroll as an audit. For information contact Ron Browning at rmbrow@bigpond.net.au. In addition less formal visits are sometimes made Assisting the Development of Food Security NEW PROJECT commenced 2009 Funds provided early in 2009 are being directed to support an Australian volunteering with the Karen Environmental & Social Action Network (KESAN), a community-based organisation working from the Thai-Burma border. The volunteer is co-ordinating a food security program, and also works on staff capacity building, fundraising and program development. KESAN Vision To enhance Karen indigenous people in Burma to live a peaceful life in a healthy environment and actively and demonstrate our role in maintaining ecological balance and livelihood security. KESAN Mission KESAN is a local organisation working alongside local Karen and Kachin communities to build up capacities in natural resource management; raise public environmental awareness; support community-based development initiatives; and collaborate with organisations at all levels. The volunteer is advocating environmental policies and development priorities that ensure sustainable ecological, social, cultural and economic benefits and gender equity. KESAN Objectives 1. To enhance the capacities of local communities and community-based organisations to facilitate activities for environmental protection and social development. 2. To develop indigenous environmental education and materials that will increase child and youth awareness and participation in environmental protection. 3. To support community-based development initiatives to preserve our environment, cultures and traditional livelihoods. 4. To advocate for environmental policies and practices and development priorities that are environmentally friendly, socially equitable, culturally beneficial and economically viable. 5. To systematise and scale up ongoing efforts to mainstream a gender perspective in all aspects of KESAN’s program of work. The Cyclone Nargis Cyclone Nargis Decimated the Irrawaddy Delta, where many karen people ive inside Burma, in March 2008. Rehabilitation and restoration continues and there is an urgent need for food as the rice paddies were ruined by salt water. AKF is also facilitating donations raised in Australia getting to the Karen in the Delta cyclone affected area, and donations are welcome.

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