Father Frank Bird visited our club on 17 May to talk about the Marist mission working to overcome the "social timebomb" that comes with the severe lack of education on refugee camps internationally. Globally, 70% of refugees do not receive an education, 20% only receive primary schooling, and 10% access education beyond age 12.
If you want to support a Burmese refugee student to access education for one month, you can do so for only $20. Find out how to do this at the bottom of Anne Hare's report, as well as a link to a short documentary Father Frank referred us to, which may cause you to rethink your tinned fish eating habits...
Father Frank Bird spoke about his experience supporting Burmese Migrant Children in Ranong Thailand under the Society of Mary – Marist Asia Foundation. Marist missions work with people all over the world and in this case, it is about educating Myanmar refugee children on the Burma border in the town of Ranong. The goal being to educate for leadership, so that the newlyeducated can help change the lives of their fellow refugee families.
Father Bird illustrated with some photographs, and you could see clearly that it is very difficult to get children into a classroom due to the conditions they live in and the military coup which started over 2 years ago. Education is not available to all at the Ranong border crossing point where 90% leave school at 12 years of age. There are 9 refugee camps in the region with more than 1 million displaced people. It can take 12 – 17 years to move out of one of these camps.
Work for everyone including children is dirty, difficult and dangerous, but maintains a social structure that relies on cheap labour. Much of the work is in fishing (Thailand is the 3rd or 4th largest fish exporter internationally) or making charcoal. Lack of access to drugs in poor areas means there is a high prevalence of HIV. A change to the social structure is required and the Marists are starting with education - some of the funding has come from St Patricks College fund raisers to help students in Ranong pay the $10 transport and $10 tuition fees per month. This goes toward children staying in school for longer and in some cases going to university, albeit mostly on-line.
The military in Thailand ask “Why are you feeding the Crocodile” but the resolve in Father Frank Bird's mind is strong and came through strongly in his talk that while it will continue to be difficult growing the generation of leaders, the outcome is that it will become endemic feeding the crocodile for many years to come.
Anne Hare
Club reporter
Watch "Sold to the Sea: Human trafficking in Thailand's fishing industry" here. Follow this link to sponsor a Burmese refugee to access education for a month, offering an opportunity at life free from this kind of risk.