"We are trying to help Burmese Migrants and also trying to get experience with other organizations that are helping Burmese Migrants."

I’m a Burmese social worker working with the Muan Mit Thai foundation (Catholic Commission for Women). Muan Mit Thai foundation is under the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand, and is a partner of Caritas Swiss Solidarity.

At the Project Cycle Management training at Takua Pa back in February, I met Fr. Damian, Mr. Rachai and Ronald from Marist Mission Ranong. At this seminar, we discussed and presented together details of our projects for Burmese Migrants. It was so interesting for me to discover that MMR is working for the poor Burmese Migrants, so I decided to visit MMR during my recent holiday.

Muan Mit Thai foundation works for rehabilitation, enhanced gender equity and reduction of vulnerability of households in Tsunami-affected communities in the Khuraburi costal belt in Phangnga Province. I’m working in Muan Mit Thai’s education project for the children of Burmese migrants in Khuraburi.

We have a small learning center with 30 Burmese Migrants’ children and two teachers (also Burmese Migrants). We support transportation, food, teaching tools and teaching Myanmar, English and basic Thai language. There are 3 different levels of children in this learning center: Nursery, Kindergarten and Grade One. The ages of the children vary, because most of them don’t have any basic education from Myanmar, and their parents are moving around to get better work. We send some of the children from this Day-Care (the 7 year olds who can speak basic Thai) a Thai public school, where they can hopefully learn well alongside Thai children. We are trying to help Burmese Migrants and also trying to get experience with other organizations that are helping Burmese Migrants.

While I was with the Marist Mission Community in Ranong for two days, I visited some of the learning centers MMR works in, some of their HIV/AIDS patients, and the Chanel Community Center. I was so happy to see lots of Burmese Migrants’ children learning for their future, and to see that HIV/AIDS patients are under the good care of MMR.  The Marist Community members’ hospitality, warm hearts, and their works have strengthened me to continue to work for our Burmese Migrants.

I’d like to say thanks to Fr John, Fr Damian, Joey, Ronald, Ian John, Thata, Alice and Sr Yupa, and to all in the Marist Mission community. May God bless you all as you continue to help His beloved poor

By:

Bernadine Felix

Children's smile - Day Care Center

Dean during her visit here in our community

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