PROJECT OVERVIEW

Local Presence Since:  June 2002
2009 Reach: 13,000 children and youth; 300 Leaders including Teachers and community Coaches; 44 schools  

Burmese refugees in northern Thailand face a life of poverty and frustration in refugee camps. Right To Play provides sport and play programs that support the healthy physical, social and emotional development of children and youth.  Our programs foster peace and development at all levels of society, and are implemented with the help of local partners that understand the specific challenges faced by the refugee community. With the ongoing support of program partners, we enhance child development, youth leadership and support gender inclusion and the participation of children and youth living with disability.

RIGHT TO PLAY’S INVOLVEMENT

Thailand is currently home to more than 150,000 Karen refugees from Burma. The majority fled in 1995 following a major offensive by the Burmese government army against the Karen National Union (KNU). Tensions between the KNU and Burma’s government remain intense and ethnic persecution continues in the midst of civil unrest.

Refugees that escaped to Thailand remain in legal limbo in nine large refugee camps. Thai authorities have not signed the UN Convention on the Status of Refugees and are under no legal obligation to recognize the rights of the refugees.  

Burmese refugees are not distinguished from other immigrants, legal or illegal, and are permitted to stay in Thailand only at the discretion of the government.  The Thai government is not required to provide protection, shelter and food for refugees, who are also restricted from leaving the camps and unable to secure legal employment.

Children and youth make up a significant proportion of the total refugee population. Living in temporary shelters impedes their development and well-being, limits their access to education and the uncertainty of repatriation are a part of everyday life.  Right To Play’s programs provide an opportunity for children and youth to learn skills that can help them to cope with the daily challenges of their environment, skills that are critical for community development in the longer term.

Right To Play began implementing sport and play programs for Burmese Refugees in Tham Hin and Ban Don Yang refugee camps in June 2002.  During the initial months, the delivery of programming was largely limited to Tham Hin camp but expanded to included Ban Don Yang camp in December 2002.  By February 2004, nearly 200 trained Leaders and 3,700 children and youth participated in regular activity in both camps.

With support from USAID, between 2005 and 2009, the Sport and Play Program for Burmese Refugees expanded significantly into three additional refugee camps; Nupo, Umpium Mai and Mae La.  This allowed Right To Play to more than triple its reach of children and youth in sport and play activities.

RIGHT TO PLAY'S RESPONSE

Right To Play addresses a number of key challenges that present barriers to the development of children and youth in a refugee setting.  By working closely with the Karen Refugee Committee Education Entity and by training nursery, primary and physical education teachers in Right To Play program resources, children and youth in a formal school setting benefit from regular sport and play activities. These activities are aligned with specific learning outcomes that promote healthy physical, emotional and social well-being.  Trained teachers develop skills in child-centered learning techniques and learn practical strategies to promote the holistic development of children in their community.

RESULTS

• Right To Play activities expanded into Mae La camp and a total of 28 additional schools.
• The program exceeded targets associated with the inclusion of women and girls and children living with a disability.
• More than 280 active Leaders implement regular activities for more than 11,600 children and youth.
• Fifty per cent of children participating in activities and 64 per cent of active Leaders are female.
• Approximately 120 children living with a disability participated in specialized Play Days throughout the year.
• Regular meetings, monitoring and support visits and planning sessions strengthened community ownership of Right To Play activities.  As a result of strong community participation, Leaders now lead and organize sport and play activities with significantly less dependence on Right To Play staff, which supports program sustainability.
• Local Leaders have developed a management system to safeguard equipment and resources provided by Right To Play, that allows Leaders to use equipment in a self-directed manner without direct oversight by Right To Play.

 KEY FIGURES