Kaya Community Development Projects in Thailand

  Thailand

• Chiang Mai: 
Chiang Mai

Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks and 9-12 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: The first Saturday of every month

Description: A community project will enable you to fully immerse yourself within the community, and by the end you will feel like one of the locals. There are a diverse number of projects you can be involved in from ecotourism in Peru to women empowerment projects in Ecuador for abused women. Projects like these help you contribute in preserving some unique and special ways of life and helping people achieve a common goal.

Journalism to Support Political & Social Issues in Burma & Thailand:
Work with a publishing project that documents the issues and news of the minority communities of Burma and Thailand. Project leaders have been publishing reports and periodicals on the state of these communities in Shan, Burmese, English, and Thai. Write and publish feature articles such as politics and literature articles, human rights reports and opinion columns, with the goal of educating others about the issues faced by minority populations in this part of the world.

Development Projects for Disabled People in Thailand:
Help empower the disabled and bring greater independence to their lives by working with a project that provides mobility devices and physical therapy free of charge to disabled people in six provinces in northern Thailand.

The majority of staff here are themselves disabled citizens who are managing their own life affairs and are fully self-sufficient.

Kaya's many projects include the Chiang Mai Disabled Center; the Freedom Wheelchair Workshop, a free home visit program covering rural and remote areas and providing wheelchair maintenance, home and building accessibility, and physical therapy. There is also an extensive Thai language self-help publishing program.

Immigrant and Minority Support in Thailand:
Work for the social justice and education of minority groups and political refugees, to further their chances of good employment and their ability to have a better quality of life.

In 1962 a military junta took control of Burma, removing the state of any democracy. Since then, thousands have been massacred and thousands more have fled to Thailand as refugees. Currently there are an estimated 120,000 Burmese refugees in Thailand, with the majority having no legal rights.

This project runs as an educational institute operating independently, based in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand, since 2001. It seeks to improve the quality of education in refugee camps, ceasefire regions, remote areas of Burma and migrant workers in Thailand. The project trains new teachers, promoting active learning, critical thinking and democratic practice in schools, providing professional development opportunities for existing teachers, and developing educational policy and practice.

The Learning Center has been operating in Chiang Mai for migrant workers from Burma since October 2005. The center offers Thai, English, and Burmese language courses and computer training. Anybody - regardless of race, gender, age, language, education, religion, political beliefs or social background - can apply for the courses.

Women Empowerment Project in Thailand:
Help provide better lives and futures of women who have little or no resources, are forced to work in the sex trade, or live in state institutions. Kaya works with prostitutes to provide better English skills as well as managerial skills, which ultimately can and will be used to pull women out of the sex trade. Other projects work to empower women through community living, vocational training, and consistent social support.

One of Kaya's main projects reaches out to women, children, and youth involved in, at risk of, or affected by prostitution, sexual exploitation and/or trafficking. The goal of the project is to offer comprehensive, holistic programs that bring restoration and healing to those in, at risk of, or exiting prostitution and trafficking in Northern Thailand and its borders.

Community Development in Thailand:
Projects range from working on small-scale construction projects to teaching English and working in orphanages.

One of our projects is working with a Children's Home to help children of all ages in a friendly, family environment with staff committed to ensuring they get the best care that resources allow, and ultimately complete their education. The project began in 2006 housing children from eight provinces. All the children are from families that have experienced difficulties as a result of such as drug & alcohol dependency, HIV/AIDS and other illnesses; in which one or both parents are incarcerated, or their families are simply too impoverished to pay for the child's education & basic needs.

Sustainable Agriculture in Thailand:
Join a project that introduces organic farming and sustainable agricultural practices as a way to preserve a culture, protect nature in northern Thailand, and promote a healthier way of life and stronger economy for the local populations.

This project is aimed at helping a foundation build itself to become fully self-sufficient by incorporating sustainable practices into their agricultural initiatives. Such initiatives include sustainable intense supply of safe vegetable production systems, participatory resource appraisal at watershed level, and community-based conservation and utilization of bio-resources. This style of bio-intensive farming is far more viable as it cuts out the use of expensive chemical fertilizers.

Fund Raising Project in Thailand:
Volunteers work to raise funds for a variety of non-profit, non-governmental organizations involved in humanitarian, environmental and public health projects. Almost all northern Thai organizations such as this seek assistance from experienced volunteers capable of raising funds for their operations. NGOs are often faced with low budget operations and therefore are under financial constraints that can only be addressed by effective fund-raising.

Highlights: Exotic temples, thick green jungle, crystal clear blue water, ancient ruins and spicy, tasty cuisine are some reasons why so many overseas travelers come to the 'Golden Land.'

Around 10% of the Thai population is in serious poverty and less than 30% are living in poverty. Even so, Thailand is not as impoverished as many of its neighboring Asian countries. The main problem is the huge difference in income between the upper 30% of the population and the rest, especially those living in rural areas, such as the Hill Tribes around Chiang Mai.

Beaches of Krabi and Trang:
Krabi and Trang are the best places in Thailand to experience tropical paradise. Both beaches have soft white sand, warm turquoise water, towering limestone cliffs, and small coves and offshore islands to explore.

Hot air ballooning in Chiang Mai:
Setting off as the sun begins to rise over a river of mist flowing through the tree tops is a great way to start your breathtaking balloon ride. Panoramic views of distant mountains, terraced rice paddies, the lush green Ping River valley and rural villages, are sure to take your breath away.

Scuba Diving on Manta Ray expeditions:
The best place to see these legendary 'devil fish' is the nutrient-rich waters of Koh Bon, an island north of Similan. Surround yourself with swirling mantas as they pass close by blocking the sunlight with their elegant mass. Best encounters are between November and April.

Volunteers bring an international perspective to the work of reforestation, conservation, education and awareness passing along their knowledge and enthusiasm to local residents who will benefit the most from these projects.

Qualifications: Experience and passion for working in the community and interacting with the people are needed. Participants must also possess enthusiasm and a willingness to learn about the environment and the place's culture.

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: A Kaya volunteer shows enthusiasm, spirit and life to stimulate and bring something new to the residents; love, patience and a listening ear for the people; and a good motivator with a positive and optimistic attitude.

Age Range: Must be more than 18 years old

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Thailand Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Kaya Responsible Travel's Mission Statement: Kaya's mission is to promote sustainable social, environmental and economic development, empower communities and cultivate educated, compassionate global citizens through responsible travel.

Year Founded: 2008