Our Work
Learn about what
we Support.
FAMILY-BASED FOSTER/KINSHIP CARE
When a child cannot stay with their parents, global evidence has proven that family based care such as foster or kinship care is better for a child’s development and wellbeing than institutional care.
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CARA believes that institutional care should always be a last resort. We aim to change the situation on the Thai-Myanmar border, where the majority of the 135,000 children in institutional care in Thailand can be found. Most of these children should be with their parents. and when that is not possible we believe kinship care is the most desirable option.
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CARA funds foster and kinship care for children who need to be in care on the Thai-Myanmar border. This is achieved through supporting the One Sky Foundation, who operate in the Sangkhlaburi district of Thailand.
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One Sky has partnered with the government to build a registration system for foster families and kinship care, ensuring the wellbeing and security of these overlooked children. With your support, we can ensure that they have the best upbringing possible.
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CHILD PROTECTION
Children living in migrant communities along the border areas are often beyond the reach of government authorities increasing their risk to be exposed to abuse and neglect. This could occur in the home or in the many unregulated children’s homes in Sangkhlaburi.
With the authority of the provincial governor, One Sky has established the first district level child protection committee in Thailand with the power to remove children from dangerous situations. One Sky has a licensed competent official, social worker and child interviewers allowing them to interview children to gather evidence of abuse. They work with the committee members comprising the police, hospital staff, government officials, village leaders and school directors to find a solution in the best interests of the child.
CARA does not currently fund One Sky’s child protection activities directly, as these have been successfully funded through other sources. However, the services we do fund are fully integrated into One Sky’s wider child protection approach. We strongly support this work and may provide funding for child protection activities in the future, if there is a need.
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SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child officially declares that every child has the right to a family life. Poverty is never a good enough reason to separate children from their family.
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Among the large ethnic minority and migrant population of Thailand, there are many thousands of families living in extreme poverty causing many to give up their children to a children’s home. An estimated 135,000 children in Thailand live in institutional care.
CARA works to keep families together allowing children to grow and develop in a safe family environment. We achieve this through One Sky’s holistic approach to supporting families. Family’s individual circumstances and needs are assessed and support provided accordingly. This can include advocacy and language support with official documents, victim support in cases of domestic violence and child abuse, income generation and skills building, home based food production, welfare support including cash payments, food drops, medical costs and health insurance.
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EDUCATIONAL GATEWAY OPPORTUNITIES
Article 28 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child makes education a basic human right. Poverty is never a good enough reason to stop children being educated. Yet, in Thailand among the large migrant population, extreme poverty forces many children to dropout of school because the families cannot afford the incidental costs of sending them to the free government schools. With no help available, their parents may give them up to a children's home as the only way to keep them in school.
CARA provides children at risk of dropping out of school with small bursaries of between £100 and £200 per year to cover the costs of transport to school, school lunches and obligatory school uniforms. After more than ten years, increasing numbers of these children from poor families are graduating from high school and going on to further training or good jobs. Through education, we are transforming their lives and future prospects.
In remote communities, many ethnic minority and migrant families do not speak Thai at home. The children start school without the language skills needed to understand lessons or communicate confidently. This affects their academic performance, reduces their confidence and increases the risk of dropping out. CARA funds One Sky’s “Buddy” project to train Grade 12 students to mentor younger children who need additional support in Thai. Teachers report this transforms the performance of the children in school.
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How One Fisherwoman Is Creating a Better Future for Her Children
“My name is AA, and I'm 36 years old. I have five children and I also care for my mother. I catch fish and gather vegetables which I sell to make an income. After my youngest child was born, I rested for three days but then I got back to work to make sure my children had food to eat. Kung from One Sky has been visiting me for about three years now. One Sky helped me to buy a better fishing net so I can catch more fish and increase my income. I am very serious about my children’s education, and I am happy that One Sky could help me cover the costs for my eldest child to travel to school and have school lunch.”
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One Sky workers say: “We have witnessed the strength of a woman who is determined to take care of her children in the best way she can. With our support, she can become self-reliant in the long term and that is the true success of working with AA over the past 3 years.”
Support a child’s right to an education!
£20/mth
Donating today to support a school bursary helps ensure children receive the education they deserve and are able to stay in the family home instead of risking family separation into institutional care.
Pan would have had to give up school
Pan grew up with her grandparents after her parents separated and started new families, leaving her without financial support. When her grandmother became seriously ill, Pan was pressurised to leave school to become her full-time carer. After her grandmother passed away, Pan and her nearly 80-year-old grandfather were left surviving on just 700 baht (£16) a month—barely enough for food, let alone education.
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Despite taking on part-time work to help support her household, Pan remained determined to continue her studies. Thanks to CARA’s funding, our partner One Sky Foundation provided an education grant that covered essential school expenses, including her uniform and meals, enabling her to stay in school.
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Today, Pan enjoys studying Thai and History and dreams of becoming a social worker. She says, “I am determined to pursue higher education because I firmly believe that education will give me a better life and free my family from poverty.
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