Home-Based Learning for Migrant Centre

By Meghan Jones
THAILAND

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been felt around the world, but they have been particularly damaging to the migrant community, leaving already at-risk migrant children even more vulnerable: Facing an increased risk of child labour, shortages of food and drinking water, a heightened risk of domestic violence, and widespread depression and anxiety, are just a few hazards migrant children might face. Home based learning (HBL) has been a crucial way to offset these challenges, keeping migrant children safe, engaged and connected to their Migrant Learning Centres with the teachers regularly travelling to their students’ villages. With this they also ensured that migrant children in Mae Sot have the opportunity to complete their academic year.

Home based learning has been a crucial way to offset these challenges, keeping migrant children safe, engaged and connected to their Migrant Learning Centres

Back in June 2020, Child’s Dream responded to an initial call to action to support HBL for migrant children in the Mae Sot area of Thailand. Mae Sot is located on the Myanmar border and has a high migrant population. We collaborated with our partners to support the transition of almost 10,000 migrant children to HBL, as migrant learning centres were not allowed to open, and there was a serious risk of migrant children dropping out of school and becoming child labourers.

In December 2020, we responded to a call to action once again to continue the support of HBL for at-risk migrant children in Mae Sot. Joining forces again with our partners, we continued to make sure that migrant children could receive educational opportunities after a second wave of COVID-19 hit Thailand. With the support of our dedicated donors and the hard work of our devoted partners, we were able to provide stipends and supplies to migrant teachers.