Bangkok--7 Aug--World Vision Foundation of Thailand
In Thailand, August 12 is commemorated as the national Mother’s Day in honour of Her Royal Highness Queen Sirikit’s birthday.
Globally, the day is recognised as the International Youth Day, with this year’s theme focusing on Youth Migration.
Young people’s participation in creating solutions for issues that affects them is part of a movement that international organisations like World Vision are adopting to ensure sustainable changes in communities.
In August, World Vision together with Save the Children, MTV Exit and the Royal Thai Government Bureau of Anti-Trafficking in Women and Children are co-organising the Regional Youth Media Workshop by Mekong Youth Forum in Chiang Rai.
The forum empowers 36 of the Mekong Region’s brightest young minds to develop policies on counter-trafficking and safe cross-border migration. Their proposals will be presented to government officials from six Mekong countries for implementation.
“This is critical to acknowledging the real danger faced by Asian youths. Young people in this region live with the daily threat of being trafficked across borders or being sold into modern day slavery,” says Agnes Ting, World Vision East Asia regional director. “We are working with governments around the region to remove these threats.”
Paiboon Boonprasert, a youth representative from World Vision, has worked on solving trafficking-related issues with the Mekong Youth Forum in the past.
In the last few years, he has participated in 12 international and local forums related to education, child trafficking and migration through World Vision’s support.
Paiboon grew up in a crowded community in the heart of Bangkok. Since he was 10 years old, he and his family members have been receiving assistance from World Vision.
“With World Vision’s help, my parents could pay for my tuition fee and I could stay in school,” he recalls.
The 23 year-old has a strong exposure to juvenile issues. When he was in high school, he engaged children from his communities who were prone to drug addiction and exploitation to join World Vision activities.
“When they do group activities, they don’t feel lonely and are less likely to go astray. They also study better,” he notes.
Afterwards, he did volunteer work for World Vision, overseeing the well-being of 300 children in 42 communities in Jatujak district.
From his experiences, Paiboon observes that unsafe migration is particularly prevalent in border provinces around Thailand, where there are large clusters of vulnerable children.
“I have visited the camp for migrant workers and children in Tak province. It showed me that the kids at the border provinces are at greater risks than the Bangkok children,” he said.
The trip inspired his dream to become a World Vision field officer one day. He is keen to work on site with the children at one of the border provinces such as Ranong, Kanchanaburi, Tak, Chiang Rai, Mukdahan and Sa Kaew.
Chitra Thumborisuth, National Director of WVFT encourages other youngsters to become mouthpiece for youth like Paiboon.
“Today WVFT has more than 110,000 sponsored children countrywide. We have been addressing the various issues faced by these young people for 39 years. We have seen youth become powerful spokespeople of their peers,” she explains.
“For youth to grow to their full potential, they need opportunity, rights and empowerment. Children are the country’s future. By allowing their ideas to prosper, the country will benefit tremendously.” she says.
World Vision Foundation of Thailand
0-2381-8863-5
www.worldvision.or.th