Early in 2011, Na Aye Yin, her husband Kyite Yee, and her two children fled from her home country to Unpiem Mai refugee camp in Tak, Thailand because of threats to their personal security. They were newcomers, and were not on the list to receive free food as part of a national program the Thai government provides in refugee camp. All they could do was work for other refugees, using the meager wage they earned to feed their two children.

In March, Na Aye Yin heard that there would be a project called ‘Vocational Training for Refugees from Myanmar’ (VTRM) that would begin teaching people in the camp vocational skills. Courses such as sewing, embroidery, welding, elderly and child care, basic auto mechanics, cooking and baking and hair dressing would be offered.

Beauthong and Wilaiphon were born in Huay Chom Poo village in Chiang Rai prov-ince, Northern Thailand. The girls were born to a Lahu hill tribe family. They have a lot in common. Their ages are the same, their parents are poor famers and they both belong to big families. But the most important thing they’ve shared is they both did not have Thai citizenship.

Bruce (pseudonym) is 22 years old and came to the Mae Lah refugee camp 4 years ago in 2007. His father was a Karen soldier. He and his family were separated when government troops entered his village; “They came into our home, took everything from the house, threw it outside and burned it all. Then, they took me and beat me and burned the house to the ground” Bruce said with a characteristic, far-away look in his eyes. Bruce was beaten and tortured for information concerning his father. His seven brothers and sisters, plus his two parents fled into the countryside and he has not seen nor heard from them or received any news from others about them since. “I escaped into the jungle and walked a long way through the forests and over the mountains until I came to the border river. There was no boat for me to cross over into Thailand, so I swam”. Bruce came straight to Mae Lah refugee camp.