The three year project will work with refugees and villagers in the surrounding Thai communities providing them with meaningful vocational skills. By providing high quality vocational training the project aims to prepare trainees to take advantage of livelihood opportunities in a broad range of contexts.

Vocational skills relevant to the current context of the encampment, and resettlement countries (as well as voluntary / safe repatriation to Myanmar when it becomes possible) will be provided. In this way trainees will be prepared to move towards self reliance in whatever context they find themselves.

The project will offer vocational courses in; barbering, hairdressing and beauty salon, small engine mechanics (tractor and motorcycle), sewing and tailoring, care assistance for children and elderly, cooking and baking. The project will also provide additional courses including an introductory course for high school students.

The project aims to provide training for 6000 persons from the Tham Hin, Ban Don Yang, Nu Po, Umpiem Mai, Mae La, Mae Ra Ma Luang and Mae La Oon camps. A significant partnership with the Office of Vocational Education Commission (OVEC) of the Ministry of Education (MoE) has been established in order to ensure that many of the courses meet Thai educational standards through a process of training and monitoring carried out by the provincial vocation and technical colleges.

The Vocational Training for Refugees from Myanmar project is funded by the European Union, the Australian Government, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and by ADRA Germany and ADRA Czech. The project began in January, 2011 and will be completed in December, 2013. The total funding for this 3 year project is 2,017,674 EUR approximately 87,000,000 THB or 2,900,000 USD. ADRA has been engaged in Karen refugee education programs for over 20 years. Since 1984 Myanmar refugees fleeing from conflict have been arriving in Thailand. Currently the estimated number of refugees is 145,000.

Vocational Training courses include:

Hairdressing for Men and Women Small Engine Mechanics Cooking and baking

Embroidery Sewing for Men and Women Welding