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| Written by gelobreergo |
| Friday, 04 March 2011 08:32 |
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Ethnic Karen Refugees, fleeing civil war in Burma, have been arriving into Thailand since 1984, over 6 years ago. Currently the refugee numbers are at 145,000, with many children, youth and young adults not knowing any other life other than the life of being confined in a refugee camp. This has significant negative psycho-social impacts. Due to the prolonged refugee encampment situation and the lack of political process in Burma to resolve the civil war, the United National High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has commenced a resettlement program for these Karen refugees to third countries (Japan, USA, Australia, Canada, Sweden , Norway, Finland, Netherlands and New Zealand) so that they can resume a normal life. The Adventist Development & Relief Agency in Thailand (ADRA Thailand) has been engaged in Karen Refugee Education programs for over 20 years in the refugee camps. In 2011 ADRA Thailand commencing its work in partnership with ZOA Refugee Care (Netherlands NGO) to implement a vocational / technical training program for refugees so that they can develop skills that are useful for obtaining employment when they are resettled in the third country, or if the situation improves so that it becomes safe to return to Burma (Myanmar). ADRA Thailand has been able to secure funding from The Australia Government’s Overseas Aid Program (AusAID), European Union (EU), and UN Higher Commission for Refugee (UNHCR), ADRA Germany and ADRA Czech Republic for implementing the Vocational /Technical training program in 7 of the 9 camps (which have a combined population of 124,518). This program provides training to over 6,700 young adults / youth in technical skills during the three years of project duration. The program will offer the following technical courses that have Thai Technical accreditation: 1. Barbering 2. Hairdressing & Beauty Salon 3. Welding (Arc and Oxy‐acetaline) 4. Metal Fabrication 5. Small engine and motor mechanics (motorcycle, generators, cars) 6. Sewing and tailoring 7. Elderly Care (Nursing home assistant) 8. Child care and nursery school assistant 9. Baking
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| Last Updated on Monday, 16 May 2011 14:14 |
