The Burmese Refugee Project

Community profiles.

Below are profiles of just two of the 50 or so children thriving in the BRP community.

Nuan is 15 years old and in the 7th grade. Although Nuan did not witness war directly, she still suffered from the anti-minority policies in Burma. Her family was fearful and poor enough so that, at age 5, Nuan spent every day burning wood pieces into charcoal to sell.

This history has left in indelible mark on her, and she has remarkable enthusiasm and gratitude for the basic privileges of school, food, and leisure time. The staff say that, if anything, Nuan is “too polite” and reserved. Because of this, the BRP staff has focused on developing a relationship with Nuan based on trust, caring, and consistency-- to show Nuan that some things do last, and that she is valuable and, in their words, “a very lovely and beautiful person. She is very kind—not like the other children are not kind—but Nuan, she will always share and give.”

At home, Nuan helps her family with chores such as tending to the boss’s cows and chickens. She enjoys playing checkers and movies. Still, most of her time with the BRP staff is spent talking—about her life, family, village, friends, and school.

Nuan’s mother died at an early age of “cancer.” We are not sure about this diagnosis because many families also describe cases of leprosy or gangrene as cancer. Although Nuan’s mother came from a prosperous family, Nuan’s father lost most of the family savings through drinking and gambling. He then abandoned the family and now lives in Chiang Mai with his new wife, providing no financial support. For a while, Nuan lived with her grandmother while in Burma, who also forced her to work rather than attend school. She now lives with her 25-year-old sister Ying and brother-in-law Yo.

When she first arrived in Thailand in 2001, Nuan was placed in the 1st grade in a public boarding school a few kilometers from her home. This was done because she was living with Ying and Yo in a one-room hut at the time, and there was some tension due to lack of space and privacy. A year later, Ying and Yo were able to build a small cubby room for Nuan, so that she could have her own sleeping space. Nuan then began to attend a closer school, skipping the 2nd grade straight into 3rd.

Nuan’s three-person family is very close to the BRP social workers. When Ying and Yo considered separation, for instance, each member of the family approached the BRP staff for advice and counseling. Whenever there is conflict in the house, Nuan visits the staff for respite and support. Partly because of the BRP, Nuan has expressed pleasure in going to school and living in Thailand.

Artit.

Artit doesn’t know his exact age, nor his birthday. All he knows is that he was born on a Sunday in September—His name, after all, translates into “Sunday.” He has lived in Thailand for most of his life, and his school scores are so good he consistently ranks first or second place in class. His mother and father separated years ago. Presently, he lives with his mother and her boyfriend in one of the BRP household clusters. His mother and her boyfriend have a daughter who is now 4 or 5, but Artit has not seen his half-sister in years, because they had trouble getting her back into Thailand the last time they visited family in Burma.

In March of 2005, Artit’s father was killed in a duel in the jungle. The circumstances surrounding this event remain vague. The two BRP social workers are providing counseling to the family, and have offered emergency help if needed.

Artit told us that, as soon as he learned that he had received sponsorship, he went home to tell his mother. She said that with such a ‘scholarship,’ he could study as much as he wants, and go as far as he possibly can. This meshes well with what Artit envisions for himself; to possibly even attend university. This is astounding and wonderful in a community where, as stated earlier, only one or two mothers have any schooling, and all but a few fathers have attended more than three or four years of school. It also exemplifies the high level of trust established between Artit’s family and the BRP, given that these families are rightfully wary and suspicious of many institutions and organizations. This achievement is made all the more poignant by the fact that at one point, three years ago, Artit’s mother had pulled him out of school, stating that she feared retribution from Thais. With help from fellow BRP community families and from the staff social workers, Artit and his mother have not only addressed the obstacles blocking his education, they have thrived while doing so.

Like the other BRP children, Artit is exceedingly polite and always obliging in his demeanor. This is behavior that is well appreciated in Thai society. At school, he consistently receives straight As. This past year, he placed first in his entire grade at school. He always helps his mother in the home, washing dishes and performing household chores. Like most of the children in the BRP community, he also works in the fields during his summer vacation, and sometimes on weekends. He has also served as a novice monk, earning merit for his family in both Shan Burmese and Thai cultures. As a reward, Artit looks forward to opportunities to eat his favorite meal, moogathai, a Thai meal similar to sukiyaki, except that it involves a shared grill in addition to a broth pot. In his spare time, Artit’s favorite hobbies are soccer, table tennis, and paetong, a local game akin to Italian bocce.

Back in January 2005, Artit could not name any specific bad thing or event from his past year, despite the fact that his house burned down the week before our interview for this profile, and he lost all of his schoolbooks and clothes. (Luckily, no one was home at the time.) Artit declares that his performance in school was the best thing that happened to him in the past year. He says that he has done fairly well in the past, but never placed above third or fourth in his class, so he feels as if he is improving in school.