Children of the Forest

COF provides protection and education to stateless mothers and children living in Sangkhlaburi TL

Children of the Forest (COF) is dedicated to making a real and lasting difference in the lives of migrant children in and around Sangkhlaburi Thailand, near the Thai-Myanmar border. We are an established and trusted, locally-based NGO that has gained an international reputation for our innovation and best practice. Over the last ten years, we have provided education, protection, and healthcare to more than 5000 at-risk stateless migrant children.

16/04/2026

As well as the Children of the Forest enjoying Songkran water games COF mothers and staff prepared a traditional ceremony.
Fragrant water is poured over guests hands as a blessing for health and happiness for the coming year.
Children joined in with the blessings too.
A traditional meal of jasmine rice served with fish and banana tree finely chopped and offered with dried chili's is followed by music and dancing.
A very special COF Songkran celebration.

09/04/2026

3, 2, 1 — go! The Children of the Forest April Rice Run is underway.
Each month we continue our outreach support for single stateless mothers and for children who have received treatment through our medical program and need help during recovery. More than 70 single-mother families are reached every month — not bad!
All thanks to you, our supporters, and our hardworking staff and volunteers. With the school holidays underway, our staff were also delighted when a crew of children offered to come along and help.

07/04/2026

Children of the Forest United Girls triumph in a multiteam regional football tournament.

Despite the blistering April heat COF United Girls played 4 games in one day to claim the title of "District Champions"

Once again sport playing an essential role to elevate the status of stateless children and teens in the border regions.

Congratulations girls, we are all very proud of you.

🏆🏆⚽⚽👏🏻👏🏻

28/03/2026

Children of the Forest school year ends and another begins. With strong demand for all of our classes from out-of-school children, it is important that we make sure places go to those most in need — children who, through our assessment process, have no other school they can attend. Without COF, there would simply be no education for them.
Today this process continues, and then we will come together to review the numbers and plan for the year ahead. It is always a difficult exercise, as we know that throughout the year there will be additional emergency cases — sometimes 20–30, depending on the border situation — where we must find space in a classroom for a child arriving from a crisis situation.
Balancing immediate need with future emergencies is never easy, but it is central to ensuring that the most vulnerable children are not left behind.

27/03/2026

Children of the Forest was pleased to receive a visit from the Director of Education for the province. Here for the first time, she expressed her admiration for COF's innovative approach to the specific needs of stateless children. She also spoke highly of our teachers' skills and commitment, as well as praising COF's simple but practical facilities. Most importantly, the Director and her team promised to work closely with COF to ensure registration, education and identification cards for all stateless children.

24/03/2026

Last Friday marked the final day at Children of the Forest Free School for more than 60 once stateless children.
It was both humbling and inspiring to hear them reflect on their last 4–5 years with us—and even more so to listen to their dreams for the future.

Most importantly, we were able to remind them that, thanks to our incredible supporters, COF will continue to stand beside them—supporting their education for as far as they can go, and always being there if they need help along the way.

22/03/2026

Children of the Forest was delighted to welcome a Rotary ICC delegation from Switzerland, along with friends from the Rotary Club of Royal Hua Hin, to visit our school and support programmes.
A heartfelt thank you for the wonderful selection of books for our children’s library — it’s clear how much care and thought went into choosing them, and they will be truly valued by our students.
We were also very grateful to be introduced to Michael Gubser from Help4People Foundation. Our teachers and staff were thrilled by his generous surprise donation to support our school in the 2026–27 year.
With more children than ever needing access to education, and the new school year beginning on 18 May 2026, this support comes at a very important time. Thank you all for standing with Children of the Forest

22/03/2026

Q... What's the perfect way to celebrate COF School end of term ?

A... Picnic party and swim at the nearby Songalia river.

Just another way our dedicated team of teachers make magical memories for the children.

Heartfelt thanks to our supporters for helping to make special times like this possible.

04/03/2026

We were very pleased to welcome a delegation from Rotary Club of Bangkok, representing Rotary’s Global Grant program, following the recent award of a two-year Rotary Global Grant to COF supported by Rotary International.
The main focus of this grant is to strengthen Children of the Forest's life-changing Grade 1 and Grade 2 education program — building stronger foundations for some of the most vulnerable children in our community and supporting the teachers who guide them.
We are deeply grateful for the time, commitment, and hard work that went into achieving this grant for Children of the Forest.
As we begin the next two years, we look forward to the challenge ahead — and even more so to the long-term impact this support will have on our Grade 1 and Grade 2 program and the children it serves.

01/03/2026

It has been a pleasure this weekend to welcome Vara from the Danish Women's Network and Vara's friends from Bangkok, Adam, Boo & Pluem
Vara has visited COF many times but it was Adam, Boo & Pluem's first visit to Children of the Forest.
They brought with them boxes of great donations for our Child Protection program, Medical Program and much more.
Boo and Pluem treated the COF girls and boys to Muay Thai classes in the morning and afternoon.
COF kids had a great time being shown Muay Thai exercises along with self defence moves.
Big thanks to Vara, Adam, Boo, Pluem for your visit and your support.
Hope you can come see us again.

17/02/2026

Over the more than 20 years Children of the Forest has been working in the border area, our programmes have grown from need. Many are connected, shaped by listening carefully and responding step by step to what we encounter along the way.
Through our outreach, child protection, and family-strengthening work, we began supporting elderly grandparents who were caring for their grandchildren alone. Many of those children now attend our school. As we spent time with these elders, we slowly became aware of another group — people who had no one at all.
Along the border, there is no welfare or formal support for undocumented elderly people. Many live completely alone, without family or community care, often in small bamboo huts tucked away on land that is not their own.
Today, COF supports 37 elderly people living in these circumstances. Last week, we had the privilege of bringing many of them together at COF to share a meal and sit in a circle, talking about their lives and recent experiences. It was a deeply moving morning — full of quiet strength, resilience, and remarkable stories.
It is something our programme leaders are committed to doing regularly.

13/02/2026

More reliable funding support in recent years has allowed Children of the Forest to invest in its long-term goal of improving future sustainability. This includes planting nearly 1,000 durian trees, expected to begin fruiting in the next two to three years, around 4,000 rubber trees that are already producing.
Thanks to a recent sustainability grant supporting responsible consumption and food production from our friends at Bangkok Patana School, we are also growing a wide range of vegetables for our three main kitchens, which together prepare more than 500 meals each day.
Thank you to everyone who has made this possible — and for the valuable opportunity it gives the children and students in our care to learn about responsible food production and sustainability.