Shan Youth Power

To support the needs of Shan State youth and children and to operate as a communication center, Shan students and other Shan youth who were working in Thailand founded Shan Youth Power (SYP) in August 5, 2002. Many of them end up in Thailand, where despite their situation they are only given "economic migrant" status. This means that they only have access to the most undesirable and lowest paying

jobs. Shan migrants work for subsistence wages and often struggle to meet their family's basic needs, meaning that education is rarely prioritized. However, more migrant youth are attending Thai government schools than ever before. Shan students excel academically, and many are at the top of their class. However, Shan youth face several major obstacles when they attempt to enter the Thai school system. Their families are constantly moving to different construction sites, which results in many students dropping out because they lack access to reliable transportation. Many students who come from Burma, regardless of their age and educational background, are placed in first standard. This is because most cannot speak Thai, and some do not have the documents to prove their academic standing. Therefore, situations arise where twelve-year-old Shan students are studying with six-year-old Thai students. Many of these students cannot complete their education because they are deemed ‘too old’ by the time they reach fifth or sixth standard. The Migrant School Project attempts to rectify the problems faced by Shan migrant students, and fill the education gap between them and Thai students. Currently, the Migrant School Project operates in seven migrant camps, working with more than 200 students. We offer basic, early-stage education as well as more advanced education. We focus on five subjects: math, English Language, Shan Language, computer skills and leadership training.