Last 10^th of April, 10 students from The Ateneo de Davao University flew in from the Philippines to engage in the first undergraduate internship program with WEAVE. The students, who are currently in their junior year in college taking up International Studies Major in Asian Studies, were accompanied by their instructor, Mr. John Harvey Gamas also an alumnus of the university. Even before the internship program formally began, the interns took a week to travel around Thailand making Bangkok their first destination followed by visits to Ayutthaya and Sukhothai. After a week of sightseeing and leisure, the group made its way to Chiang Mai, where the main office of WEAVE is, making it a pit-stop for five of the 10 interns whereas the other half traveled further to Mae Sot to fulfill their part of the program.

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WEAVE’s ECD team conducted a two-day training for the nursery child development team on November 24-25, 2009 at Mae Ra Ma Luang. It was attended by 18 participants as well…

On March 18, the fourth batch of WEAVE’s Women’s Studies Program (WSP) graduated.  The 11 young women who received their certificates were joined by their teachers, some WEAVE staff, leaders of Camp 1 in Mae Hong Son, and Thai administrators in celebrating this wonderful and joyous occasion.  Thai Chief Officer Palad Wachira gave a moving message to the graduates.  In his message, he said that the graduates should feel proud of themselves not only because they have gained new knowledge through the WSP program but also because they are now ready to become the new leaders of their people.  The graduation ceremony, according to  Palad, is a symbol of the community’s recognition of the women’s abilities to take leadership roles in the community towards a better future for the Karen and Karenni in the camp.

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WEAVE continues to mobilize its resources in Mae Hong Son to further improve the Early Childhood, Care, and Development (ECCD) for displaced ethnic minority children from Burma.  A series of summer training sessions, workshops, and meetings were conducted in both Karenni Site 1 and 2 in Mae Hong Son Province during the entire month of March.  The education and training activities were headed by the ECCD project team.

Part of the ECCD project’s mandate is to build capacity through knowledge and skills enhancement of Capacity Building Trainers (CBT) otherwise known as the Parent Educators.  They provide support to the nursery schools by complementing the work of teachers in providing assistance to children’s parents on various skills and knowledge on child rearing practices.  Rollie Verzosa, WEAVE’s Education and Training Coordinator, is supported by other WEAVE trainers in the implementation of capacity building sessions with its local partners, the women’s organizations on the Thai-Burma border. In early March, Rollie Versoza conducted the Milestones on Early Childhood Development and Psychosocial training in Mae Hong Son, Thailand.

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