Teach English to Karen refugees on the Thai/Burma border
Project KARE provides native English language speakers the opportunity to teach English to Karen refugees at a Mae Ra Moe refugee camp on the Thai/Burma border in Thailand.
Volunteer teaching commitments should be at least two weeks (3-4+ weeks is preferred) and up to 30 to 60 days.
There are three high schools at the refugee camp with more than 600 students per school. Classroom size is typically around 30 students. Additionally there is a small Junior College with < 120 students, a Professional Development school with 45 students, and a Bible School with about 80 students. Classes start at 8:30a and finish at 3:30p. Teachers typically teach 4-5 classes (50 mins) daily out of 7 total periods. Teachers have a one hour break when not teaching a class. All teachers and students stop for an hour at lunch time.
Your primary relationships while here will be with the Principal of the high school, the English teacher (Karen person) who you are partnered with, the other teachers, and with the hundreds of delighted students you will teach. Volunteers instructors are expected to lead classrooms. Your English teacher partner will be very helpful to assist in communicating more challenging exercises or instructions in the classroom.
Basic accommodation is provided. This includes three daily meals as well as bottled and / or boiled water. Typically dishes are rice with vegetables and some meat. Adjustments are made for vegetarian and vegan diets.
The refugee camp is located seven hours overland west of Chiang Mai, Thailand, on the border of Burma. It’s 2.5 hours west of Mae Sariang. Accessible only by authorized 4×4 truck. Camp permit, approved by the Thai govt. and Karen Refugee Committee, is required to access camp. We work with you to achieve this.
Please contact us 6+ weeks (8+ preferred) in advance of your travel dates. This allows us time to meet via video chat, help you obtain a camp permit, coordinate your volunteer dates with schools and arrange for your driver and travel.
If you would like to teach English at the refugee camp to support the Karen ethnic minority group from Karen State in Burma we would love to hear from you!
Have a look at what other volunteers have to say about their volunteer experience at MRM.
If you’d like to learn more … please review our Volunteer Q&A and then contact us!