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The 'Sweet Dreams' program was developed to provide support for boarding
houses on the Thai-Burma border. These boarding houses are home to
thousands of orphaned, refugee and migrant children seeking shelter and
education. The boarding houses provide much needed protection from child
trafficking and child labour which is common place on the Thai-Burma border.
Due to the continued conflict in Burma and the increased military raids
and attacks which have become more aggressive and frequent, there has been
an increase in the number of Burmese and ethnic IDPs fleeing Burma.
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As a result the number of children seeking relief in the border region has also
increased with some houses doubling in number, placing a significant strain
on resources.
Many of these children arrive in Thailand unaccompanied. Parents are often
forced to send their children to Thailand for safety and relief from the
extreme poverty and starvation experienced in the IDP areas. The Burmese
military continue to use manipulation tactics such as destroying income
and food sources. With no income families struggle and become exposed to
forced labor and army recruitment. In an effort to protect their children
from becoming child soldiers and from performing forced labor without
education, parents send them to Thailand for security, safety and
education.
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Children on the Edge is proud to be partnering with the BMWEC (Burmese
Migrant Workers Education Committee). BMWEC is an umbrella organisation
that supports over 40 migrant schools that have been de-veloped by
Burmese groups to protect and educate these stateless children.
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