Support to Earthrights International Alumni Projects (2009)

Refugee Empowerment International has funded EarthRights International alumni small projects with great success for a number of years. EarthRights International founded the first EarthRights School (ERS) in Thailand in 1998 catering to refugees from Burma, teaching the skills necessary to actively participate in rebuilding their societies both outside and within Burma.

The ERS Alumni programme was established to assist its graduates in pursuing opportunities to build a strong and independent base in preparation for return to Burma is the focus of this funding support request.

In this cycle four small projects will be supported.

Training on Domestic Violence, Sexual Harassment and Environment Protectionsponsored by the Burmese Women’s Union which targets 20 women from 10 different villages who are positions to influence others in the community. This project will increase the understanding of women’s issues and empower women to play a more active role in the community.

Capacity building training for (KEG) staffs on community forest management sponsored by Karenini Evergreen.  This project will strengthen the knowledge about community forest management. This training will provide KEG (Karenni Evergreen) and KSWDC (Karenni Social Welfare Development Center)staff members with the necessary tools to go inside Karenni State and conduct this same training with the communities there

“World Environment Day” Campaign” sponsored by EarthRights Students Union. Activities will include: clean-up campaign, parade around the community, poster making contest, tree planting and consultation workshop related to Human Rights and environment.  These actives will be conducted along the Thai-Burma border and inside Burma. The activities will improve the knowledge of the communities about the importance of the environment and that it will also strengthen the alumni network in order to be able to carry out campaigns at the local, regional, and international levels.

Human Rights and Economic Situation in Burma Training Project (Refugee and IDPs) sponsored by Overseas Mon Women’s Organization. This project will provide 2 one-week-trainings in Mae Sot to 36 Mon migrant workers about Human Rights and the economic situation in Burma. The purpose of this training is to provide the participants with more knowledge and skills in order for them to have more self-confidence to take leading roles to be able to protect their workers’ rights, as well as the rights of the people in their communities. It is expected that the participants share their knowledge with other migrant workers and that they will advocate for their rights.

Result

Capacity building training: 5 KEG staff members, 2 members from Karenni Women’s Organization and 3 staff members from Karenni Social Welfare Development Centerwere trained about community forest management. Main topics taught during the 5 day training were: importance of biodiversity, global warming, importance and protection of the forest, community forest management and contour farming methods. Since this was a ‘Training of Trainers’, participants are now prepared to go inside Karenni State to teach the communities there about how to protect their forests.

‘Human Rights and Economic Situation in Burma Training Project’ offered a 7 days training to migrant workers in Mae Sot that helped participants develop self-confidence to take leading roles to be able to protect workers’ rights, as well as the rights of the people in their communities. The topics of the training included: human rights, labor rights, and economic situation in Burma. The training also allowed OMWO to learn more about the situation of migrant workers in Mae Sot and understand their needs.

‘Training on Domestic Violence, Sexual Harassment and Environment Protection’ targeted 20 women from 10 different villages. The village leader and a school teacher from each village were the participants chosen to attend the training because they are in the best position to influence others in the community. The subjects taught included: Women’s Rights, difference between sex and gender, understanding sexual harassment and domestic violence and how to protect women against this.