New Life Center Foundation Cumulative Rpt 2020-2023

NEW LIFE CENTER FOUNDATION

“Human trafficking is a multi-dimensional crime requiring multidisciplinary approaches. No single anti-trafficking actor can eradicate human trafficking on its own.”

United States Department of State, (2023, June). 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report – United States of America. https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/ Trafficking-in-Persons-Report-2023_Introduction-V3e.pdf. p. 34

FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK

Throughout my 20 years of serving at the NLCF, I have witnessed first-hand the transformative impact of our work, and it fills me with deep gratitude. It is truly a privilege to be a part of this work. The NLCF persists in our emphasis of strengthening families in the Mekong Subregion to fulfill their potential and produce resilient communities that are free from trafficking, gender-based violence, and exploitation. In this report, we are delighted to present the highlights of the NLCF’s program impact for our 2020-2023 strategic planning cycle. It is my hope that you will be able to read between the lines of statistics and reports to see the stories of lives impacted, and seeds of hope planted. These outcomes can be attributed to the combined efforts of our dedicated NLCF staff, network partners, and generous financial supporters. Thank you for participating in the empowerment of ethnic minorities so that, together, we can create a society where everyone can thrive.

Tiemchan “Bee” Kamonklapachon NLCF Program Director

FAMILY AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

The Thailand Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated 11 cases of Internetfacilitated child trafficking in 2021. In 2022, they investigated 41 cases, representing an almost four-fold increase in reported cases.

United States Department of State. (2023, June). 2023 Trafficking in Persons ReportUnited States of America: Thailand. https:// www.state.gov/reports/2023-trafficking-inpersons-report/thailand

EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS

The NLCF’s educational campaigns and community development programs focus on structural change through education and training. Awareness-raising campaign attendees learned about potential dangers of human trafficking and unsafe migration, and they developed strategies to help protect themselves. They also gained greater awareness of their legal rights in Thailand, and learned how to report violations of their rights. Marginalized people often tolerate unsafe or unjust living and working conditions because they do not know about the laws and community resources that are available to protect and support them.

Four-year project results:

• 47 awareness-raising campaigns reaching over 5,676 people on topics including anti-trafficking; victim identification and support; internet safety; civil law; gender equality; domestic violence awareness; survivor-advocate interpreter training; and training of trainers for 20 grassroots anti-human trafficking volunteers representing six ethnic groups from three countries

• 3 trainings for 83 participants on the principles of personal financial management.

• 2 sustainable agriculture trainings for 59 participants that resulted in the formation of a coffee cooperative

COFFEE COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

Field visits and surveys in Song Khwae Pattana village revealed that villagers experience stress due to insufficient economic resources. The staff of the New Life Center Foundation discovered that many villagers have arable land, but do not have access to seeds or seedlings, and would benefit from training in newer sustainable agriculture practices. Therefore, the NLCF contacted the Chiang Rai Highland Agricultural Research and Development Center (HARDC). They offered to provide under-resourced villagers with coffee seedlings and training in the cultivation, processing, and distribution of coffee.

So NLCF arranged for the HARDC to provide 59 villagers (49 men and 10 women) with 12,000 coffee seedlings and trained them in how to plant, cultivate, and harvest the coffee. Additionally, the Mae Yao Subdistrict Municipality cooperated in establishing the Baan Song Khwae Pattana Community Enterprise Group, and granted them permits to certify the coffee crop and identify distribution channels.

It is expected that this project will help to generate long-term sustainable income for the village, and contribute to reducing stress and improving wellbeing. Additionally, as a result of this economic development project, the villagers were impressed with the professionalism and responsiveness of the (female) NLCF staff, and requested NLCF’s support with addressing issues of gender inequality and domestic violence in their village. Subsequent trainings on these topics were implemented, and villagers were receptive to the training content, leading to improvements in family relationships.

AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE SHORT-TERM SHELTER FOR VICTIMS

In 2023, the Chiang Rai Ministry of Social Development and Human Security approached the NLCF to request assistance in providing short-term shelter for victims of trafficking because the government does not have a safe place to shelter female victims within Chiang Rai Province while they investigate cases. Therefore, the NLCF formed an agreement with the Thai government to work collaboratively with state agencies to assist with victim identification, and provide shelter and trauma-informed care for survivors. We are thankful that the Thai government counts the NLCF as a trusted partner in the fight against trafficking and exploitation.

NETWORK COOPERATION

Partnerships better equip anti-trafficking stakeholders with the tools, information, and resources they need to tackle this complex crime and its interwoven components.

–US Ambassador-AtLarge Cindy Dyer. United States Department of State. (2023. June). 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report - United States of America. https://www. state.gov/reports/2023trafficking-in-personsreport/, p. 5

The NLCF partners with a broad network of governmental and non-governmental agencies because we believe that we can be more efficient and effective when we work together. The sharing of skills, knowledge, and experience leads to innovative responses to changing trends. Over the last four years, the NLCF:

• Participated in 189 networking activities, forming strategic alliances with various state and private sector agencies to advance justice and human rights, combat human trafficking and violence against women and children, and address issues of statelessness

• Provided language interpretation services on 105 occasions for the Royal Thai Police, the Administrative Court, the Thai Ministry of Social Development and Human Security and, other agencies, ensuring that minority voices were heard

• Collaborated with the Legal Status Network to ensure that 4 NLCF beneficiaries received Thai citizenship.

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The content of a book holds the power of education and it is with this power that we can shape our future and change lives. – Malala Yousafzai

In the last 4 years, 589 students received scholarships

• 211 graduated from university

• 23 graduated from associate’s degrees

• 10 graduated from high school or a high-school equivalency tech program

• 10 graduated from specialized vocational training

• 89% of graduates are gainfully employed

PROTECTION

Group 1: 49 children and youth received comprehensive long-term residential care.

7 were survivors of human trafficking, 21 were survivors of sexual abuse, 2 were survivors of domestic violence. The remaining residents came from high risk backgrounds.

• All 49 residents received education, medical care, and therapeutic services including individual and group counseling, exercise, handicrafts, baking, swimming, and therapeutic art. They also attended life skills training on topics including reproductive health, internet safety, CPR, fire safety, and inner empowerment. Additionally, NLCF residents participated in community and church-based camps and activities.

• 17 residents graduated o 9 graduated from high school (M6), and will continue their studies at the university level

o 5 graduated from a high school equivalency technical school and will pursue an associate’s degree or university

o 3 graduated from the 9th grade (M3) and were reintegrated with their families

Group 2: 152 survivors of trauma, including trafficking in persons, sexual abuse, domestic violence, child smuggling, and other cases received short-term residential care:

SHORT TERM SHELTER FOR 71 VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING

The NLCF Chiang Rai branch provided short-term shelter, and trauma-informed therapeutic support for 71 survivors of trafficking, including cases of forced labor and forced commercial sexual exploitation of children and adults. This included Thais who were trafficked to work in neighboring countries, and also Thai and Burmese people who were trafficked within Thailand. NLCF staff assisted with victim identification, and provided shelter and trauma-informed therapeutic support while Thai government officials conducted investigations and family tracing. Survivors were successfully reintegrated with their families, or were referred to appropriate shelters for long-term residential care and support.

In June of 2023, several government agencies conducted an investigation at a children’s home and school associated with a temple in Ang Thong Province. It was found that the director of the school had recruited and illegally smuggled 126 children from Myanmar to their children’s home, having pledged that they would be able to live in the children’s home, and attend the school for free. This was done with the aim of seeking to meet government quotas in order to secure funding for the school. Upon investigation, it was found that many were unable to communicate in Thai at all, despite having supposedly been at the school for over a year. Additionally, the children were neglected, underfed, had poor hygiene, had headlice, and exhibited both fresh and previously healed wounds on their bodies. They had received almost no adult supervision during the duration of their time at the children’s home.

SHELTER FOR 35 VICTIMS OF CHILD SMUGGLING AND NEGLECT

At the request of the Royal Thai Government, the NLCF provided shortterm shelter and trauma-informed aftercare services for 35 of the children. NLCF staff administered first aid and hygiene care, and took some of the children to the hospital to receive medical care for their wounds. The NLCF also arranged daily therapeutic activities for the children. The remaining 92 children from the Ang Thong case were likewise placed in four other non-profit shelters in Chiang Rai Province for short-term residential care.

The children were subsequently taken to the Myanmar border and reintegrated with their family members in Myanmar. One child who did not have family was referred to a Thai government shelter for long-term residential care.

FORCED LABOR AT A CALL CENTER IN MYANMAR

In December 2023, the police in Thailand and Myanmar conducted a joint operation to bust an illegal call center in Myanmar in which people were committing cyber scams via phone, social media, and fraudulent online sales, investment, and banking schemes. Of the 111 Thai people who were arrested, 10 of them had outstanding arrest warrants for online crime and were detained by the police. The remaining 101 people were found to be victims of forced labor. They believed they had applied for legitimate jobs, but upon arrival, were unwillingly forced at gunpoint to commit online crime at the call center, where they were required to work long hours. If they did not meet quotas or perform as expected, they were physically beaten, and/or were subjected to restricted access to food. 33 of the victims of forced labor were women. The NLCF provided protection and therapeutic support for these women while the authorities conducted investigations, after which they were reintegrated with their families throughout Thailand.

NLCF CAMPS

In 2022, NLCF staff and residents held a Bible camp at the beach. They learned about God, and enjoyed swimming, boating, and seafood.

In December of 2023, the NLCF held a joint youth camp in the mountains of Chiang Daow for NLCF residents and international students from the Green Light Service Group at NIST International School. The students played games, performed a Christmas pageant, learned about God’s love, barbecued over fire pots, camped in tents, and went to Hinoki Land (a Japanese-themed park).

Campers reported, “I enjoyed playing games with the international students”, and “It was fun to take pictures of the koi fish in the pond.”

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT BECOMES ACCOUNTANT

Ah Sheh (a pseudonym) was born to a Lahu family in Burma. When she was just 7 years old, Ah Sheh’s parents abandoned her, and she was sent to live with an aunt in Thailand. This aunt sent Ah Sheh to school for kindergarten and first grade, and had a “0” card made for her, proving that she had legally immigrated to Thailand. Her aunt then sent Ah Sheh to a nonprofit residential program in Chiang Rai, where she attended school until she graduated from the 9th grade (M3). In 2019, when that program closed, Ah Sheh was then taken in by a local family who agreed to provide food and housing for her, but they were unable to cover her educational expenses. She then applied for a scholarship from the NLCF so that she could finish high school, and attend college. Throughout her schooling, Ah Sheh continued to live with the local family who had taken her in, and worked part-time as a housekeeper so that she could contribute to the cost of her living expenses.

In 2023, Ah Sheh successfully graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Chiang Rai Vocational College Faculty of Business Administration, and landed a job working as an accountant at a local business. She now lives in an apartment, and earns a viable income to support herself. She remains close to her foster family. Having graduated from college, she became legally eligible to apply for Thai citizenship, so with the help of the NLCF, she submitted the required documents. Ah Sheh is currently awaiting approval from the local district.

Ah Sheh would like to thank the NLCF, and the Sievert Larsson Scholarship/ Create Your Future Program that funded her scholarship, and gave her the opportunity to continue her studies. She asserted, “This scholarship gave me vocational opportunities I would not have otherwise been able to access. It enabled me to achieve my goals, support myself, and have a good quality of life.”

RECOGNIZING 7 YEARS OF SERVICE

Elder Supaporn Yarnasarn has served as Chair of the New Life Center Board of Directors since 2017. She was born in Chiang Rai, and studied at the Chiang Rai Vidthayakhom School and the Prince Royal’s College in Chiang Mai. After graduating from Chiang Mai University, she served as an English teacher and administrator, both at Prince Royal’s College and Chiang Mai International School for 38 years. Since her retirement in 2010, she has been a licensee on behalf of the Church of Christ in Thailand at the Christian German School Chiang Mai, and on behalf of the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs at Chiang Mai International School. She is also an assistant pastor at Thammaprateep Church, Chiang Mai. Elder Supaporn holds a Master of Education from Chiang Mai University and a Master of Divinity from Payap University.

COUNSELING AND REHABILITATION

During this four year-period over 600 people received mental health services and training workshops on mental health topics as follows:

• 43 individuals in rural village communities received stressalleviation training and social work support to address medical and mental health needs, decrease interpersonal violence, and support human rights

• 49 NLCF residents received individual and group counseling and art therapy from two NLCF mental health professionals

• 76 clients from NLCF partner organizations received individual clinical mental health counseling and art therapy

• 46 clients from NLCF partner organizations received group counseling and art therapy

• 7 weekend art retreats provided stress alleviation and spiritual formation for a total of 83 participants

• 1 intern from Wheaton College completed a 6-month internship and received 22 supervision sessions

• 25 workshops were delivered for a total of 311 participants on topics including expressive arts, trauma-informed care, affect regulation for self-care, conflict transformation, team building, mindfulness, and self-compassion.

CLIENT FEEDBACK

o “I didn’t think I liked art, but after participating in art therapy activities, I realized that it helped me learn many things, such as new ways to manage my emotions, especially when I feel angry and irritated.”

o “Having someone listen makes me feel like I have a safe space to express my thoughts and emotions. I feel like someone hears and understands me.”

o “My counselor helped me to express some of my worries and fears, and the advice I received helped me find a way to solve my own problems.”

HIGHLIGHT STORY: KIT RIPLEY

Kit has been serving as a senior administrator at the NLCF for over twenty years, supported by International Ministries. Kit holds an MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary, and an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Art Therapy from Lesley University. She is ordained in the American Baptist Churches USA.

During her early years at NLCF, Kit worked in product development and marketing for the handicraft department. In her next season of ministry, she focused her energy on donor relations and administration. In recent years, she has also provided individual and group counseling and art therapy for NLCF residents, and clients from partner organizations.

Kit also facilitates retreats and training workshops throughout northern Thailand. Her innovative trauma-informed approach integrates theory with experiential learning. Art, movement, music, games, guided imagery, and words are used to promote affect regulation, and reinforce neural networks that support emotional resilience, healthy behavior, and positive thinking.

In her free time, Kit engages in her own personal art-making. She enjoys abstract and semiabstract painting and mixed media art.

STAFF CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT

The NLCF invests in developing staff potential through workshops and ongoing educational opportunities.

Over the last 4 years, NLCF personnel have developed professional skills and knowledge through continuing education workshops, formal education, and practical handson experience. Staff attended 36 continuing education trainings on topics including grantwriting, organizational administration, work plan management, crisis response debriefing, trauma-informed care, trafficking victim identification and protection, strengthening child-safe organizational protection standards, promotional media development, counseling, and nonviolent communication.

Additionally, the NLCF Director, Tiemchan Kamonklapachon, earned her MBA from Ramkamhaeng University. Kit Ripley earned her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a Specialization in Art Therapy from Lesley University, and completed training in EMDR therapy.

ORGANIZATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY

• The New Life Center Foundation practices responsible management of all resources, including personnel, assets, finances, and positive relationships with our network organizations.

• The New Life Center Foundation is committed to excellence in all aspects of organizational management, including compliance with international accounting principles, undergoing a comprehensive annual audit of all accounts by an independent auditor, accountability to our Foundation’s Board of Directors, and regular monitoring and evaluation procedures.

• All NLCF stakeholders influence the development of policies, procedures, and services at the NLCF by providing bi-annual consultative feedback to senior staff.

• In 2020, the NLCF underwent a rebranding process, and launched a new website to improve community visibility.

THANK YOU

The NLCF would like to express our sincere gratitude to the individuals, churches, civil society groups, and organizations in our network that work with the NLCF to create a more just society for ethnic minorities in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

We would like to express particular gratitude to the following individuals and organizations for their faithful support.

• American Baptist Churches USA

• The Bauer Family

• Bellevue Heights Humanitarian Foundation

• The Church of Christ in Thailand

• Dr. Neal and Robyn Davies

• The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

• First Chinese Baptist Church, San Francisco, CA

• First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, CA

• Green Light Service Group at NIST

• Interact Thailand

• International Ministries, ABC/USA

• Lighthouse Foundation

• Donna McDill

• The Royal Thai Government Ministry of Social Development and Human Security

• The Royal Thai Police, Region 5

• Tim and Connie Sauer

• Sievert Larsson/Create Your Future Scholarship Foundation

This report was prepared collaboratively by all of the NLCF staff.

226 M. 2 Sanphranet, Sansai, Chiang Mai 50210

Tel. 053-351312 Fax. 053-380871

E-mail: newlifecenterfoundation@gmail.com www.newlifecenterfoundation.org

New Life Center Foundation Director: Ms. Tiemchan Kamonklapachon

This report was prepared collaboratively by all of the NLCF staff.

Photo Credits: Bryon Lippincott, Darunee Manorak, Olivia, Kit Ripley, Naraya Saeduq, Pinit Tanomwarakul, Jarunee Wala, Faye Wimonsuksuwan