Violence and instability in Myanmar have forced thousands of children and young adults to flee their homeland, seeking safety and opportunity in neighboring Thailand. Many arrive with little more than what they could carry, having lost access to consistent schooling, stable housing, and basic services during their journey and displacement.
Maryknoll helps provide food, shelter, medical care, educational support, and language instruction for refugee students living at Wat Prok Mon Temple in Bangkok, a community that has taken in Burmese refugees seeking safety within Thailand’s borders. These services address both the immediate necessities of daily survival and the longer-term goal of allowing students to continue their education despite significant disruption.
Supporting refugee students in a Buddhist temple community reflects the Catholic Social Teaching principle of Solidarity, a commitment that reaches across religious lines to serve the Life and Dignity of every displaced child. This ministry also embodies Maryknoll’s founding charism of interreligious cooperation in mission, working alongside partners of other faiths whenever doing so serves the wellbeing of people in genuine need.
Gifts to this project support food, shelter, medical care, and education for Burmese refugee students in Bangkok, giving young people who have fled violence the opportunity to learn, grow, and pursue their dreams despite significant hardship.
