REFUGEE CAMP SIDE TRIP
The Refugee Camp Side Trip
Rustic Pathways is proud to announce a brand new weekend side trip, available only for students spending two or more weeks at our legendary Hill Tribe Orphanage Project. Tucked away in the hills of Thailand are hundreds of thousands of refugees who have escaped civil unrest in Burma and run across the border in search of a better life. Arriving with no official form of identification and very few possessions, these people have chosen an uncertain future over the conflict that has driven them to Thailand. The humanitarian issues in this part of the world are tremendous. Many of the students living at the Hill Tribe Orphanage Project have come from similar circumstances and have been fortunate enough to have been brought to a safe place. Our dream is to help these marginalized people live the best lives possible and do our part to support them in a practical manner.
Reaching Out from the Orphanage
Our charitable work here has earned Rustic students special access to the Ma Ra Ma Luang Refugee Camp – one of the
friendliest and best run camps in all of Thailand and home to over 16,000 Karen refugees. Although we can not help everyone at the camp, we have chosen an initial group of 60 Karen orphans to support. Despite the fact that these young people are not permitted to travel beyond the camp borders, your visit will bring the world to their doorstep. In turn, this trip will help you better understand the struggle that thousands of Karen children face in leaving Burma in search of a better education and freedom from civil strife. To get to the camp, you will take a three- hour four-wheel-drive ride up rugged mountains on dirt roads deep into the mountainous border region. Keep an eye out for gibbons as you pass through mature rainforests and several exotic tribal villages. Inside the camp you will stay in a traditional home quite close to the students and sleep in dorm-style accommodations on simple woven mats with mosquito nets. Expect simple living conditions, local cuisine, and a heaping serving of reality during your stay. You should also expect to leave the camp with dozens of new Hill Tribe friends and a greater appreciation for how much you have taken for granted!
Contact us at thailand@rusticpathways.com for more information.
