Development and Education Program for Daughters and Communities
Mae Sai, Chaing Rai, Thailand.

Origins:

The present founder and director of the Development and Education Program for Daughters and Communities, Mr. Sompop Jantraka originally comes from southern Thailand and graduated from Chiang Mai university in 1984. His background includes being a musician with a popular rock band, a flute maker, music teacher in a community school and a tour guide with an alternative tour organisation. In 1989 he was funded to conduct research into the economic situation of the north of Thailand. His last project involved the study of child prostitution and the sale of daughters form poor communities in Chiang Rai province.

The problems:

For the previous 10 to 20 years the Thai sex industry had been developing into a highly lucrative commercial industry. This gave rise to the debt bondage deals and systematic exploitation of poor families with available daughters. The demand for child prostitutes grew as AIDS became more threatening and people believed younger girls would be safer. The belief that sex with a child is rejuvenating and the publicity of Thailand as a sex-tour destination for paedophiles and other clients all contributed to the thriving trade in young girls.

Seeing for his own eyes the plight of young girls about to join the sex industry in Bangkok or other cities, Sompop Jantraka requested support from Michiho Inagaki, the Japanese journalist who had funded previous research. With some financial backing and a conviction that keeping these children in the education system would provide better future opportunities, he established the Daughters Education Program in 1989 starting with 19 girls from the Mae Sai district.

The program:

Today, this program has become Development and Education Program for Daughters and Communities, supporting almost 600 girls to remain in education or vocational training in preference to entering the sex industry or enforced child labour. Its headquarters are in Mae Sai, the northernmost town in Thailand, with other centres spread across Chiang Rai province. From these bases staff work among Akha and other minority groups and lowland villagers.

DEPDC works closely with teachers and village leaders to identify most girls at risk. Complicity in the trade by families and village members produces a major stumbling block as they often stand to gain much by selling their daughters. Officials, monks, teachers and other adults are often involved in the debt bondage arrangements, linking families with brothel agents and benefiting financially from the sale. Staff incorporate a mix of official documentation, information, persuasion and an argument based on the basic rights of children to convince parents not to sell their daughters. They persuade then to reconsider their options for the child and educate the parents about the perils of the sex industry. Information about HIV and AIDS, brothel conditions, laws, penalties and other potential dangers supports their argument. In many successful cases the decision of the child to continue their education overrides the parent's desire for monetary gain.

Aims:

DEPDC aims to prevent children at risk being forced into the sex industry or child labour due to outside pressure and a lack of education and employment alternatives. It also aims to improve the material, social and spiritual quality of life for these children and their communities and it encourages children to be proud of their culture and customs.

The work of DEP is based on the following principles:

1. Information
In order to respond to child prostitution it is essential to gather detailed information about the patterns of sale and trafficking in the area. This facilitates pinpointing particular communities where greater risk exists. This research is conducted through formal and informal contact with villagers.

2. Prevention
It is more effective to supply alternatives to girls before they enter prostitution rather than providing rehabilitation afterwards.

3. Education
It is essential to provide young people with a variety of educational alternatives so they can develop skills and explore alternative avenues of employment.

4. Personal Development
As well as attending school, youth need to participate in activities that encourage them to learn about social problems which affect them, think for themselves, develop their own values and make decisions about their own future.

5. Participation
In order to deal with the problem of child prostitution the whole society must be targeted not just the child at risk and her family. It is essential to form alliances with government officials, teachers, and community leaders, such as village headmen, monks and parents, to work together in addressing the problems of children in the area.

6. Community Strengthening
Villagers also need help to improve their financial well being through training and assistance with local income generation schemes.

Projects:

DEPDC conducts several activities and projects, all concerned with children at risk, child rights, child sexual abuse and forced labour. DEPDC considers education and training to be the key to providing opportunities and allowing these girls to reach their full potential. DEPDC currently runs various programs supporting, educating and empowering young women and their communities against the tragedy of child prostitution and risks of HIV infection. DEPDC operates in the belief that through the financial and moral support of young women to remain in school or to be trained for alternative employment the material and spiritual quality of their lives and of their communities can be improved.

Activities of the organisation:

DEPDC is currently conducting the following activities:

1. Daughters Education Program
Support of 200 girls to attend primary and secondary school in 6 districts of Chiang Rai province. They have all been identified as being at risk of entering prostitution. Most girls live at home but attend extra-curricular activities at the DEP Centres. Others live at the Centres because they are considered to be too vulnerable if they live at home or have no one suitable to take care of them.

2. Project for Prevention and Development of Child Labour
Conduct of vocational training in sewing, weaving, typing for 102 girls most of whom also study non formal school on the week-ends.

3. Youth Leadership Training
Support of 20 girls who have already left school to continue their education through the non formal education system. At the same time they participate in personal and leadership development activities and work experience with a view that they will be future community leaders.

4. Education and Development Program for Patak Children
Day care and instruction in basic literacy for children from very poor and troubled families who have no nationality or identity papers and therefore have difficulty enrolling in the formal education system.

5. Information Centre
Disseminate information about problems which affect children in the north, through girls doing their own research and producing a newspaper, puppet shows and other forms of media.

6. Cooperative Shop
A small restaurant and supplies store at the Mae Sai centre, providing staff and daughters with vegetarian food and other supplies. Operated by members of the Youth Leadership Training Program.

7. Follow-Up, Rescue and Rahabilitation Program
Monitoring of past daughters' welfare and regular contact and support when required. Includes advocacy and intervention with employers, families, communities and police.

8. Street Education and Health Program
A new venture in 1996. Takes basic mobile education to the children begging in the streets of Mae Sai.