Brackett Foundation

Programs in Thailand - Scholarships: BREF distributed a total of 95 scholarships in 2024 to students from Myanmar studying in Thailand. 41 scholarships were at the university level, 44 scholarships were awarded for high school students in the Mae Sot region and 10 scholarships were awarded for study at the Phayao Technical College. 16 university students graduated in 2024. In 2024, BREF conducted more outreach with the assistance of an in-country coordinator for the scholarship program in Thailand. BREF has also identified vocational schools with our target population and will be conducting a pilot program in 2025. In addition, BREF has revitalized the BREF Facebook page with updates on our activities and student accomplishments with the intent of increasing awareness of our program.

Programs in Thailand Projects: As the influx of refugees has increased in response to renewed war in Myanmar, BREF has adapted and expanded our support for effective projects that support refugee students. Successfully passing the American GED exam allows students who did not go to high school in Thailand qualify for university admission. In 2024 BREF expanded our support of funding the costs of GED exams for a total of 20 students in two locations; the BEAM Education Foundation in Chiang Mai as well as the Child Development Center at the Mae Tao Clinic in Mae Sot. In the Mae La Refugee camp we support a program linking English language students virtually with volunteer ESL teachers from all over the world for practice in conversational English as well as supporting computer programs. We continued our support of the Ban Nai Soy Community Learning Center in Mae Hong Son which helps students in a wide variety of ways including Thai language instruction and completion of high school requirements. We continued to support the migrant school at the Mae Tao Clinic. In addition, BREF continues to support a program in Bangkok that provides English and Thai instruction and basic computer skills to migrant Burmese workers. Evidence of the benefits of BREF long term involvement with refugees in Thailand was seen in the revival of support for Mae Khee High School on the border of Karen state in Myanmar and Thailand. BREF supported the school from 2003-2018 but as life became more stable in Karen state, the school closed in 2018. An increase in the refugee population after the 2019 military coup in Myanmar prompted the reopening of the school and renewed support from BREF in 2024. Currently the high school has 87 students.In cross border aid into Myanmar, political unrest continues to challenge education for internally displaced students. Local communities have worked hard to keep their schools open and continue to work to overcome interruptions in their children's educations. We supported 9 elementary and middle schools serving over 700 children in IDP areas where there is no support for education from the government. In the months since the coup, some of these schools temporarily closed or relocated due to government shelling. One of these is a unique animist school where Karen traditions are taught by elders from the community. We continue to support Children On The Edge (COTE) who provides early childhood education in 15 camps in Kachin State, Myanmar for over 500 children.