Rocky Mountain School: lineup to eat traditional mohinga (fish noodle soup.). The homemade mohinga was provided by an individual donor for Chinese New Year, as a taste-of-home treat for students who normally receive only Thai meals from donating organizations.

Rocky Mountain School

Holy Infant Orphanage: on the border, the word 'orphanage' is used to denote a home for children whose parents are not around (usually back home in Myanmar) but not necessarily deceased. The children eat their meals and sleep here, and receive religion lessons from the nuns. Their regular school is walking distance from the orphanage.

Holy Infant Orphanage

Agape Orphanage and School: The NGO Room To Grow sponsors an annual 'forgotten birthdays' party for the entire school. This is another place that isn't an orphanage in the traditional sense, but a boarding home for unaccompanied children. <br><br>**NOTE: Agape faced scandal in 2013 when its then-revered headmaster was accused of molestation and fled to Myanmar rather than face the police. The former headmaster spoke English well and solicited a great deal of support from foreigners, continuing to do so from unsuspecting friends after leaving Thailand.

Agape Orphanage and School

Agape Orphanage and School: The NGO Room To Grow sponsors an annual 'forgotten birthdays' party for the entire school. This is another place that isn't an orphanage in the traditional sense, but a boarding home for unaccompanied children. <br><br>**NOTE: Agape faced scandal in 2013 when its then-revered headmaster was accused of molestation and fled to Myanmar rather than face the police. The former headmaster spoke English well and solicited a great deal of support from foreigners, continuing to do so from unsuspecting friends after leaving Thailand.

Agape Orphanage and School

Huay Kha Lote: students line up and greet the teachers before starting the school day.

Huay Kha Lote

Holy Infant Orphanage: a student applies the traditional Burmese cosmetic <i>thanaka</i> to his face. Thanaka is made from powdered tree bark, and can be applied in unique designs. Generally males wear it more sloppily as they get older and no longer have help with application.

Holy Infant Orphanage

New Blood School: lining up to use the dorm mirror.

New Blood School

Huay Kha Lote: two different classes held in adjoining spaces. This is common both in migrant schools and in schools over the border in Myanmar.

Huay Kha Lote

Huay Kha Lote: these two classes are reasonably-sized compared to those in some other migrant schools, or certain schools in Myanmar. However, the quality of education varies widely; in general, migrant school teachers have very little experience, while those with some teaching experience from Myanmar can rise up to be headmasters at migrant schools with relative ease.

Huay Kha Lote

Thoo Mweh Khee: based in Phop Phra, this boarding school has grown over the years into a small village, including housing for teachers, fish farms, vegetable gardens, and loom weavers who work on-site. I was there to teach toy-making through the translator/samplemaker (left) who I had previously taught. This series of workshops were paid for by New Zealand-based Spinning Top, while the trainers came from local org Borderline Collective.

Thoo Mweh Khee

Thoo Mweh Khee: based in Phop Phra, this boarding school has grown over the years into a small village, including housing for teachers, fish farms, vegetable gardens, and loom weavers who work on-site. I was there to teach toy-making through the translator/samplemaker who I had previously taught. This series of workshops were paid for by New Zealand-based Spinning Top, while the trainers came from local org Borderline Collective.

Thoo Mweh Khee

Rocky Mountain School: students eat lunch outside their dorms. Dorm styles vary widely at schools along the Thai-Burma border. Many are simple bamboo stilt-houses like these.

Rocky Mountain School

Thoo Mweh Khee: dorm rooms at this school give a little more private space to each student. Each has a bunk bed and some room for storage. Several girls were practicing on backstrap looms that could be tied to the bunks.

Thoo Mweh Khee

Huay Kha Lote: these dorms are basic bamboo structures. Students must roll up their bedding each day to make floor space for everyone, and share a common 'closet rod'.

Huay Kha Lote

Holy Infant Orphanage: boarding school teachers learn how to make bags from a sewing trainer. They intend to pass the skills on to interested students later.

Holy Infant Orphanage

Huay Kha Lote: some migrant schools make use of fairly simple roofed-over structures for classes.

Huay Kha Lote

Agape School and Orphanage: there is an unspoken requirement for all Burmese-run businesses, schools, and community organizations to display a portrait of the Thai king. Most Thai people would do this anyway. For migrants, it's a way of showing appreciation for being able to stay in Thailand.

Agape School and Orphanage

Huay Kha Lote: not all classes are well-equipped. There may not be enough seats, or large enough desks.

Huay Kha Lote

Agape School and Orphanage.<br><br>**NOTE: Agape faced scandal in 2013 when its then-revered headmaster was accused of molestation and fled to Myanmar rather than face the police. The former headmaster spoke English well and solicited a great deal of support from foreigners, continuing to do so from unsuspecting friends after leaving Thailand.

Agape School and Orphanage

Agape School and Orphanage: Even at a well-supported place like Agape, buildings can seem poor to those unfamiliar with migrant schools. Students leave shoes outside of the classroom (and most indoor spaces in Mae Sot) to reduce the amount of dirt tracked inside.<br><br>**NOTE: Agape faced scandal in 2013 when its then-revered headmaster was accused of molestation and fled to Myanmar rather than face the police. The former headmaster spoke English well and solicited a great deal of support from foreigners, continuing to do so from unsuspecting friends after leaving Thailand.

Agape School and Orphanage

Social Action for Women (SAW) school: New Zealand-based Spinning Top gathered an international group of artists to spend a week with SAW, teaching art classes and helping the children create murals surrounding their playground.

SAW school

Holy Infant Orphanage: students pitch in to keep the place clean.

Holy Infant Orphanage

Huay Kha Lote: a number of organizations in Mae Sot work to provide play space for vulnerable migrant children. Playtime is recognized as an important part of development, and particularly important for getting potentially-traumatized children to open up.

Huay Kha Lote

Holy Infant Orphanage: Playtime is recognized as an important part of development, and particularly important for getting potentially-traumatized children to open up. Even orphanages or schools without adequate outdoor space still have games, art materials, and the imagination of children.

Holy Infant Orphanage

Agape School and Orphanage: children play with a continuing-ed student from Wide Horizons. Agape is one of the more well-supported migrant schools, where children wear uniforms similar to those of Thai students, and have a beautiful playground featuring these seesaws, carousels, and jungle gyms.<br><br>**NOTE: Agape faced scandal in 2013 when its then-revered headmaster was accused of molestation and fled to Myanmar rather than face the police. The former headmaster spoke English well and solicited a great deal of support from foreigners, continuing to do so from unsuspecting friends after leaving Thailand.

Agape School and Orphanage