Foundation for Child Development

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Partner:

Foundation for Child Development

Place:

Province of Samut Prakarn (a suburb of Bangkok), Thailand

Objectives:

- To improve the health and welfare of child workers who are mostly illegal immigrants and
- to prevent child labour, and protect children from violence and exploitation.

Activities:

- Opening, re-fitting and re-equipping of the Santikham Centre;
- creation of a play area;
- artistic, sport and cultural projects for young workers;
- workshops on workers’ rights, the prevention of child trafficking and sexual exploitation, the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, etc.;
- awareness-raising in areas most frequented by child workers;
- legal assistance in the defence and protection of children;
- medical accompaniment and references in seeking psychological and health care;
- Thai and English language tutoring; and
- partnerships with non-formal education centres, support groups, Thai non-governmental organisations, university institutions, health clinics, employers and governmental organisations.

Results:

- Increase in the number of children benefitting from the Santikham Centre’s protective mantle, and improvement in follow-up services;
- general improvement in the health and welfare of child workers;
- increase in the number of child workers whose self-confidence has been bolstered, and who feel supported in the development of their full potential;
- sensitisation of the general public regarding the rights of child workers; and
- creation of a united front by representatives of various sectors in view of better protecting child workers.