About us
Approximately 64% of the Mae Hong Son Province live below the poverty line. Many of whom belong to marginalised ethnic minorities such as The Karen. As one of the most socially deprived and discriminated groups in Thailand, The Karen have limited access to basic socio-economic services such as health and education. On average Karen households earn just £644 per year.
To empower Karen communities to improve their lives, the Karen Hilltribes Trust (KHT) works across three main programme areas: Health, Education and Livelihoods. We work with Karen communities to address these critical health issues by installing innovative gravity-fed clean water systems, building and repairing sanitation units and providing hygiene education sessions. Through construction of flood-resistant irrigation systems (FRIS), the Irrigation Project strengthens agriculture as a sustainable livelihood for Karen farmers living in Mae Hong Son Province. In Northern Thailand, an area that has seen little development over the years, the enrollment of Karen children in primary education is just 51% (compared to national average at 89%) whilst only 1 in 4 Karen children complete their secondary education. One of the main reasons for the low number of children enrolled is the distance to schools. KHT is dedicated to increase access to education for marginalised Karen communities through projects that are coordinated in cooperation with every village we work in to ensure long-term sustainability and local ownership.
