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CAFE RECEPTIONOpen 7:30am-9pm CHAI LAI ORCHID CAFEBreakfast is available from 7:30am -10:30am. Elephant Room service is available7:30-9:30am During your stay, you will also receive 2complimentary water per day. There is afree refill tank if you have your own bottle! PAYMENT POLICYWe accept major credit cards,bank transfer, or cash + 7% Sales tax+ 3% additional for credit card EMERGENCIES: 1155 Cafe Menu: ECO LODGE INFORMATIONWIFIWi-Fi is available in the cafes. Otherwise,enjoy your time unplugged! password:COCONUTPARTY / COCONUTPARTY1 IN-ROOM SPA SERVICES• Thai Massage - 500 THB (1 hour)• Oil Massage - 800 THB (1 hour)• Thai Herbal Compress - 900 THB (1 hour) TRANSPORTATION OPTIONSDrivers need 1 hour notice to hire a driverfor you. (One way to/from Chiang Mai—flat rate per vehicle) Songtaew (red truck with bench seating) -800 THB (to Chiang Mai) Air-conditioned car - 1000 THB *Please note: Chai Lai Orchid does nothave its own vehicles. These prices arestandard rates set by the drivers who arepaid directly by you.Elephant Happy Hour is16:00-17:00. Join us at the Mountian viewcafe to meet the herd!

Dear Guests, Thank you for being here and supporting our project! Ourfounders started with the dream of an empowerment programfor indigenous and refugee women. To provide opportunitiesto strong, wise, resilient women who happen to be from someof the most oppressed populations. They didn’t have anyfunding, so they rented an abandoned lodge and createdstarted Chai Lai Orchid. Chai Lai Orchid is a social businessand 100% of profits fund DaughtersRising.Org! Chai Lai Orchid provides a safe place where at-risk women getpaid to learn job skills, English/ Thai language, women’s health,and human rights to be less vulnerable to traffickers.Empowered women and girls can provide a brighter future fortheir villages. An essential part of what we do here is our hospitality jobtraining program. Most of the staff you will meet in The ChaiLai Orchid are trainees. Before entering our program, sometrainees may not have had the opportunity to attend school,stay at a hotel, eat in a restaurant, and have electricity. Hence,they learn many things about hospitality for the first time. Theyare all learning English, so they may take a little longer tounderstand you, but please persevere! They really want topractise and improve. With Love, the Chai Lai Orchid Family

Trekking + Waterfalls + Meals + Hill Tribe Village + BambooRafting + Elephant Care taker ExperienceEscape into the wilderness and refresh your spirit. On this trek, your guides willteach you to return to indigenous roots and enjoy the simple pleasures of junglelife. Past guests have voted it as the most eye-opening, authentic experience.This is our most adventurous hiking trip. If you love camping and culturalimmersion, you will appreciate this trip.In addition to playing with and learning to care for elephants, you will experiencetraditional jungle life away from the buzz of electricity and distracting devices!Miles away from the bustling city and tourist traps, you’ll trek to a remote Pga k’nyau ( Karen Hill Tribe) village, swim at jungle waterfalls, enjoy traditional foodcooked over the fire, bamboo raft down a river, and sleep in a jungle bungalow. PRICE4,500 THB per person including transfer back toChiang Mai START - END Approximately 9.00 AM - 5.00 PM (Next day)Comfortable athleticclothingSwimwearSandalsTrekking shoesChange of clothesBug spraySunscreenWHAT TO BRINGUnplug to reconnect2 DAYPga k’ nyau Homestay

Trekking + Waterfalls + Lunch + Hill Tribe Village + BambooRafting + Refreshment + Elephant Care taker ExperienceA full day jungle excursion where you will take in some of Northern Thailand’smost beautiful landscapes on a hike with an indigenous Pga k’ nyau guide. Bathe in beautiful secluded waterfall in the jungle. Explore a Karen, Hmong, orLahu village. Bamboo raft down the Mae Wang river that winds through theNorthern Thai mountains. Enjoy refreshments and snacks riverside. Walk with elephants in their natural habitat. Bathe and play with a babyelephant in the river, feed all the elephants in the herd and learn to care forthem.PRICE3,500 THB per person includes transfer back toChiang Mai START - END Approximately 9.00 AM - 5.00 PM (1 DAY)Comfortable athleticclothingSwimwearSandalsTrekking shoesChange of clothesBug spraySunscreenWHAT TO BRINGCombines the most popular activities so you can explore andexperience the best of Mae Wang all in one day!1 DAYELEPHANT JUNGLE EXPEDITION

Learn About Elephants and Our Mission + Meet the Herd + Feed Elephants + Lunch + Walk with Elephants in theForest + Swim with Elephants Learn how to be an elephant caretaker: how to approach them, feedthem fruit and sugar cane, command them in an indigenous language,while also gaining an understanding of their history. Relax and enjoydelicious local foods. You will hike with the elephants as they wander inthe jungle to forage to keep a healthy natural diet. Once you get toknow the herd and their caretakers you can swim with the elephants inthe river near a small waterfall. The guide can teach you how to do a basic elephant health check andmake herbal medicine for the elephants. Your adventure with these elephants is not only informative and fun,but it also helps our organization to further curate a safe and permanenthaven for them and hopefully rescue more elephants from abuse. PRICE2500 THB per person Comfortable clothingSwimwearChange of clothesBug spraySunscreenWHAT TO BRINGMeet and care for Asian elephants! 2-3 hoursINTRO to ELEPHANT CARE

Jungle Trek + Swim in Waterfalls + Lunch + Forage forJungle Medicine and Firewood + Learn Jungle SurvivalSkillsFill your days with waterfalls and wellness. There 7 different waterfalls that you canhike to in this area and you can visit 2-3 waterfalls per day. On our private treks, learnsome jungle survival skills in a relaxed and fun environment from knowledgeableindigenous Karen hill tribe guides. Karen people have lived peacefully in the mountains for generations combininghunting, gathering and farming. By weaving on a black loom, Karen women havemastered the ability to hand make their clothing—and you will get a chance to try itout!PRICE1 day 1,500 THB per personSTART - END 9AM - 16:00Comfortable athletic clothingSwimwearSandalsTrekking shoesChange of clothesBug spraySunscreenWHAT TO BRINGMake cooking utensils from banana leavesIdentify wild edible plantsCook and eat in the jungleIdentify medicinal plantsFind water in bambooWeave cotton into clothA true adventure! Explore the jungle and learn to live in harmony with nature the Pga k’ nyau way.JUNGLE WISDOM TREK

Jungle Trek + Swim in Hidden Waterfall + Lunch +Explore Hidden Jungle TempleFind the secret 700-year-old temple of Wat Luang Khun Win, hiddenagainst the flanks of a jungle mountain. This beautiful temple is soremote and difficult to reach that it remains largely undiscovered bytourists. Its remoteness also allowed it to be preserved in itsoriginalform, when most other ancient temples were destroyed throughattempts toconquer the Lanna Kingdom and have since been rebuilt. After a chance to soak in the hushed and rarefied atmosphere of thetemple, you willwander onwards to a secluded waterfall where we willrest and eat lunch together of traditional locally-sourced foods. If youwish, you can swim in the bright, cold water before returning to Hoi Yotvillage and then to your hotel. This trek is perfect for solo travelers and families alike. The trail is on agood roadappropriate for children and trekkers of any fitness level. Theclimb to the hilltop ridge is a little challenging but you will have plenty ofchances to pause and take in the scenery. PRICE1,500 THB per person (minimum of 2 guests) START - END Approximately 9am-5pm (1 DAY)Comfortable clothingSwimwearChange of clothesBug spraySunscreenWHAT TO BRINGDiscover the hidden 700-year-old temple of Wat Luang Khun Win on a secret jungle trail.1 DAYSECRET TEMPLE WATERFALL TREK

À la carte Activities

BAMBOO RAFTINGTraditional bamboo rafts were how thelocals travelled and carried goods for trade.Now you can relax, stand, or sit on atraditional bamboo raft and take in thesights of the beautiful Mae Wang valley onthis mellow ride. 600 THB per raft(includes raft driver and transport to startpoint)PROFESSONAL PHOTOGRAPHYCapture your once in a lifetime momentswith elephant with the help of a talentedphotographer. Includes Photography, 1elephant + bananas to feed elephants. Starting at 4300 THB per photo sessionTHAI COOKING CLASSVisit an organic garden and then learn tocook in a real Thai kitchen. In a privatelesson, a Thai chef will show you how tomake delicious northern Thai delicacies youcan share with family and friends bakehome. 1200 THB per person.ATVHop on an ATV and drive to awaterfall in the forest. You can choose an easytail or a more adventurous trail.Private trip including a guide. 1 personper ATV1000 THB per hourKAYAN VILLAGE Visit a Kayan (Karen long neck) village where people still maintain ancienttraditions and cultures. The villagers livebuy farming, foraging and hand loomingcolorful textiles. 600 THB per person*IN-ROOM MASSAGENo trip to Thailand would be completewithout a massage! Oil massages andtraditional Thai style are available. Forcenturies, masters of Thai massage haveused this ancient technique to stretchand massage muscles and joints to bothrelieve medical ailments and improvecirculation. Most importantly, you willfeel amazingly refreshed. Thai massage 500 THB per hourOil massage 800 THB per hour 1 hour face mask and Massage 600 THB

A NOTE ON ETHICAL CAPTIVE ELEPHANT CARE‘Work’ for these elephants prior to Chai lai OrchidBest Practices at Chai Lai OrchidCultivating kindness towards elephantsOver the years, we have rescued more than 15 elephants from abusivepractices. At the Chai Lai Orchid, we do not support the buying or selling ofelephants so baby elephants get to stay with their mothers and wildelephants stay in the wild.The elephants we love and support are trained each day through positivereinforcement, helping them learn to respond to voice commands.Managing them responsibly helps us ensure these elephants can safelyreceive veterinary care because they trust the humans around them. Ethical Story telling We practise honest marketing and realistic business approaches becausewe believe that to truly help this magnificent species, people must bemade aware of the reality of the situation. Only then can they justifiablyadvocate for elephants and their environment

IMPORTANT SAFETY MESSAGEDo not approach elephants if their caretaker is not close by—becausethe elephants do now know you, this can cause them to feel anxious andstressed. Elephants are smart and docile, but also extremely strong. Aspooked elephant is extremely dangerous and can result in injury oreven death. CAN I TOUCH THE ELEPHANTS? Yes! But please exercise common sense, safety, and caution. Pleasewash your hands well! Toxic chemicals from bug spray or sunblock andbe dangerous to elephants.CAN THE ELEPHANTS BE FREE?No. Asian elephants have been living in captivity for hundreds of yearsand they no longer have enough habitat left to return to. In what littlenational park is left for elephants, wild elephant herds are in constantdanger of trafficking and ivory poaching. The elephant situation inThailand is no longer one of conservation (preserving their wildhabitat), but one of trying to create the best captive situation possiblefor them given present circumstances.WHAT IS A MAHOUT?A mahout is an elephant caretaker and the only person an elephantwill listen to. Being specially trained in how to work with elephants,care for their health and communicate with them. Elephants haveworked with the indigenous people here for thousands of years and it'sa part of their cultural heritage.

HOW DOES BILLING WORK?• All charges are added to your room by room number. Be sure to let thestaff know which room you will be charging to when placing an order.• 7% VAT Thailand Hospitality Tax is added to all rooms, food and drinkcharges.• There is a 3% fee for using a credit card.WHY ARE YOUR ACTIVITIES MORE EXPENSIVE THAN SOME OTHER TOURPRICES?Private tours are priced per person, not per group, allowing you moreflexibility to see and do as you choose. Also, many businesses hiremigrants and refugees to work in substandard conditions for less thanthe minimum wage, in order to drive down costs—we are against thiskind of exploitation. We pay fair wages to all our employees and inaddition to that, we also provide housing, 2 meals a day, and socialsecurity. We believe all people deserve a life free of poverty.WHAT IS THE PROPER WAY TO USE A TOILET IN THAILAND?Please do not put tissue or toilet paper into the toilet! The pipes inThailand are smaller than in western countries and the paper will causethe toilet to clog and break. Please use the Thai system: clean yourselfwith the water hose and use the paper to dry, then place the paper intothe trash bin provided.ARE CAMERAS OR DRONES ALLOWED?Drones are not permitted on the grounds, for they can spook theelephants. However, cameras are more than welcome in order tocapture your adventures!HOW DOES TIPPING WORK IN THAILAND?Many midrange or high-end hotels in Thailand include a 20% servicecharge. The Chai Lai Orchid does not. Tipping in casual restaurants isgreatly appreciated but not expected. If you do receive exceptionalservice, please feel free to tip!

OUR MISSION IS TO EMPOWER AT-RISK GIRLS AND WOMEN THROUGHEDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND OUTREACH, TO PREVENT TRAFFICKING ANDEXPLOITATION IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. WE AIM TO HELP BREAK THE CYCLE OFINTERGENERATIONAL POVERTY.THE PROBLEMThailand has one of the highest rates of sex trafficking in the world. Thevast majority of women trafficked in Thailand are ethnic minorities, manyof whom come as undocumented refugees fleeing war in Myanmar. Theirlack of legal status, unfamiliarity with the language and country, andfinancial vulnerability leaves them open to economic coercion—mosttrafficking begins with a false job offer and promise of a better life.EDUCATION & EMPOWERMENT By educating and empowering women to overcome the factors that putthem at risk, we can prevent trafficking. When girls have access toeducation and opportunities they can avoid the dangers of trafficking. Weprovide scholarships and a safe house where girls can thrive and haveaccess to education. EMPLOYMENTThe Chai Lai Orchid provides room, board, and a living wage for all of ourstaff. During our eight-month program, trainees receive safe livingaccommodation, paid training, and English courses while rotating throughvocational training in various aspects of hospitality.COMMUNITY OUTREACHWe donate clothing, blankets, mosquito nets, and rice for IDPs on theborder to Myanmar as well as locally.TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR INITIATIVES OR DONATE, PLEASE VISIT:WWW.DAUGHTERSRISING.ORG

Visit DaughtersRising.OrgHelp spread the word about our work. Tag us on social media! @daughtersrisingthailand#DaughtersRising #ChaiLaiOrchid #ChiangMai Travel and Give BackYour stay here helps refugee students enjoy a life of freedom and opportunity! VolunteerShare your passion and skill set www.daughtersrising.org Share a MealOur cafe menus allows you to purchase a meal for a hungry child in a refugee campfor just 40 THB please our team know if you would like to participate HELP END EXPLOITATION Travel with Purpose

HOW YOUR STAYHELPSTRAVEL BETTER

Where you live shouldn’t determine whether you live.

Chai Lai Orchid is not only a refuge for elephants, it is a refuge for humans too. Daughters Rising is anti-human trafficking NGO that works to empower at-riskethnic minority women and Burmese refugees to break cycles of exploitation andpoverty in their communities. Daughters Rising opened Chai Lai Orchid to offer paidhospitality training and employment opportunities in a rural underserved community.Chai Lai Orchid provides work opportunities and a safe place for at-risk women andrefugees to learn to thrive. Proceeds from Chai Lai fund our refugeescholarship program and childrens home.A HOTEL WITH A MISSIONLearn more

Refugees from Myanmar already face perilousjourneys, harsh living conditions in refugeecamps, and discrimination in host countries, they are also greatly at risk of exploitation andtrafficking. Conflict-induced displacementfurther increases the risk of trafficking.Capitalizing on their vulnerability,traffickers often deceive refugees intofraudulent travel and employmentarrangements. Punitive immigration policies and lack ofaccess to safe migration options furtherexacerbate refugees’ vulnerability. Manyvictims refrain from seeking assistance, fearingarrest or worse. Without official documentation, access toresources, and awareness of their rights,they become easy targets of traffickers.REFUGEES AT RISKOF TRAFFICKING

Myanmar–also known as Burma–is a large country directly to the west ofThailand with a population of 54 million people. The border is 6 hours drivefrom Chai Lai Orchid. Myanmar is rich in cultural and culinary traditions from itsdiverse number of ethnic groups. But due to decades of armed conflict andrepressive military dictatorships, it has become one of the mostunderdeveloped, impoverished and dangerous countries in the world. Armed conflict in Myanmar began shortly after gaining independence from the UnitedKingdom in 1948. The conflict has largely been between several ethnic minority armedgroups fighting Myanmar's Military Junta–known as the Tatmadaw–for self-determination and an end to human rights abuses faced at the hands of the militaryregime. This conflict is the world's longest ongoing civil war, having spannedmore than seven decades.MYANMARLearn more

In the lead up to Burmese independence, Aung San (Aung San Suu Kyi’s father) negotiated with leadersfrom three of these groups–the Chin, Kachin, and Shan ethnic groups–and agreed to give them fullautonomy with an option to secede from Burma ten years after independence. However, Aung San wasassassinated shortly afterwards, and this agreement was not honored by the post-independencegovernment. This deeply strained relations between the Burmese Bamar (ethnic majority) who ruled thegovernment and the country's many ethnic minorities. Several ethnic minority groups took up arms andformed their own armies to protect their villages and fight for autonomy.THE WAR NEXT DOOR

From the onset of the conflict in Myanmar, the Burmese Military–the Tatmadaw–have usedscorched earth tactics to destroy the lives and lands of ethnic minorities. They regularlyburn the villages, kill livestock, and plant landmines. Rape, torture, the use of childsoldiers and extra-judicial killings are commonplace. With destroyed villages andinfrastructure, all aspects of a healthy society crumble–education, healthcare and evensubsistence farming become nearly impossible. Facing such extreme danger many peoplefeel forced to flee their homes. Some hide in the jungle, and seek refuge at InternallyDisplaced Persons (IDP) camps. As of 2021, there are an estimated 448,000 InternallyDisplaced Persons in Myanmar–the equivalent population of Tuscon (Arizona), orManchester (England). And many choose to take the perilous journey to be illegallysmuggled across the border to reach Refugee Camps in Thailand or Bangladesh. SCORCHED EARTH AND TERROR AT THE HANDS OF THE TATMADAWLearn more

There are approximately 97,000 refugees inDisplaced Persons Temporary Shelters (IDPTS)in Thailand. These people are classified asstateless and/or illegal. They remain in theIDPTS indefinitely while they apply for UNrefugee status in order to relocate to a 3rdrcountry. They may have to wait for decades .Meanwhile they are not permitted to leavethe camp, to work or to farm so they have tosurvive on a monthly ration of oil, salt, cannedfish and rice. Life in the camps can feel hopeless. With noemployment, limited access to healthcareand education, and facing indefiniteconfinement, refugees’ often face severemental health crises. Refugee communitiessuffer increased rates of suicide–morethan 3 times the global average.As refugees from Myanmar flee into neighboring Thailand, their situation remains precarious.Thailand did not sign the The 1951 Refugee Convention which defines the term ‘refugee’ andoutlines the rights of refugees, as well as the legal obligations of States to protect them. Learn more REFUGEE CRISIS IN THAILAND

Protesters, 1988UprisingFed up with this totalitarian system, in 1988 a group of university students in the capital ofYangon started an anti-government protest movement which became known as The 8888Uprising. The movement spread like wildfire. Soon hundreds of thousands of monks, children,housewives, doctors and other professionals joined the protests against the government. However abloody military coup by the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) put a violent end tothe protests, killing thousands of civilians and returning the country to an oppressive militarydictatorship. During the uprising, Aung San Suu Kyiemerged as a national icon and theface of the pro-democracy movement.And in 1990, her party–the NationalLeague for Democracy–won by alandslide. However, the military juntarefused to recognize the results, placingAung San Suu Kyi under house arrest.She remained under house arrest for15 years, during which she would beawarded a Nobel Peace Prize for herongoing resistance to Myanmar'sMilitary Dictatorship. STRUGGLE FOR DEMOCRACY1962-2007Since 1962, the Burma Socialist Programme Party had ruled the country as a totalitarian one-partystate. Under the government agenda–called the Burmese Way to Socialism–which involved economicisolation and the strengthening of the military. Many companies were nationalized, and the governmentcombined Soviet-style central planning with Buddhist traditional beliefs and superstition.Aung San Suu Kyi makes her first public appearance from behind herhome's gate after 5 years under house arrest, 1995Protesters, 1988 UprisingMYANMAR: A HISTORY OF UNREST

THE SAFFRON REVOLUTIONIn 2007 protests erupted again, this time led by Buddhist monks. Protests began after the militarygovernment removed fuel subsidies. With the price of petrol subsequently soaring to a 100%increase in a matter of days, the economy spiraled out of control. In response, thousands ofBuddhist monks–wearing their traditional saffron robes which would lend the name SaffronRevolution–held massive non-violence protests throughout the country. Though only practicingcivil disobedience, the government violently cracked down on protestors–killing 31 peopleand detaining hundreds more. 2007

Learn more Though with the military’s majority guaranteedvotes in congress, her power was severely limitedand some saw her as a puppet. This becamepainfully apparent when she refused to condemnthe military’s violent displacement and genocide ofthe Rohingya ethnic minority. Her silence on theplight of the Rohingyan led to international outcryand loss of her status as a human rights advocate,though she remains extremely popular withinMyanmar.Facing increased pressure from the SaffronRevolution, in 2008 Myanmar started what wouldbe known as the “experiment with democracyyears.” The military government created aconstitutional referendum that began to open thecountry up for democratic elections and economicexchange abroad. However they built into this newconstitution a 25% guaranteed representation incongress–ensuring that they would continue to holdpower no matter who was president. Aung San SuuKyi, freed from house arrest in 2010, continued tobe a wildly popular icon of democracy. Fearingthat she could gain power under this newconstitution, the military built in a trivial clause thatdisqualifies her from ever being president (becauseshe has children and a spouse who are foreignnationals). However in 2015 Aung San Suu Kyi ranfor president anyway, and again won by alandslide. To work around this clause, she assumedthe newly created role of State Counselor ofMyanmar–a role akin to a prime minister. 2018: Aung San Suu Kyi with General Min Aung Hlaing whowould lead the military coup against her three years laterEXPERIMENT WITH DEMOCRACY2008-2020

STORIESFROM OURSTAFF

JULIA / DAYMUReservationsAs a child, Julia's family fled to Thailand after theBurmese Military began forcing subsistencefarmers to grow palm oil as part of a drive todevelop bio-fuel resources for export. Those whorefused had their land confiscated or were usedas forced labor on the plantations. “Both myparents were illiterate. There was no other jobthey could do. If they grew palm oil for thegovernment, what would the family eat? Theydidn’t want to give up their farm, so thegovernment burnt it down. The other villagersadvised us to leave for our safety. That’s why wemoved to the refugee camp.” Ethnically Lisu, Juliaand her family face further discrimination. Juliarecalls “Most people in the camp had suffered atthe hands of the Burmese military...They burnedtheir houses and killed their wives. They threwstones at our house because they thought wewere spies.” Education in the camp waschallenging. Julia spoke Burmese and Lisu, but allof her classes were in Karen. She workedincredibly hard, eventually becoming fluent inKaren, Thai and English-and was even chosen fora selective higher education program. For refugee students, highereducation is beyond reach without sponsorship.Julia heard about Daughters Rising’s scholarshipprogram through a friend. She applied…and wasaccepted. “At that time, I was so happy I cried!” "Ihad never been in a big city like this before. Thefirst time I was in Bangkok I was so afraid to usethe escalator. And even in the elevator I didn’tknow what to press. I had to wait for someone tocome and wait for them to press it! It’s kind ofscary but funny too. I learned a lot this year. I wasreally productive.” Julia has also faced her fairshare of prejudice living in Bangkok, despitebeing a university student: “When walking alongthe road, most people assume I am a maid. Theyask which house I am working at. Or, ‘Are you acleaner at school?' But most of the professors arenot biased. They give a chance to those who areeager to study. After graduation my dream is towork for an NGO that helps promote theeducation of refugee children. I want to giveback and help others.”*Update*in 2021 Julia graduated from Bangkok University. IShe is was recently able to achieve herdream of working for a Burmese empowerment NGO--in 2022 she was appointed Director ofMinmahaw School, a program for disadvantaged migrant children on the Thai/Myanmar Border.

SENGReservationsSeng is a Shan girl who grew up in Kachin State.Abandoned by her parents at a young age, shealways had to be a rock not only for herself butalso her 5 sisters. As a teen she started working tosupport herself and her family. She would makesoybean snacks to sell each morning beforeschool, and work again once school was over.After high school crossed the boarder to China towork as a waitress, hoping to save up enoughmoney to go to university. But her sister neededthe money for school too, so Seng paid for hersister's education and put her own dreams ofuniversity on hold. Eventually, she connected witha school where she could study English for free,although it incurred some unexpected costs: "Itwas very strict there! We were forbidden to haveboyfriends. I had to pay them 40,000THB becauseI broke the rules...But I didn't have any money sothey said I had to work for them as a teacher fortwo years. The people at that organization reallylooked down on me, and because I was poor theysaid I wouldn't be able to study anywhere else. SoI said, let's see about that!" Seng continued to work multiple jobs, saving everycent for university in Thailand. "Once I arrived Ifound out I couldn't get any scholarships, andeverything was more expensive than I expected -rent, visa, everything. I felt heartbroken andstarted getting ready to go back to Burma. Butthree days before I was going to leave, DaughtersRising offered me a full scholarship-I was sohappy and relieved! I don't know how I can thankDaughters Rising. Before I knew about them I hadto work constantly and worry about finding jobs tofund my studies. Now, I can concentrate on mystudies without this anxiety and begin to thinkabout how to chase my dreams. Alexa has lookedafter me so well. She takes care of me as if I amfamily." "I feel proud of myself for the way that I haveovercome all my problems by myself. I know thatam so strong. No matter what, I can do what Ineed to do...My sisters still live in Myanmar, and Ihope I can make their lives more pleasant." Seng is an invaluable part of our administrative staff. Also, with the help of a Daughters Rising Scholarship, shegraduated from Rangsit University with BA in Communications in 2021. She has a passion for filmmaking, andupon graduation she landed a job at a Thai documentary film company! In addition to working for Chai Lai,she is in the process of starting her own documentary film studio to provide jobs for women and girls.

MUJITCafeMugit is Karen from Karen State in Myanmar. Shefirst came to Thailand at age 14 to study at arefugee camp. The journey took 4 days on foot,sleeping in the jungle along the way. "I wasterrified we would be trampled by an elephant orcaught by the Burmese or Thai Army." After 3 yearsin the camp she returned home to teach childrenin her village. But jobs were scarce and and theTatmadaw (Burmese Army) would terrorize hercommunity constantly. "They would kill anyone whostood up to them and would steal our land tomake army bases. They tortured people–especiallymen–for intel about the Karen soldiers. The torturewas always public so that everyone in the villageknew what they are capable of...I’ve seen theTatmadaw do many terrible things. When I was 8they caught two Karen men and tied them upblindfolded under my house. They broke theirkneecaps with wooden sticks, then they cut offtheir ears and forced them to eat them. Luckilythose men survived. But others did not. Some weretortured with knives and then buried alive. Oncethey tied a man up and threw him in the river todrown. People were also scared they would becaught and forced to be slaves. The armyregularly uses Karen people as porters and humanshields for testing the terrain for landmines." At 22 she decided to Thailand. "I was veryscared. I had to cross a checkpoint and heardthat guards were detaining people. But I gotthrough and onto a boat to cross the border. Theboat was overcrowded and I was terrified itwould capsize. I can’t swim. I prayed the wholeway." Across the border they went by car butwere caught by the police. "They threatened todeport us and I was very afraid that they woulddrop us in the jungle and we would not be able tofind our way back home." Luckily a cousin inThailand was able to negotiate their release. "Iwas still very scared of the police–I was afraid wewould drive me somewhere and sell me. When wefinally arrived at my cousin’s house, it was the firsttime I felt like I could breathe a sigh of relief." "I like being in Thailand because there is no war.It has not been easy. The most difficult part wasthe anxiety of being undocumented. Beforegetting working papers at Chai Lai I constantlyworried about getting deported. Now I am reallyhappy to work here and to be able to support myfamily, especially to pay for rice and medicine formy father. I owe Chai Lai and Alexa a lot, theyhave helped me every step of the way."

PABO MahoutPabo is Karen and grew up in Karen State inMyanmar. When he was 15 years old he wasdrafted into the Karen Army: "I didn’t want to gobut they came and took me. In the army I felt likea slave. I had to do all the worst jobs and Icouldn’t argue or refuse. And the leader of my unitwouldn't allow us to contact our families like inother units. Once my mom was very sick–she wascoughing up blood–but I didn’t find out about ituntil long afterwards so I wasn’t able to visit orhelp her. After 5 years my mandatory service wasup and I was able to leave, so I came to Thailand. "When I was in the army I could not sleep well. Iwould always be half alert because I was scaredall the time. You would never know when theBurmese Army would attack–they can shoot you atany time. When you know that you can die at anymoment you live in constant fear." When Pabo was 20, two friends who werealready working in Thailand came to visit theirfamily in a nearby village and he saw hisopportunity. "When they were about to return Iasked if I could go with them. I didn’t have anymoney for the journey so they lent me some and Ipromised to pay them back once I startedworking in Thailand. I left with nothing but theclothes on my back.""The most difficult part about coming to Thailandwas not understanding Thai. I have never been toschool-my family couldn’t afford to send me--so Icannot read or write. But now I can speak a littlebit of Thai and some English too! The happiest time in my life has been here atChai Lai. Now I send money back to support myfamily. I feel very happy that I am able to help mymom–she is my inspiration. She is the one thatbrought me into the world and she is a very hardworker. I want to live for her. The thing that bringsme most joy is taking care of Seavoy. I loveswimming with her–she always makes me laugh,especially when she sprays water with her trunk!#savemyanmar