The Civil war in Burma is labelled as the longest ongoing civil conflict in the world, dating back to the aftermath of the second world war. 70 years on internal conflict has had a devastating effect on the country, and the country and especially the border region has seen severe human rights violations, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

As a result of the prolonged ethnic conflict, and the the systematic attacks on ethnic minority civilians, around three million people are thought to have fled their home country. Due to the close proximity, hundreds of thousands have fled conflict and persecution in eastern Burma to neighboring Thailand.

Mae Sot is a small Thai city just a few kilometers of the Burma border where a garbage landfill has been the settlement place for 500 refugee families. 50% of this community are children from different backgrounds. Unstable and inadequate access to electricity – forcing the local community to rely on natural light – has contributed to children’s lack of education access and uncertain future.

Social struggles facing most migrant communities in Mae Sot are magnified in the landfill community, such as:

• Dropout rates from school is significantly higher
• Social problems – early marriages, substance abuse, teenage pregnancies.

Green Island, a collaborative project, is a refugee community centre based in the center of the landfill aiming to provide educational support and activities to the children – giving them the opportunity to play and form friendship regardless their background, empowering them and ensuring they stay in schools and out of trouble.

Kinect Energy is supporting the Green Island collaborative project through the installation of renewable energy solar panels to support around-the clock powered activities, enabling unlimited access to education opportunities within the community center, freshly prepared food and safe environment to socialize. The solar panels will also increase safety and visibility at night by powering streetlights in the area.

Additionally, Kinect Energy is supporting the conduction of a survey around the Thai/Burma border to map out needs of solar powered energy.

Estudio Cavernas, a social architecture non-profit organization, and PlayOnside, a local sport organization have collaborated to turn an inhospitable/polluted site into the Green Island community centre – a vibrant site with classrooms, football field and vegetables gardens – aiming to foster education for the children and to empower the community.

The Green Island centre provides educational support, offers recreational opportunities for locals and promotes a culture of gender equality by encouraging girls to an active part of the community.

Activities run by PlayOnside such as:

• Extra-curriculum activities after school
• Homework’s assistance
• Guidance regarding educational opportunities
• Parents’ meetings
• Arts workshops
• Football festivals and tournaments
• And more

Football as a tool for gender equality, social inclusion and empowerment

PlayOnside was founded in 2013 and has grown to be one of the most influential sports organizations on the Thai/Burma border. PlayOnside believe that football has a tremendous potential to promote social change. Through a long term, sustainable and flexible approach, PlayOnside is bringing playful learning activities to displaced Burmese migrant children in Thailand.

PlayOnside gives access to education through high quality football and life-skills play for children regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion or socio-economic status in all migrant learning centres on the Thai/Burma border.

PlayOnside objectives are the following:

• Challenging gender stereotypes
• Bringing communities together
• Empowerment through participation

Visit https://www.playonside.org for more information.