With our small hands clasped and a warm embrace, our hearts are connected.

2025-06-02

Hello. My name is Sookhee Do, and I live in Manila, Philippines. From May 12 to 18, 2025, I participated for the third time in the humanitarian relief efforts for Myanmar refugees in the Thailand–Myanmar border region. This third round of support expanded the relief areas beyond the original locations near Mae Sot, which were the focus of the first and second rounds, to also include Chiang Mai and Chiang Dao.

This year, due to a less favorable atmosphere in the border region compared to last year, we adjusted our method of support. Instead of carrying the relief supplies with us, we sent them in advance to the respective schools or centers. Volunteers then visited the sites to personally distribute the supplies to the recipients.

Although it was a bit disappointing that we couldn’t meet many students due to the school break, it was meaningful to spend more focused time with a smaller number of children, making eye contact and engaging in deeper communication.

In the past, we were so focused on distributing bags and school supplies that we often left without even properly greeting the children. This time, however, we were able to personally hand out biscuits, share warm hugs with the younger ones, and greet the older students with joined hands and eye contact. It made the time we spent together feel all the more heartwarming.

In Mae Sot, we received requests indicating that food was a more urgent need than school supplies, so this time we provided only food items there. In Chiang Mai, which we visited for the first time, we delivered both school supplies and food.

At a newly supported safe house, we encountered heartbreaking stories of refugees—soldiers who had lost their legs to landmines while fleeing, teachers on government arrest lists for participating in anti-government gatherings, and students who had come in search of any opportunity to study in the collapse of Myanmar’s public education system.

Although the refugee schools we’ve visited two or three times are still in poor condition, we were relieved and encouraged to see them gradually becoming cleaner and more organized with each visit.

Above all, it was incredibly meaningful to be even a small source of strength on their path, thanks to the hopeful eyes of the refugee children who, despite harsh conditions, continue to study hard, and the dedicated teachers and community members supporting them.

The journey between Chiang Dao and Chiang Mai was physically demanding and time-consuming, winding up and down steep mountain roads. At various checkpoints, all volunteers had to get out of the vehicle for their IDs (passports) to be photographed, but the atmosphere was not hostile.

The most memorable place from this activity was the Kung Jaw Shan Refugee Camp, the third site we visited in Chiang Dao.

The rice and food supplies we sent in advance were neatly organized, and the residents warmly welcomed us as if they had been waiting for our arrival, offering Shan-style sticky rice cakes. We were deeply moved by their sincere gratitude for our support. Seeing the orderly lines formed by elders, women, and men as they received the goods, young people helping elders who couldn’t carry heavy loads, and a grandmother returning with a beaming smile to greet us—all of these moments showed that this community maintains good order and discipline and takes great care of its elderly and vulnerable members.

After completing the distribution of supplies, we had a conversation with the leader of the refugee camp. He shared a deeply moving story about how, over 20 years ago, when political oppression against the Shan people by Myanmar’s military government intensified, he led about 600 people across the border to establish a settlement. The stable refugee camp they have today was built solely through his leadership and determination. It was a powerful reminder of how much positive change can be brought about by leadership grounded in the right values, faith, and dedication.

After our discussion, we visited an orphanage run by the camp. The children there had various difficult backgrounds—some lost their parents, some were imprisoned, and some were sent across the border alone. The village road leading to the orphanage and the houses alongside were so neat and orderly that it was hard to believe we were in a refugee camp; it looked like an ordinary, peaceful rural village. Seeing this, I found myself reflecting on the preconceived notions I had unknowingly held about refugee camps.

As we toured the orphanage and greeted the children, my heart was touched by how even the smallest show of attention brought them joy. One child, who looked to be about five or six years old, opened their arms wide to a volunteer, So-yeon Hwang, asking to be picked up. Seeing So-yeon lift the child in her arms, I was overwhelmed with emotion, imagining what it must feel like for a child growing up without parents.

However, not wanting to spoil the joyful and bright atmosphere, I quietly turned away and wiped my tears. While it is heartbreaking to think about the possibility of more orphans if the situation in Myanmar worsens—children who have lost their parents and must live in unfamiliar places—I hoped sincerely that no more children would have to endure such hardship at a young age. Visiting the orphanage and witnessing the village atmosphere and the daily lives of the refugees was a valuable experience that I would have missed if we had only provided supplies and left.

At Wat Fah Wiang Inn Temple School, we spent time with novice monks, and at Ban Lak Taeng School, we played traditional Korean games such as ttakji (folded paper game), tuho (arrow throwing), jegichagi (shuttlecock kicking), and badminton with the children. Although things felt awkward at first, once the games began, everyone quickly joined in and enjoyed themselves, which made me feel proud. It was especially memorable to see some students already familiar with ttakji from a Korean drama, giving me a real sense of the Korean Wave’s reach.

On the way back from Chiang Dao to Chiang Mai along the winding mountain roads, we learned that the bags to be distributed the next day were still at Ban Lak Taeng School, so we had to turn back. Although turning around meant arriving late at the lodging and possibly skipping dinner, everyone accepted this without complaint. I was deeply impressed by the volunteers’ positive attitude, embracing the situation with the mindset of “making the most of a bad situation.”

On the final day, we supported refugees living at a construction site in Kankanok, Chiang Mai. Although it was Sunday, we planned to distribute supplies during lunch at noon to accommodate those who had to work. Volunteers arrived at 11 a.m. to spend some playtime with the children. Because the group was small and space limited, we only played tuho (arrow throwing) and ttakji (folded paper game). Still, the children enthusiastically participated—quickly wearing out their ttakji—and the line to play tuho never stopped.

When we arrived, the local activists’ faces were somber. We soon learned that six boxes of laundry detergent, which had been delivered to the site the day before, had gone missing. While one group continued the play activities, others were busy resolving the situation.

After finishing the games and taking photos, we sensed a tense atmosphere again on the way back. Someone had taken the laundry detergent set aside, and others began crowding around to grab the items one by one. We told them, “Please don’t take these,” and managed to retrieve the detergent, but the stark contrast to the peaceful and orderly Shan camp we had visited earlier made us realize how much environment can influence behavior. The refugees living near the construction site seemed to carry the harsh burdens of urban life. We were thankful to have safely completed the final activity.

Finally, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to So-yeon Hwang, Dong-joo Park, Aejin Kim, and the Bangkok team who worked hard on the preliminary survey and purchasing supplies locally, as well as to Sun-young Kim and other companions in Bangkok who supported the effort even though they could not join us on-site. Special thanks go to Su-jung Shin and Hye-jin Jung for their hard work in Chiang Mai, where support was provided for the first time; Director Young-sook Park and Eun-jin Park in Korea for their steadfast support; Yun-mi Kim for her efforts in establishing the refugee aid system; and also to INEB activists Oppo and Maya, and BEAM Foundation activist Teacher Ye for their dedication.