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By traveler and travel agency alike, Thailand has been touted for its diversity of hill tribes. Despite their rich cultural background and contribution to Thailand's thriving tourism industry, hill tribes are regularly faced with government policies that are detrimental to their way of life. As a result, members of hill tribes are relocating to the cities where they are impoverished and exploited

If lending a hand to hill tribe people living interests you, check out Cultural Canvas Thailand's volunteer program at Wat Don Jan, a school set up for hill tribe children located at a wat, or Buddhist temple. This notable program provides schooling to hill tribe children who would otherwise have little chance of formal education. The temple takes in children from six different minority groups, some of whom are orphans, offering them education, food and accommodation. The government-employed teachers follow a curriculum at Wat Don Jan that reflects that of mainstream Thai schools. All of the children's living costs are covered by donations collected by the monks. Approximately 130 girls and over 200 boys between the ages of 7 and 18 attend the school at Wat Don Jan.

All of Cultural Canvas Thailand's volunteer placements deal with social issues such as discrimination and the abuse of basic human rights. You will be learning about the lives of people from another culture and the problems they face such as poverty, hunger, disease, prejudice and many others. You will build relationships and gain an understanding of the issues confronting Thailand and many other parts of the world.

The duration of this project is: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks and 3-6 months (includes high school academic semester abroad)

See our on-line application at http://www.culturalcanvas.com/app.php

The application process is on-going, so please apply at any time.