A Week of Extraordinary Delight

How Summer Camps Transform Lives for Myanmar Migrant Children

In the agricultural Thai/Myanmar border region, thousands of Myanmar migrant families have found refuge and opportunity. Thai landlords have opened their farms to these families, providing work and shelter far from the instability of home. While their parents tend the fields, the children have the opportunity to attend school. But during school breaks, it’s a different story. Many parents insist these children in Grades 4-7 work alongside them—helping with harvests to bring in approximately 2 extra dollars to help their families survive.

But for one week each school break, something wonderful happens - Nation to Nation Camps.

A Brief Escape, A Lasting Impact

Summer camps, designed typically for children in grades 4-7, offer what might seem simple to outsiders but is transformative for those who attend: a week away from manual labor, a week of being just kids.

These aren't luxury retreats or fancy getaways. We come to them. Held in the children’s schools or communities, they are carefully crafted character-forming programs that understand the reality of these children's lives whilst opening windows to new possibilities. And in that single week, lifelong memories are created.

The Gift of English

One of the most practical benefits is English language learning. In fields and bamboo houses, there's little opportunity to practice English. But at camp, through drama, games, songs, stories, and conversations, children learn skills that can change their futures. The gift of English keeps giving long after camp ends.

Safety and Community

For children who often shoulder adult responsibilities too young, these camps provide something equally valuable: a safe space to simply be children. They play without the weight of work or babysitting multiple young siblings. They learn without the pressure of survival. They form deeper friendships with children who share their unique experiences and share their identity as migrant children in farm communities.

This sense of belonging in community matters. These children can feel isolated, caught between cultures, sometimes facing negativity from parents or relatives overloaded by their ordinary daily burdens. At camp, they find a week-long refuge that helps them through the long days until school restarts.

A Gesture of Hope

When migrant parents allow their children to attend camp, children feel relief and hope. When our Nation to Nation team, volunteers, and donors invest in these camps, they're saying something powerful: You matter. Your future matters. You deserve joy. One week may seem small but for a child who spends most of their holidays in the fields, one week of learning, playing, and dreaming can plant seeds of possibility that grow for a lifetime.