Coming Home to Baan Unrak
From the very beginning, Baan Unrak has been built on a single core belief: we are a family for life. The lifelong bond we share with our children never truly fades. Recently, we experienced the deep beauty of this bond when one of our former children, who first walked through our doors twenty years ago, her name is S, and she came back home bringing the next generation with her.
S first arrived at Baan Unrak in 2006. She grew up under our care, successfully completed her high school education, and eventually ventured out into the world.
After graduating from university, she built a beautiful life, got married, and settled down with her family in Myanmar. Together, they welcomed a beautiful baby boy.
Today, her son is 4 years old, when a child should be playing safely, exploring, and beginning a proper education. Sadly, the escalating civil war in Myanmar shattered that peaceful dream. Living amidst unpredictable conflict, she and her little boy constantly felt unsafe. With local schools forced to shut down, she faced the heartbreaking reality that her son could not get the education or the safe childhood he deserved.
Faced with a devastating choice, she made the brave decision to leave her husband and her home behind temporarily. She packed her bags and set out to find the one place she knew would always be safe for her child: Baan Unrak.
We opened our doors wide to welcome her back, providing a safe place for both her and her little boy. Her son can now sleep peacefully at night and grow up in a secure environment. But what makes her return even more special is how she immediately stepped up to help with the work around the home that raised her.
Ever since she was a young girl growing up at Baan Unrak, she has been interested in psychology. Recently, two volunteer psychologists from Italy arrived at our foundation to support our children and caregivers for about one month. Recognizing her passion, she spent time diligently studying and learning the specific vocabulary and meanings required for psychological work to prepare herself fully. She then spent that month working alongside them and found her calling.
Because of her background and upbringing, she has become an invaluable asset to our emotional support team. She is skilled in languages and speaks four languages: Burmese, Thai, English, and Karen.
This talent has allowed her to help as a translator, bridging the gap between international psychologists/volunteers and children. She doesn't just translate words; she translates emotions, pain, and hope.
In addition to her work with psychologists, she has been helping to translate Didi’s weekly values and self-understanding classes. Showing immense dedication and seriousness toward her duties, she thoroughly studies and prepares the lesson materials beforehand. This thorough preparation ensures she can translate for the students in the classroom, helping our current children process these important lessons.
Her journey has brought our mission full circle. A child who was once protected and educated at Baan Unrak has grown up, faced the hardships of the world, and returned to protect her own child under the same roof. In doing so, she has brought her knowledge, her strength, and her grateful heart back home to care for the next generation of Baan Unrak children.
We are proud of the mother, leader, and compassionate human being she has become. Welcome home!
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