The Mirror Foundation is a grassroots Thai non-governmental organisation, founded more than thirty years ago. The organisation is split into three distinct groups:
- The Mirror Foundation, Chiang Rai
- The Mirror Foundation, Bangkok
- Rai Som school, Chiang Mai
Whilst there is regular contact between the teams, and a certain amount of work which overlaps, the vast majority of the projects are mutually exclusive. Bangkok focuses on urban problems, Chiang Rai concentrates on issues related to the lack of citizenship among ethnic minorities, and Rai Som is our private school for stateless children.
The Mirror Foundation, Chiang Rai
The core projects run through the Chiang Rai office are largely based around the issues, direct and indirect, which affect ethnic minorities in the region. These problems stem mainly from the lack of citizenship, and continue to cause problems even after citizenship is gained (which is a long, slow process, and not always successful).
Projects include the Thai Citizenship project, which works to achieve citizenship for stateless persons that are eligible. The project also helps with legal work, and assists with trafficking or abuse issues on a case-by-case nature.
More information on each project can be found via the menulinks on this page.
The Mirror Foundation, Bangkok
The Bangkok office, based in the Viparvadi area of the city, works largely on urban issues - missing persons, street children, begging and homelessness, as well as running programmes using the many donations received from Bangkok residents.
Bangkok also has a large number of ad hoc volunteers, who come for a day, or longer, to help sort out the enormous amount of donated items which arrive from across the country daily. The team have secured a deal with Shopee and Lazada, accepting all returned items from these online shopping companies.
More information can be found on their own website, via this link: The Mirror Foundation, Bangkok
Rai Som school, Chiang Mai
Rai Som school is based in Fang district, Chiang Mai. It our own privately run school for stateless children of migrant workers in the area. The curriculum is skills based, with the focus on subjects appropriate to the lives and opportunities of stateless people. The students also help maintain the school's rice paddies and vegetable gardens, and volunteers are welcome to join for a small fee.
An onsite farmstay is also being planned, accommodating volunteers and guests who wish to experience traditional Thai agricultural methods.
More information can be found on their own website, via this link: https://www.en.raisomschool.com/