Support Community Development in South-East Asia

Dear Supporters,

We hope this message finds you well. As always, we’re deeply grateful for your continued generosity and commitment to our work. Your support enables us to make a tangible difference in the lives of those who need it most. We’re pleased to share some reflections from our recent visit to the Thai-Myanmar border earlier this month.

Visit to Koung Jor Refugee Camp

In early November, our team travelled to northern Thailand to visit Koung Jor Refugee Camp. It was wonderful to reconnect in person with the Camp Headman, Project Coordinator, and both the English and Computer Teachers. During our meetings, we discussed recent developments within the camp and explored how we can continue to strengthen our collaboration in the year ahead.

One key project we’ve been asked to support is the introduction of solar-powered laptops for the computer classes. With electricity in the camp being so unreliable, this initiative would allow lessons to continue uninterrupted while promoting sustainable energy use. We’ll soon begin raising funds for this effort and are excited about the impact it could have on digital education for the community.

We also learned that support from larger organisations has declined, particularly for food relief, as many countries scale back their foreign aid budgets. While this presents new challenges, our ability to respond quickly as a small, flexible organisation — supported by a dedicated community of donors like you — means we’ll be exploring if/how we might help fill this gap in the months ahead.

Interestingly, the community has also begun experimenting with AI tools to support self-learning in IT and even assist in writing reports for donors and partner organisations. It’s inspiring to see such creativity and innovation emerging from within the camp itself.

We left Koung Jor encouraged by the resilience and resourcefulness of the community, and we’re committed to continuing our support in meaningful and sustainable ways.

With heartfelt thanks for making all of this possible,

The Branch Foundation Team

Dear Friends,

We hope this message finds you well. It’s always a pleasure to update you on our projects. Firstly, we’d like to express our deep gratitude for your continued support—your generosity allows us to make a meaningful impact on underserved communities.

Ongoing Support at Koung Jor Refugee Camp

Thanks to your donations, we have been able to continue funding stipends for the Computer Teacher and Project Coordinator at Koung Jor Shan Refugee Camp. These roles are absolutely vital—not only for delivering digital education but also for sustaining long-term, community-led development. We’re currently in the early planning stages for our next teacher training workshop later this year. These sessions provide local educators with opportunities to share ideas and strengthen their teaching skills, creating a more engaging and inclusive learning environment for students.

Emergency Medical Relief in Shan State

In the wake of the recent earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand, we acted swiftly to support urgent medical relief efforts in Shan State. Working through trusted local partners, we were able to direct emergency funding to provide immediate care to those affected by the disaster. This kind of response is only possible thanks to the flexibility your support provides.

Looking Ahead – A Return to the Border

In our last report, we mentioned plans to visit Thailand to reconnect with the communities your support has helped strengthen. Although we have had to delay the trip by a couple of months, we’re still very much looking forward to being on the ground again later this year. These visits are a powerful reminder of the real-world impact of your generosity and help us shape even more effective support in the future.

With sincere thanks for making this all possible,

The Branch Foundation Team