Skills, Capacity and Leadership Development for an Ethnic Community from Myanmar

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Hway Ka Loke is a migrant learning center in Mae Sot that provides shelter, food, education and protection for Karen children from Myanmar. The Karen ethnic minority migrates to western Thailand to escape violence and conflict in Myanmar, and to pursue economic and educational opportunities. Because Hway Ka Loke has been relying solely on donations to support its mission and has recently faced significant financial challenges, the team conducted a needs assessment to determine the best way to ensure sustainable operation of Hway Ka Loke. The team traveled to Mae Sot in January and in March to interview stakeholders and to test their hypotheses about prioritizing capacity building as an essential component in ensuring future success of Hway Ka Loke. The team provided a set of four recommendations that include a) reallocating tasks to older students and teachers to expand capacity, b) adopting "snowflake leadership" model in recruiting process, c) exploring potential donor markets and reshaping the narrative of fundraising strategy, and d) developing strategic relationships with local organizations to enhance financial management, fundraising, leadership and marketing strategies.