This is a glimpse into our time in the Hill Tribe villages of northern Thailand  (in the environs of Chiang Rai) where we ran a number of art and drama projects in Learning Centres.

Hill tribe communities suffer considerable disadvantage and discrimination; they have little access to education or employment opportunities. As a result, many girls and women are traded into the sex industry.   With the support of various agencies and individuals Learning Centres provide education and accommodation to a cluster of young people – some of whom have been rescued from the sex industry.  The young people in these centres are being trained in agricultural practices (as well as other subjects, including art) so that they have skills to give them options for other choices.

In this series of projects Anne taught the students about drawing from nature so they could develop skills in observation as well as being able to describe plants through drawing – potentially useful in their agricultural work.