Sophae* speaks with strength in her voice that surpasses her 17 years of age, but her eyes retain a playful wit typical of girls her age. However, Sophae’s life has been far from that of a typical 17-year-old girl, yet she refuses to let her past define her.
She was raised in a village on the outskirts of Poi Pet, a city on the border of Thailand and Cambodia, which is infamous for high rates of trafficking and low wages that put families at risk of unsafe migration or labour exploitation. Poi Pet was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. Though increased tourism has helped ease some of the financial burdens, life in Poi Pet remains challenging due to the instability of the job market, a saturation of casinos and the vices that come with them, and the isolated nature of villages where most of the population lives.
It was in one of these villages that Sophae grew up until a series of events forced her family to make the tough decision to temporarily move her to Damnok Toek’s Reception Centre until they could find a safer living situation.
The Reception Centre is part of Damnok Toek’s Alternative Care program in Poi Pet. Due to the volatile nature of Poi Pet, children are at increased risk of abuse, exploitation and abandonment. Alternative Care offers a safe space for these children to live while Damnok Toek’s trained social workers identify family or kinship-based care options. Children living in unsafe situations can stay at the Reception Centre and receive nutritious meals, a safe space to stay, education, and counselling while Damnok Toek social workers locate other family members living in safer situations or until the child’s current family has relocated to a safe location.
Sophae lived at the Reception Centre for four years, took Accelerated Learning classes there, and then transferred to Damnok Toek’s Non-Formal Education program. While in Alternative Care, Sophae also learned life skills such as cooking, cleaning, and handicrafts. She made friends at the Centre and formed close bonds with social workers who provided counselling and kept in contact with Sophae’s family to assess the safety of their living situation.
In 2022, Sophae’s family moved to a new village, and her relatives found stable jobs in the community. Sophae discussed the possibility of moving back with her family with social workers. After a thorough home visit and conversation with her family, who were also eager to have her home, everyone agreed that it was safe for Sophae to reintegrate into family care.
Today, Sophae is in 7th grade at the public secondary school close to her village. She studies general education and takes computer classes once a week. At first, the transition was difficult as she had to make new friends, but she quickly adapted and now has a few close friends. However, she still misses her friends from the Reception Centre whom she rarely sees due to her busy schedule. As part of transitioning from Alternative Care back into family care, Damnok Toek is organising ways for children to stay in contact with their friends still in Alternative Care through gatherings at the Centre where former beneficiaries are invited to join, and social workers help with their transportation.
Sophae has been living again with her family for two years and loves her new neighbourhood. “It is so warm in our household now that everyone is together again,” she says of her home. She speaks fondly of holidays and events where the family gathers together to sing songs and eat food. “I want to be a singer one day, so my family always asks me to sing because they say I have a great voice,” Sophae says.
Her family loves having her back but is grateful that she could stay with Damnok Toek while they arranged a safer living situation. “It is so nice having her back,” her aunt says. “She is so polite and always helps out around the house.”
For families like Sophae’s, deciding to transfer their children to Alternative Care is difficult and is only used as a last resort when a child’s safety is seriously in jeopardy. However, reintegration is always the top priority of Damnok Toek social workers. Through other services, like job coaching and placement through the Future’s Office and direct support with food and school supplies, Damnok Toek works to ensure families have sustainable opportunities that foster safe and nurturing environments for children to thrive in family-based care.
*Name has been changed to protect anonymity.