Setting Children Up for Success: the Power of Early Education
December 8, 2025
In the narrow alleys of slum communities along the Thai–Myanmar border, thousands of Burmese children grow up without access to formal education. Their families, many undocumented or struggling with poverty, often cannot afford school fees, uniforms, or the time it takes to navigate complicated enrollment systems. Many of these children either stay home alone while their parents work, or attend underfunded migrant schools with limited resources, few qualified teachers, and little chance at long-term success.
At Global Child Advocates, we believe every child deserves more than survival; they deserve a chance to thrive.
That’s why GCA works tirelessly to set vulnerable children up for success from the very beginning through our Early Childhood Development (ECD) centers located right inside these slum communities. These centers do more than teach. They protect, nurture, and lay the foundation for a future full of possibilities.
Naung Min’s Story: From Isolation to Independence
When little Naung Min was just three years old, she was left alone at home each day while her parents worked and her siblings attended school. Too young to be on her own and too isolated to make friends, she spent her early days in silence, playing alone all day.
Everything changed when her mother discovered GCA’s ECD center.
At first, Naung Min cried, refused to speak, and didn’t know how to communicate her needs. She didn’t know how to hold a crayon or join in during group time. But our teachers met her with patience and joy, singing songs, dancing, crafting, and gently drawing her out of her shell. Within a week, she was smiling and playing. Within a month, she was learning colors and shapes and sharing her new songs with her parents at home.
Because of her time at GCA’s center, Naung Min was accepted into a Thai public school this year. This opportunity would have been nearly impossible without such a strong start.
Yati Lin’s Journey: Healing Through Belonging
Like Naung Min, Yati Lin also came to GCA’s ECD center quiet and withdrawn. After suffering a painful injury and experiencing separation anxiety, she returned to school crying and unable to engage. But our teachers didn’t give up. They stayed close, offered comfort, and helped her feel safe again.
Over the following weeks, Yati Lin began smiling more. She sang songs, laughed with classmates, and slowly found her place in the classroom. After her year with GCA, she’s now thriving in a Thai school, excelling in her studies and building strong friendships. Her mother often writes to tell us how well she’s doing and how much she still misses her first teachers at GCA.
Education as a Lifeline
Without GCA’s centers, these little girls might have fallen through the cracks. They may have never entered any education system, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation, isolation, or lifelong poverty. But instead, they were given the tools to succeed. They found safety, joy, and a solid foundation for the future.
Why does it matter that they get into Thai schools?
Because Thai schools provide access to national education standards, long-term documentation pathways, and future opportunities that migrant or informal schools often cannot. GCA walks with each child and their family to help navigate the complex system so no child is left behind.
Because of your support, children like Naung Min and Yati Lin are not only safe and loved. They’re prepared. They’re entering Thai schools ready to learn, confident in themselves, and supported every step of the way.
You’re not just giving the gift of education.
You’re changing the trajectory of a child’s life.