Refugee Youth Volunteers Support Community Initiatives in Tham Hin Camp

As the warm sun filtered through the trees surrounding the Tham Hin refugee camp in Thailand, 16-year-old En Ka Pru Htoo Dah eagerly prepared for his day. He joined a group of young volunteers, all dressed in bright pink T-shirts, who had gathered at the community hall for a session on self-protection.

With some time left before the session began, Ka Pru took the stage and showcased his dance moves to the beat of a pop song. His fellow volunteers gathered around, clapping and cheering, their happy voices filling the hall and encouraging him as he danced.

With fluid grace, Ka Pru’s body swayed rhythmically to the beat, his feet shuffling and spinning. Each movement radiated the joy and freedom he longed for—even within the confines of the camp, the hall transformed into a vibrant stage where his dreams danced alongside him.

Despite limited internet access, Ka Pru dove into K-pop culture, teaching himself to dance by watching videos whenever he could. “I want to be a model and a dancer,” he shared, his eyes bright with ambition. “There’s so much to do in the world, but it can’t be done here [in the camp],” he reflected, aware of the barriers he faces.

Ka Pru is one of the 37 elected members of the Youth Cabinet in Tham Hin refugee camp, a group formed through school-level elections earlier this year. For the past two years, he and his friend On Ku, age 14, have actively participated in the Youth Cabinet.

The Youth Cabinet project is part of a broader European Union-funded initiative on child protection, designed to empower refugee youth volunteers to lead activities that build leadership skills and positively impact their communities.

UNHCR’s partner, the Catholic Office for Emergency Relief and Refugees (COERR), implements the project across all nine camps in Thailand. A group of  over 380 trained young male and female volunteers in the Cabinet has collectively worked on three key initiatives, reaching over 4000 children and youth through awareness campaigns on substance abuse, efforts to prevent early child marriage, and self-protection training for young children.

Twice a month, On Ku and Ka Pru join their friends to visit elderly refugees living alone, helping them clean their homes. Some days, they gather to collect trash in the camp, conduct awareness-raising sessions for young children on self-protection, or organize sports events—activities that foster community spirit.

“Before joining the Youth Cabinet, I was very shy. I never spoke to strangers,” On Ku recalled with a smile. “Now I’m confident and knowledgeable, and I help other girls like me to make their voices heard.”

For Ka Pru, participating in the Youth Cabinet has been life changing. “It helped me grow and understand the consequences of bad habits,” he shared, reflecting on the value these sessions have brought to himself and his peers.

Tham Hin is home to over 4,900 refugees from Myanmar, with approximately 38 percent of them being children under the age of 17. Most of these children, including Ka Pru and On Ku, were born and raised within the camp, and many have never stepped outside its boundaries. Their understanding of the outside world is limited to their imaginations, filled with dreams of what lies beyond the camp’s confines.

Through the Youth Cabinet, Ka Pru and On Ku are determined to challenge the stereotypes often associated with refugees. “We want the world to see that refugees are people with talent,” said Ka Pru. “This world has so much to see and explore, and so many opportunities. We want to be free and have the same rights as others,” On Ku added.

On his forearm, Ka Pru traced the outline of a tattoo he designed himself—a vivid expression of his dreams and identity. The letters L-O-V-E stretched across his fingers, while barbed wire and a kweh (buffalo horn) intertwined over a pattern resembling sweeping peacock wings. “This is my way of expressing myself,” he said, gazing down at the ink that symbolized his passion and resilience. “I love dancing. I even won a competition. When I dance, I can forget the challenges around me and feel free.”

Beyond dance, Ka Pru enjoys playing football and volleyball with his friends. He also loves writing poems and songs that express his experiences and dreams. On Ku enjoys makeup and singing but aspires to become a doctor if given the opportunity for a good education. “We have so much to give, and we’re ready to share it with the world,” they said, reflecting the resilience and creativity that flourish despite the camp’s limitations.