What does migration mean to you?

Nalee, 35, is a mother of two children from Savannaket province. When she was younger, she used to dream that her life would be better if she migrated for work to Thailand. She decided to follow her dream by dropping out of school when she was just eighteen.

“I had no information, I just want to go to Thailand with my friend, even my parents didn’t agree,” Nalee recalls.

In Bangkok, Thailand, her work started from early morning until mid-night.

“I did cleaning, laundry, washing, cooking and taking care of the children,” Nalee remembered her work as a housemaid. “They promised to pay me three thousand baht ($83 USD) per month but they only paid that every two months.”

Her employer always reminded her that the police would arrest her if she tried to escape.

After six years, she decided she couldn’t take it anymore and quit. She escaped to work at a construction site. This is where she met her future Thai husband.

“I thought finally I achieved my dream with my new family, but it was not to be. I continued to work hard at the construction site alongside with my husband, until I became pregnant with my second child.”

Her marriage was not officially documented.

“We moved to Khonkhean to work on the rice fields, but I could not earn because I had to take care of two little children. My husband went back to Bangkok to find a job.”

Her husband did not sent her money, and she found it difficult to move about the country with no income and an undocumented marriage.

“I had no rights to register for an official marriage because I had no document. I had no rights to make a decision for my family, even with the property that I earned. It was not fair. I did not know where I should go when I needed help.”

“I lived with fear of the authorities and abuse from my Thai husband. I missed my hometown, my family. I just wanted to go back home.”

In 2012, after 10 years in Thailand, Nalee hire a Thai a smuggler helped her cross the border by riding a small boat to cross the Mekong back into Lao.

In 2014, Nalee became involved with World Vision’s end trafficking in person project in Savannaket. 

“At first, I just attended World Vision’s activity on behalf of my parents.”

Few monthly later Nalee volunteered to work with World Vision’s End Trafficking in Person Project. She started by helping with the child protection network in her village. She was trained on child’s rights and community advocacy.

After that, she decided it was the right time to share about her own experiences.

“She was very active participant. We saw the potential of developing her into a co- trainer at the district level. We decided to train her on being a good facilitator, coaching, and counseling,” says Phavanna Phommasene, Field Officer of World Vision’s End Trafficking in Person Project.

Soon Nalee became a co-trainer with a district counterpart to help World Vision set up child clubs and run activities. She is responsible for facilitating child club activities in four villages. She is able to earn for living and keep her second child in school.

“We identify the vulnerable groups, work with peer educators, and train them on child rights, child protection, safe migration, human trafficking and other life skills,” Nalee shares.

In each child club, there are about 35 members, with 15 peer educators. Peer educators reach out to their friends in the village and at school.

Nalee is now busy and happy. She is now well known with children and youth as ‘Teacher Nalee’. They treat her with respect and trust what she tells them. She hopes that her story will remind others to prepare themselves if they decide to leave for migrant work. 

“I do not want other young people follow their ‘dream’ like me."