The Hidden Hunger Of Refugees Along The Thailand–myanmar Border

By Author: Avoda Foundation
Total Articles: 3
Comment this article

More than 100,000 refugees from Myanmar are living in a state of invisibility along the Thailand–Myanmar border. They are stateless, have no legal right to work, no access to formal education for their children, and no guarantee of daily food. Many of them have fled ethnic and religious persecution yet remain unrecognized by any government. As a result, they are denied even the most basic human rights—such as the right to food.
This is not a distant humanitarian crisis. It is a “silent emergency” unfolding in one of the most visited countries in Asia: Thailand.

A Crisis of Identity, A Crisis of Survival
According to the latest data from UNHCR (May 2025), there are 1.485 million refugees from Myanmar worldwide. In Thailand, approximately 82,400 refugees currently reside in temporary shelters along the Thailand–Myanmar border—most of whom arrived before February 2021. However, tens of thousands remain outside the system, undocumented and unprotected. Many are Karen or Karenni, who have faced discrimination based on their ethnicity and Christian faith. These stateless families are not only battling ...
... hunger, but also struggling to exist in a world where they are rendered invisible.
(Source: UNHCR Operational Data Portal: Myanmar Situation, 2025)
Many children born in refugee areas do not even have a birth certificate. This means they are stateless from birth with no access to schooling, healthcare, or legal employment. Such a lack of opportunity leads to generational poverty, which continues to deepen.
“We don’t want much... just food to eat”
When a 12-year-old girl saw her younger brother crying from hunger, she folded her hands in prayer—not for toys, not for schoolbooks, but simply for “one meal.” That evening, her family received an emergency food box from Avoda Foundation. Inside were herbal porridge and sun-dried bananas—simple items that, for this stateless family, felt like “a priceless gift.”
Stories like hers are not unusual. They are a daily reality. These families are not eligible for government food aid. Parents must take unstable day labor such as crop picking, carrying bricks, or construction—often earning far below the minimum wage. When work is unavailable or illness strikes, they may go entire days without food, just to survive.
Nutrition Is a Human Right
Malnutrition is widespread among refugee children along the Thailand–Myanmar border. The lack of protein and essential vitamins results in stunted growth, weak immune systems, and delayed brain development. Pregnant women often give birth to underweight babies or suffer from anemia.
Here, food insecurity is not just about calories—it’s about long-term community well-being.
For this reason, Avoda Foundation has created Emergency Nutrition Boxes for the most vulnerable refugee families. These meals are culturally appropriate, have a long shelf life, and are ready to eat—ideal for refugees without access to kitchens or cooking equipment.
Avoda: A Mission of Hope and Transformation
Avoda Foundation is a Christian, non-profit organization committed to improving the quality of life for displaced children, families, and stateless individuals along the Thailand–Myanmar border. We focus on urgent needs such as food aid, education, legal protection, and vocational development.
We believe that “quality food” should not be a privilege—it is a basic human right. That’s why our emergency food program exists alongside our school, which offers education to stateless children with no access to formal learning.
In addition, Avoda provides legal assistance, family counseling, and youth development programs to ensure sustainable opportunities—not just for today, but for the future.

Voices from Avoda: Where Hope Begins with Understanding
“We know we can’t change everyone’s life overnight, but we can start with one food box and one moment of listening from the heart,” said one Avoda field staff member, who had walked along muddy trails to reach a newly arrived refugee family.
“When we arrived, their temporary shelter was a fragile bamboo hut without a proper roof. The children sat quietly under a tarp, and the parents didn’t ask for anything. They just looked at us in silence. When we placed the food box in front of them, the mother began to cry without a word.”
Avoda’s work is not just about handing out supplies. It is about affirming human dignity. Every food box says: They matter. They are not forgotten.
The road isn’t easily filled with difficult terrain, language barriers, and legal restrictions. Yet our team keeps going, because we believe that compassion does not need to wait for a perfect world.
Questions Worth Asking
If a child goes to sleep hungry under a tarp in the forest, while our fridge is full—can the world still be called just?
If $10/month can change a life, what are we waiting for?
We only ask that you do not look away.
Be the driving force behind change. Join Avoda’s Emergency Food Aid mission and help restore human dignity to those who need it most.

Click here to become a monthly supporter $10/month
https://www.avodafoundation.org/avoda-foodaid
You’re not just giving. You’re walking with us.