Burma Border Assistance Program: Building Social Capital

Results achieved as of December 31 2013 include: (1) provided essential food and non-food necessities to approximately 119 000 Burmese refugees in Thailand in 2013. Since 2010 a total of 165 633 refugees in Thailand benefitted (94 497 for the entire period 45 275 for three years 15 861 for two years and approximately 10 000 for one year). (2) 14 health partners treated over 314 000 cases in 2013 for a total of 1 322 657 cases since 2010; (3) 2 169 health workers received training in 2013 for a total of 8 602 trained since 2010; and (4) the workforce of trained health providers increased 9.3% in 2013 and a total of 29% since 2010. As a result Burmese communities including refugees internally displaced people and migrants have better access to basic services such as food shelter and health care. Through training and technical support over 60 civil society organizations improved their ability to access research document and disseminate information on environment and development issues human rights and women's rights. The work of these organizations contributes to greater public awareness and access to information. In 2013 the government approved the registration of five media partners enabling them to publish and distribute newspapers in their respective states. Media partners also worked to raise awareness and contribute to national unity by organizing the first ever ethnic media conference in Yangon at which government officials Yangon-based journalists civil society and ethnic political parties participated. Organizations supported by this project are contributing to policy development processes at the national level in Burma. Representatives from two program partners were selected to participate on a national steering committee that work with the government to improve openness and accountable management of revenues from natural resources