A two-week trip to Thailand allowed Daemen University students and faculty to interact with and teach children at risk of human trafficking.
The group of 10 students from various majors, along with Dr. Diane Bessel, an associate professor and the chair of social work and sociology, and Maggie Dreyer, the director of field education and a clinical social worker, took the trip over the university’s winter break as part of IND-348: International Service Learning.
For nearly a week, they completed a services project with the Development and Education Programme for Daughters and Communities Center (DEPDC), a human trafficking prevention and intervention organization in the Greater Mekong Subregion. DEPDC provides several services, including housing, education, trauma-related counseling, and leadership development to those considered stateless due to conflict in their home countries.
Daemen students taught English and life skills and facilitated focus groups for the youth.
“We got to spend five days interacting with the children and ended the week with Children’s Day, which was a huge celebration,” said Lauren Benedict, a senior biology major. “Everyone was so happy. The sound of laughter from the children and adults filled the main room. It was impossible not to have an amazing time celebrating and playing games with the kids.”
Dreyer added, “We toured the most beautiful temples, spent a day with elephants, and learned so much about Thai culture. But the work we did at DEPDC, interacting with stateless children and providing much-needed resources to aid in their efforts to prevent trafficking, was life-changing for us all. We heard directly from those who have experienced or are at the greatest risk of trafficking and were able to offer educational, emotional, and financial support to them through this important exchange.”
Dr. Bessel said the trip helped students foster cultural competence and humility and become aware of the need for humanitarian assistance internationally.
“This trip was a grounding experience for me,” Benedict said. “I’m lucky to have a roof over my head, food to eat, and a place I can call home. Some of the people that we met at DEPDC cannot say the same. They are stateless people. They will likely never be able to return to their home villages due to the civil war in Myanmar. So, my biggest takeaway was to be very thankful for the life I have and not take anything for granted.”
Students can learn more about study abroad and international service learning opportunities by visiting the Global Programs office in Duns Scotus.
