Baan Unrak Children’s Home

Baan Unrak “Home of Joy”, is a children’s home and community development project in Sangkhlaburi, Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand.  The Baan Unrak Home was founded in 1991 by its current Director, Didi Devamala, in order to provide for one young girl in need of shelter, food, love and safety. One child quickly became two; two quickly became three, and so on. Today, Baan Unrak has grown to accommodate and care for more than 135 children that are orphaned (often from parents suffering from illnesses related to HIV and AIDS), sick and poverty stricken, many of whom are Burmese refugees fleeing persecution.  Most of the children at Baan Unrak are border children lacking legal papers claiming their national identity.  

Our philosophy, The Neo Humanist Philosophy, is the guiding principle of our project. Stated simply, we believe that we should love and care for all beings, and this is implemented in our home and in everything we do.  Baan Unrak offers life saving relief in the form of food, shelter and medical care, but we don’t stop there.  We continue to help families rebuild their future through long-term recovery programs. Baan Unrak is more than just bricks and mortar acting as a shelter for these destitute families, it provides hope of a brighter future.  

We strive to be as sustainable and self-sufficient as possible. With our accredited primary school (that we founded in 2004), and offering vocational training, and relief for vulnerable people outside the home, we are recognized for our commitment to innovation. We work at the heart of the Sangkhlaburi community, where we strive to help people to help themselves.

Many children arrive at our door and don’t even know their own name.

These are the forgotten border children. Help us to give them a voice.

Give Love.  Give a Life.