A Parish Story from Mae Sot | Thailand

While our primary focus is on the United States, we are always thrilled to hear stories of the broader Parish Movement from all over the world. This week we are eager to tell you about Sia, who shared her Parish Story in San Diego at the 2022 Cultivate Gathering.

Inhabiting our parish means staying alert to injustice and recognizing the systems and structures that devalue some inhabitants because of their identity. Sia Kukaewkasem lives in a small city in her home country of Thailand called. This border town near Mynamar has a large migrant population with many women and children at risk of gender-based and domestic violence.

In 2016, Sia founded the Freedom Restoration Project (FRP) that aims to eliminate gender-based violence amongst her neighbors and empower survivors to turn fear into safety, helplessness into strength, and isolation into hope. Sia is a survivor of domestic violence and as a result, is passionate about helping families and neighborhoods end all gender-based violence issues. Kukaewkasem’s life goal is for people to experience healing and to recognize the power of their story and their voice.  

Sia Kukaewkasem

“A world without violence starts with our voice and action.”

FRP runs local peer support groups led by licensed mental health providers and provides emergency housing for women and children in unsafe situations. The services include up to 6 months of shelter, case management, safety planning, individual counseling, support groups, advocacy, food, clothing, crisis intervention, referral, and emergency relocation funds (as available). They teach parenting classes, and in the wake of the COVID19 pandemic, they began to provide food to families who are increasingly at risk but don’t qualify for other social protection programs.

To learn more about FRP and to connect with Sia, visit the Freedom Restoration Project’s website: frpthailand.org.