Long-term readers who remember New Mandala‘s 2006 interview with pro-Akha activist Daniel McDaniel will be interested to learn of another humanitarian organisation operating among the Akha of northern Thailand.

Sumalee Milne, a graduate of the Australian National University’s Faculty of Asian Studies, is the director of an organisation, the Ayui Foundation, which is expanding its pro-Akha activities around Chiang Rai. The Foundation operates “Baan Ayui” (“Older sister’s house”) as a hostel for young Akha students from particularly disadvantaged backgrounds.

To provide New Mandala readers with more information, I have posted the Ayui Foundation‘s newsletter which provides details on their important work and the place of the Akha in Thai society.