Migrant school health project
Expanding access to basic healthcare and education for migrant studentsThe Khan Foundation Implementing partners:
Foundation for Education and Development
Location:
Takua Pa, Thailand
Project duration:
Ongoing since 2024
Sustainable Development Goals:
4, 10, 17
Background
The Foundation for Education and Development (FED) works with migrant communities along the Thai–Myanmar border who face barriers to healthcare and education. Migrant learning centres often lack access to even basic health services, leaving children vulnerable to untreated illnesses, poor dental hygiene, and limited health knowledge. The Khan Foundation partnered with FED to expand school health programs, ensuring that children can learn in safe and supportive environments while building lifelong habits of self-care.
The challenge
Migrant children face multiple health challenges. Limited financial resources and lack of legal status restrict their access to government health services. Dental care and nutrition are consistently overlooked, with many children suffering preventable problems. Schools lacked teaching resources for health education, and clinics struggled to meet growing student needs. Without intervention, children risk both poor health outcomes and disrupted education.
Our approach
FED, with support from The Khan Foundation, developed a comprehensive school health program combining clinical care, preventative education, and systemic support:
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- School clinics: Provided consultations and treatments to student patients across three schools.
- Health education: Delivered lessons in basic health and wellbeing with tailored content for smaller learning centres.
- Preventive dental care: Introduced monthly fluoride treatments for students, many receiving dental care for the first time.
- Physical examinations: Conducted health check-ups for students across three schools.
- Health textbook development: Wrote and printed a 144-page middle school health textbook, distributing copies to students and partner centres.
- Insurance inclusion: Registered students for Thai government health insurance and Migrant Fund (Mfund) insurance.
- Student leadership: Established an after-school health club teaching first aid and primary care, preparing interns to support school clinics.
Impact
975+
students covered by school health clinics
750
receiving regular health education and preventative dental care
2,000+
patient consultations delivered per year
1
new school health textbook produced for learning centres
Lessons learnt
The integration of health services and education strengthens both student wellbeing and learning outcomes. Preventive dental care and health insurance access are major breakthroughs, though long-term challenges remain in addressing nutrition and serious dental treatment, both of which require parental engagement and external professional support. Vaccination campaigns present another opportunity but will require increased staffing and funding. Overall, the project demonstrates how school-based health interventions can provide holistic support for vulnerable migrant children and their families.
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