A New Life: From Oppression to Empowerment at the New Life Center

Abstract

This paper outlines the history and structure of the New Life Center in Chiang Mai, Thailand, an organization that works to combat the exploitation of young women of Thai hill tribe ethnicity. It also includes a discussion of my period of volunteering there. Following these is a discussion of the New Life Center as it relates to the issues of empowerment and sustainability. In terms of empowerment, this paper is concerned with the process of moving from oppression and exploitation to education and empowerment. There is a focus on what tribal women chose to do after having completed their stay at the New Life Center. Key concepts in these discussions are education and development.