MMM Skills Training Centre

The purpose is to provide a safe and structured living environment that hosts up to 12 disadvantaged local youth at any one time, providing training and qualifications in building, plumbing and electrical trades. Cohorts will start small with four youth in the first year and then program growth planned when the project is well established within the first few years.

Currently, youth in Chiang Rai, particularly from rural hill tribe and refugee communities leave school early, lack access to further education and have no stable accommodation in towns nor funding to pursue training and work opportunities. Without support and opportunity, these youth face chronic unemployment, exploitation and unsafe work conditions, perpetuating the existing cycles of intergenerational poverty.

MMM have been in Thailand for over 20 years and have built relationship and trust in the community. Through this, they’ve had the opportunity to hear the biggest concerns and needs shared by rural and marginalised communities. A big need is from these communities is the desire to see children have the opportunity to finish their education and gain employable life-skills, enabling youth now and future generations to step out of poverty and transform the lives of individuals, families and communities. This project is established to address this need. Youth who finish the training will have formal qualifications in their studied trade and can go out and apply for work in their field.

Project timeline from late 2026:

• 2026: recruit staff leaders, establish necessary local partnerships including suitable accommodation for the first youth cohort that will be offsite while construction is underway, develop the site masterplan, begin youth recruitment process
• 2027: begin ground works and building, continue recruitment process, finalise the first cohort for May 2027 commencement
• 2028: finish the site and open it for students and staff
• 2029: first full year of complete program onsite, regular monitoring and evaluation of progress continuing through 2031

Baptist Mission Australia is excited to partner with MMM and we invite all MMM supporters to pray for this project and financially support, if you are able to. All donations to this project are tax-deductible. If you have any questions, please email: projects@baptistmissionaustralia.org.