Activities

What's happening in the field.

A running log of the community activities, outreach visits, and gatherings that make up our week-to-week work.

Education November 2, 2026 Mae Sai District, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. 0 students

Raising Awareness and Strengthening HIV and Hepatitis Screening in Eastern Shan State

ESSENCE is working to improve awareness and access to HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C screening among underserved communities in Eastern Shan State. Following preliminary screening at the LKW rehabilitation center, some initial positive results were identified, highlighting the need for greater health awareness, proper follow-up, and access to healthcare services. To support this effort, the ESSENCE Healthcare Manager provided training for healthcare staff on disease awareness, prevention, testing procedures, counselling, confidentiality, and appropriate referrals. After the training, the healthcare team held health education sessions at the center on October 31 and November 1, 2026, helping residents understand these diseases, the importance of prevention, and the upcoming screening program. With more than 200 residents at the center, ESSENCE is planning a larger screening program in collaboration with partner organizations. Support will also be needed for testing supplies, confirmatory tests, referrals, and access to treatment. Through health education, early screening, and stronger partnerships, ESSENCE hopes to help more people access the care and support they need.

View photos & details

Education October 27, 2026 Mae Sai District, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. 19 students

Systems Thinking Training

From October 19 to 20, the ESSENCE Team participated in a Systems Thinking Training workshop, which introduced systems thinking as a practical approach to understanding complex challenges before developing solutions. Through interactive activities, games, group discussions, and real-world case studies, participants learned how to step back and see the bigger picture, identify underlying patterns, and map the feedback loops that drive outcomes across communities, organizations, healthcare, and education. Using models such as the Sustainability Compass, Systems Iceberg, Connection Circles, and Causal Loop Diagrams, participants explored how assumptions, structures, and interconnections influence behavior and results over time. Overall, the training highlighted the value of delaying immediate problem-solving to ask deeper questions, map interconnected factors, and target the root causes of complex problems for sustainable solutions.

View photos & details

Education October 15, 2026 Location TBD 0 students

ICT Training

Start Date: 17 September2026, End Date: 10 October 2026 Topics Covered The ICT training covered the following topics: Creating an Email Account – Learning how to create an email account. Password Recovery – Understanding how to recover a forgotten password. Recovery Email Setup – Learning how to add and set up a recovery email address. Sending Emails – Practicing how to compose and send emails through practical scenarios. Google Drive – Learning how to store and organize photos, videos, and documents, as well as how to share files with others. Google Docs – Practicing document creation, table formatting through practical scenarios, and converting documents into PDF files. Google Forms – Learning how to create and use Google Forms through practical scenarios. Google Sheets – Gaining a basic understanding of Google Sheets and its main functions. Canva – Learning how to create presentation slides and perform basic editing. This was the most enjoyable part of the training. Evaluation and Research Methods – Learning how to evaluate information and assess the credibility of sources using the CRAAP Test. Overall Reflection The ICT training provided practical knowledge and essential digital skills that can be applied in daily work. Among all the topics covered, Canva was the most enjoyable, particularly learning how to create presentation slides and use basic editing tools.

View photos & details

Youth August 13, 2026 Location TBD 0 fellows

International Youth Day

In celebration of 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗮𝘆, we brought together youth from rural communities to create a collaborative space. It was a day for young people to come together and participate in activities that encourage teamwork and communication skills. Even though they came from different contexts, they were all bound by common aspirations for their future, making the event more meaningful and filled with inspiring energy.

View photos & details

Education August 13, 2026 Tachileik Township 302 students

Summer School 2026

The program was successfully concluded after 64 days , from March 15 to May 18, 2026 . The program focused on preserving and promoting Shan culture by providing students with opportunities to learn Shan literature and traditional cultural dance . Key achievements include: 302 students from 10 different villages participated in the program. Students gained knowledge and practical experience in Shan literature and cultural dance . Certificates were awarded to students upon completion of the program. A celebration event was held to mark the successful completion of the program, with active participation from the local community.

View photos & details

Healthcare August 13, 2026 Estern Shan State 28 patients

Citizen Science and Health

The Citizen Science & Health training was conducted from March 17–21 with 28 participants. It focused on basic health promotion, community health awareness, and practical ways to share health knowledge within the community.

View photos & details

Education July 25, 2026 Estern Shan State Participants TBD

Training of Trainers (ToT) 2026

The Training of Trainers (ToT) was conducted over three days with 25 participants, focusing on foundational facilitation skills, discussion leadership, classroom management, and effective approaches for working with community members and learners. 12 March 2026 to 14 March 2026

View photos & details

Healthcare July 25, 2026 LKW Medical Center 8 patients

Health Training

During July 19 to 24, a training session was conducted for eight healthcare workers at Loi Kaw Wan Medical Center (located at the Eastern Shan State, border area of Shan State, Myanmar and Thailand).The training focused on systematic physical examination, respiratory assessment, abdominal examination, common clinical conditions, and case-based discussions. Following the training, participants completed a post-test, achieving an average score of 71%, and demonstrated improved confidence during practical evaluations.

View photos & details

Healthcare June 27, 2026 Estern Shan State 20 patients

NHF conference 2026

On June 26,2026,ESSENCE attended the Dissemination Meeting on Thailand-Myanmar Border Health Policy, organized by the National Health Foundation (NHF). During the meeting, the organization shared frontline perspectives and challenges regarding healthcare delivery in Eastern Shan State, while exploring future collaborations to strengthen cross-border health systems and improve healthcare access for border communities.

View photos & details

Education June 19, 2026 Online 15 students

CalmLab Psychoeducation Training

The CalmLab Psychoeducation Training was conducted over three days, June 16 to 18, 2026 . The training focused on building participants’ understanding of psychoeducation and providing practical knowledge and skills to support emotional well-being and mental health awareness within their communities.

View photos & details