On 30-31 August 2025, MAP Foundation organized the 3rd PAR training, at Chiang Mai GrandView, Chiang Mai. This training focused on follow-up data collection and progress reporting from eight sub-grant projects supported by Porticus.

Since 2022, MAP Foundation has provided sub-grants to strengthen migrant community groups in order to advocate for themselves and their communities. This workshop is the third in a series of trainings on Participatory Action Research (PAR) with technical guidance provided by Ajarn Nongyao Nawarat and Ajarn Pisith Nasee, members of MAP’s Board of Directors.

The training enables sub-grant leaders to better understand and resolve the real issues faced in their migrant communities, such as access to labor rights, work conditions and services. It has also strengthened the research, critical, and leadership skills for sub-grant leaders. From this follow-up meeting the groups demonstrated that they have made significant progress, as presented in their developed data collection tools and in the information they collected.

One sub-grant leader reflected:

“I am part of the Pong Yang Agriculture Group. We have been involved in this project for about two years. Before joining, we were working individually, and we did not have a group. With support from Porticus, we established our own sub-grant group and set a goal to build a strong migrant community group and a better community. We now organize waste management in our villages and promote knowledge on chemical use and safe farming practices. In PAR process, we currently have tools, questionaries’ and data collection. From the interview with 23 community leaders, we recognize new finding that most of them use chemicals with no protection equipment and low knowledge about pesticides, only one person used to attend training about pesticide use and safety.”

During the workshop, groups received feedback and suggestions from the trainers - Ajarn Nongyao and Ajarn Pisith, and reviewed lessons learned from data collection, and discussed the next action plan. For groups that faced challenges or were unclear about the PAR process, the session provided an opportunity to ask questions and receive direct guidance.

One community migrant leader (Bangkok sub-grant group) shared their experience:

“We developed questionnaires and reached out to big factories in our area to collect data. While we collected data, we recognized new findings that workers who face lower wages and unable to access services are from small-factories. Thus, we received feedback from Ajarns and we will go to collect data in small factories to assess their situation next. We also learned a lot from exchanging experiences and solutions with other sub-grant groups.”

At the heart of this process is the belief that information is power. Reliable data garnered through quality participatory action research will enable migrant leaders and communities to advocate for more effective and sustainable solutions to the issues they face.