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 The parents and/or grandparents of several of the resident children at the three Starfish Homes are prisoners. In some cases both parents and other relatives are in prison. Most of these people have been convicted of drug trafficking. Carrying methamphetamine into Thailand from Burma is one of the few ways that hill tribe people can earn what looks like to them a substantial amount of cash. However, many are caught and imprisoned for terms of 20 or more years or even executed. In some cases, informers in the villages or even the people who originally arranged the drug purchase have earned a “reward” from Thai authorities by turning in the drug carrier.
 Obviously, loss of the parents and, in particular, loss of the mothers has a terrible effect on the children. In many cases, the father of the children had already abandoned the mother. Commonly, the children end up living with elderly and usually extremely poor grandparents or with the brothers or sisters of one of the child’s parents. Since these relatives often have their own children, the extra mouths to feed present a significant burden for the new caregivers. The living condition of the children of prison inmates is a significant factor in our decision to accept children for either short-term or long-term accommodation at one of the Starfish Homes.
 Realizing that this is a common problem that affects many families in Northern Thailand, about three years ago we became involved with the education program of the Chiangmai Women’s Prison. Many of the approximately 1500 women in the prison are illiterate and enter prison not even speaking Thai. Although the prison had a literacy program, the teachers were prison guards who were untrained as teachers. Consequently, the Starfish Country Home School Foundation now provides all the funds to pay three certified teachers and teaching materials for the education classes at all levels. Many of the women study in the equivalent of kindergarten and start by learning the Thai alphabet. Because they spend three hours a day in classes, their progress to literacy is usually good.
Several women have had babies while in prison. The babies can remain with their mothers for up to two years in a special baby room. We funded equipping the baby room with air conditioning and also routinely provide supplies for the babies. The Chiangmai Women’s Prison will soon move to the site of the Chiangmai Men’s Prison and the Chiangmai Men’s Prison will move to a new site out of town. At the new site, Dr. Rosaria Haugland has committed to provide funds for computers that will be used for vocational training classes for the women.  Because of our special relationship with the Chiangmai Women’s Prison, we are permitted to take the resident children of the Starfish Home inside the prison to be with their mother rather than to have them meet through a screen or window. Our children also write letters to their mothers and, because of their literacy training, some of their mothers can now write back. If the mother is released, which may be years from now, we anticipate re-uniting the families if this is feasible.
Many of the inmate women have children living with relatives who are still poor but able to live in a home. Consequently, the Starfish Country Home School Foundation funds “scholarships” for approximately 20 children per year of inmates of the Chiangmai Women’s Prison. These scholarships are administered through the child’s schools so that we make certain the funds are for the child’s benefit and do not go to purchase of alcohol or drugs by the caregivers. The students are selected following a home visit and discussions with the students, their caregivers and their schools. This is the fourth year we have supported these scholarships. Scholarships can continue until the student has finished the third year of secondary school or until the mother is released from prison, whichever occurs first.
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