About the organization:
“SISTERS” is the first foundation to provide counseling and guidance exclusively for transgender women by transgender women in Thailand, also known as SISTERS Center Pattaya, which was founded in June 2004. SISTERS was registered as a foundation in Thailand in September 2014. For almost 17 years, SISTERS has been serving the transgender community in Pattaya and is the largest trans-led service provider in Thailand. Pattaya is known as capital city of transgender people in Thailand. SISTERS is run by professionally trained transgender leaders and staff; the largest hiring agency of trans individuals in Thailand. SISTERS not only works to promote equal access to healthcare services and to advocate for a healthy-lifestyle and well-being of trans people in Pattaya and in Thailand. Annually, SISTERS serves over 3,700 to 4,300 clients in Pattaya and nearby provinces.
About the campaign:
In Thailand, SISTERS Foundation has worked hand in hand with the trans communities to provide support during the pandemic by starting the campaign titled “Toey Cha-Na” or “Trans will win”. This project aims to provide food pastry to trans people including immigrant workers who are LGBTIQ+ in Pattaya city, Thailand and nearby provinces. With the support from private sectors and the international agency, SISTERS is being able to provide more than 600 bags to the community members whom they cannot reach out the government programs due to their citizenship and discrimination against trans people.
In addition to this project, SISTERS operates day-to-day to provide healthcare services including HIV/STI testing, health consulting, and HIV/STI treatment referral. However, the pandemic has affected SISTERS on their operation due to a decreasing of trans people in Pattaya. Many trans people in Pattaya and nearby provinces now have lost their jobs since the Thai government announced its border restrictions combining with several occasions of lockdown policies due to the pandemic; many members of Sisters decided to move back home where some of them are facing harassment from their unaccepting families. Despite of the government’s policies, trans people are always left out from the governmental programs socially and economically. Also, healthcare services and facilities are not welcome trans people because the services are designed to serve only male and female which has created discomfort to many trans people who desperately need healthcare services. For example, many trans women are forced to stay in the governmental quarantine facilities where they have to share with all male patients because their sex at birth is male.
To continue supporting the trans communities, SISTERS will need support from you to help the organization sustain its work for the trans people as well as to continue hiring experienced staff who help run the program while funding is at stake during the pandemic.
Your donation will help SISTERS run their program and continue to be a “second home” for trans people as this reputation is perceived by the clients/members of SISTERS since its inception. Following are examples of how your donation will contribute to SISTERS’ program and activities:
For more information, please visit the following link:
Website: http://www.sistersthailand.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sistersfoundationTH/
