Development and Education Programme for Daughters and Communities (DEPDC) is a non-profit, community based NGO (non-governmental organization) working in Thailand to prevent child exploitation and prostitution and defending vulnerable minor's rights. The DEP, later the DEPDC, was originally founded in 1988 by Sampop Jantraka[1], as a response to the practice of selling young children into the sex industry. Women and children of Thai nationality are being increasingly victimized, but additionally and especially vulnerable to this type of exploitation are children of refugee, or "stateless", status, who have no citizenship and therefore no access to education, health care or legitimate work opportunities. The DEPDC offers free education, vocational training and full time accommodation for young girls and boys, and helps combat human trafficking in the Mekong Sub-Region.[2]
Founder Sompap Jantraka has been twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work. The DEPDC's stated mission is to "aim to instill self-confidence and positive attitudes among the children as well as improve the material, social, and spiritual quality of life for these children and their communities." [3]
The projects of association are sponsored and supported by ILO, UNICEF, USAID, Oxfam Netherlands and others. In addition, The Thailand Project: Higher Education as Humanitarian Aid [4] proposes to partner non-governmental organizations with American universities with the goal of offering educational opportunities to stateless young women like those who attended DEPDC in order to give these individuals the tools to return to their home country and work to combat the conditions that cause child exploitation and prostitution.
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