Borderless Friendship Western Australia Inc. (BFWA) is a not-for-profit organisation, incorporated in November 2010, which supports the work of Borderless Friendship Foundation (Thailand) (BFF). BFWA does this through advocacy and fundraising and by directing these funds towards accommodation, education, health and sustainability.

 We are small and grass-roots. We know that the funds we raise go directly to the children because we are there regularly. We are in frequent contact with the BFF Director and hostel caregivers in Thailand. All expenditure is considered and we ensure it is stretched as far as possible.

Our Purpose

The purpose of BFWA is to support BFF Thailand in their efforts to provide the best possible* opportunities* for healthy, safe and rewarding lives* for the hill tribe children and youth in their care, ensuring inclusivity of parents and family*. Their focus is to provide safe accommodation with access to education and working towards self-sustainability.

[*] By ‘best possible’ we mean what is achievable and realistic through funding provided by BFWA.

[*] By ‘opportunities’ we mean living in BFWA funded hostels or accommodation provided by entities/individuals of whom BFWA approve and whom BFWA support.

[*] By ‘safe and rewarding lives’ we mean full of purpose, productive and engaged.

[*] By ‘in their care’ we mean living in our hostels or accommodation provided by entities/individuals of whom they approve and with whom they are in partnership.

[*] By ‘ensuring inclusivity of parents and families’ we note the importance of the inclusion of all members of the family whenever possible.

BFWA Committee

A volunteer-led committee manages Borderless Friendship WA.

Dr Lorel Mayberry, (PhD Public Health - Sexology)

President, BFWA

Lecturer, Dept of Sexology, Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA

Lorel is the inaugural president of Borderless Friendship WA (BFWA) which was founded in 2010. She works closely with Pramote Eua-amnuay, President, Borderless Friendship Foundation, Thailand (BFF), his family and the wonderful caregivers at all the hostels. One of her many roles is to coordinate our sponsorship program for over 400 children and young people.

Lorel’s passion for community development was sparked when she was a participant in a Rotary Group Study Professional Exchange (GSE) in 1994 to Arkansas, USA. During that trip she heard about the work of Pramote in Thailand. Her admiration for the work of Rotary continues and she has been awarded multiple Paul Harris Fellow awards. Lorel is often asked to speak at Rotary clubs and other organisations about sexuality and the work with hill tribe children.

In between Lorel’s university commitments in sexology, and relationship and sexuality education (RSE) at Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, she and husband Tony travel frequently to Northern Thailand. They work in partnership with Lahu (a hill tribe group) friends to enhance the lives of hill tribe children.

At least once a year, Lorel works with Thak and Yadaw Eua-Amnuay to co-facilitate weekend-long relationship and sexuality workshops with 50+ hill tribe teenagers. The content includes self-identity, puberty and caring for your body, understanding emotions, enhancing relationships, sexual issues such as STIs, sexual rights and protective behaviours, awareness about pornography, parenting, and identifying goals and dreams. (see What We Do – Education, Mooditj).  

BFWA has been supporting hill tribe children and young people to live in safety and remain at school. We are proud that 62 young hill tribe people are now studying at university or vocational education. A decade ago, hill tribe students were struggling to finish primary school.

Peter Sim, Vice President and Treasurer

Anne Arnold, Secretary

Jordina Quain, Committee Member

Murray Meaton, Committee Member

BFWA Patron

Professor Rosemary Coates (AO) BMedSc; BA; BSc; PGDipEd; MSc; PGDipBioethics; PhD

Retired Professor, Sexology, Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA

As Patron of BFWA, Prof Coates uses her experience and networks to build and grow both the community-based approach to health education, and to raise awareness of the issues facing hill tribe children and youth. She was awarded the Order of Australia in recognition of her national and international work and her contribution to medical education.

Prof Coates has an international reputation for her work in both sexual health and medical ethics. She is the Past President of the World Association for Sexual Health and has been the President of the Australian Reproductive Health Alliance, President of Family Planning Australia and Chair of the Western Australian AIDS Council.

Previously, Prof Coates was a Technical Advisor for the Reproductive Health and Research Unit of the World Health Organisation. She was a member of the Gender and Rights Advisory Panel; the Sexual Health and Human Rights Committee and the Sexual Health Indicators working group. She was also part of the working group for the revision of section F52 of the International Classification of Disease (WHO).

She established the Sexual Health Research & Education Unit at Curtin University and developed the first Masters program in Forensic Sexology in the world.