Atlas Asia continues to expand into new areas, as they now partner with the incredible project: Lanna Rugby Club, Thailand.
Lanna Rugby Club has been running in Chang Mai since 2018. In the 2020-21 season, Lanna Rugby Club partnered with the Kids Ark Foundation, a local NGO in Chiang Mai that works with disadvantaged young people who are mostly children of migrant workers and offers care and education to disadvantaged children and youth in marginalised groups facing socio-economic difficulties in the north of Thailand. With the grant provided they are able to include NGOs Baan Dek Foundation into our programme.
The aim of the organisation is to grow rugby in Northern Thailand so that all members of our community can grow socially, emotionally and physically. We also hope that by doing this we can help ingrain rugby’s core values of integrity, passion, solidarity, discipline and respect for our young athletes. The main language of instruction is English. As we develop our partnership Lanna Rugby Club are keen to engage with the English Learning platform we have delivered into other projects.
Working Collaboratively to Achieve Holistic Support
Working in partnership with the Kids Ark Foundation, and alongside NGOs Baan Dek Foundation, Lanna Rugby is focused on supporting young people who traditionally do not have access to high-quality coaching and education to be able to do so through rugby. They believe in a fully inclusive atmosphere which benefits all members and their communities.
About Kids Ark
For over 20 years, Kids Ark Chiang Mai has been a beacon of hope for children in Thailand, providing support to some of the most vulnerable young people. Since 2020, Lanna Rugby Club has partnered with Kids Ark to create a safe and fun environment where children can play rugby, build social skills, and learn teamwork and leadership. Through this partnership, rugby has become more than just a game—it’s a reason for these children to dream, grow, and focus on brighter futures.
Despite Thailand’s rapid economic growth, many children, especially those from ethnic minorities, live in extreme poverty. Without access to proper healthcare or education, they face significant challenges that leave them vulnerable to child labor, early marriage, and high-risk trades. Tragically, some even fall victim to trafficking or exploitation, trapped in cycles of poverty that are difficult to break.
Kids Ark believes in the power of knowledge and opportunity to change lives. By providing children with education, support, and safe spaces, Kids Ark equips them with the tools they need to overcome adversity and break free from the dangers that threaten their futures.
About Baan Dek Foundation (BDF)
Guided by its 2022-2025 Strategic Plan, all programs within Baan Dek Foundation (BDF) are structured across the foundation’s three programmatic pillars.
Baan Dek Foundation (BDF) is a Thai-registered foundation with the mission to improve the well-being of vulnerable children and their families living in urban slums and construction site camps in Thailand. BDF supports children and their parent’s immediate needs (access to healthcare, education, and child protection services), empowers their communities through a peer-to-peer approach (training for youth, adults, and women) and creates systemic change in the Thai construction sector (advocacy).
By using a collaborative approach, Lanna Rugby Club is inspiring hope and helping to build a brighter tomorrow for Thailand’s children- one game at a time. We are so proud to have been given the opportunity to partner with Lanna Rugby Club and are excited for the road ahead.