There are more than 40,000 Burmese people living in refugee camps at Mae La on the Thai/Burma border. Most are fleeing persecution from the army and have been living in makeshift conditions for many years.

In Wollongbar, David Ellem has converted part of a shed at his parents house into an office where he co-ordinates fundraising and awareness raising activities for a relief organisation working in Mae La called Partners Relief and Development Australia.

David and the national director of Partners, Nathan Willis, have just completed a three-week speaking tour of Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

“We got so many people who have come up with creative ways to help,” David said. “There was a craft group which is going to knit beanies and jumpers for kids in some of the colder areas... in Sydney there was a surf lifesaving group who did a relay where they swam 60 kilometres and raised a fair bit of money.”

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates there are currently about 116,000 registered Burmese refugees in nine camps along the Thai/Burma border. David said meeting so many people who were concerned about the situation in Burma was inspiring.

“If you get angry what do you do? You can do something positive,” he said.

Last Friday David helped organise a three course meal and an auction at the Alstonville Baptist Church auditorium that raised $7000.

They also auctioned off 25 framed photographs taken in Burma by various photographers.

“The highlight was 11 refugees who are now based in Brisbane came down and spoke and sang and danced,” David said.

Burmese refugees were the highest group to come into Australia through our humanitarian visa program in 2007/08 and are likely to be the largest group again in 2008/09.