KASEMSRI, 23 YEARS
Director of catering and accommodation and training instructor at the hospitality school in Mae Sot, Thailand.
Student from the school’s first academic year in 2010.
In countries where tourism is a buoyant sector and constitutes an incredible lever for economic and social development, the IECD offers its support for the creation or improvement of hospitality-catering schools. They welcome young people from underprivileged backgrounds who have limited access to education and who are forced to accept the most insecure jobs.
Kasemsri is 23 years old and comes from the small Karen village of Poblaqui in Thailand. She is the third of five brothers and sisters. In Karen families, 3/4 of young girls from 15 to 20 years entrust their spouses with meeting the family’s needs. Kasemsri chose another path.
“When I was very young, I signed up for the hospitality-catering training course, my parents were faced with much criticism: some people from my village claimed that the hotel and catering business was a den of iniquity. I would never have gone beyond primary school if I hadn’t been for the support of my parents and the school. Eight years later, I am the Operations Director for a hotel-restaurant and a teacher at the hospitality school in Mae Sot! “
Today, Kasemsri has become an example for many mothers who seek her advice for their daughters.
“The only thing you have to do is dare to do it! I fight every day to raise my son, help new students, and improve my skills. It’s very tiring, but I manage. My greatest dream is to have a small restaurant and an amazing family! In fact, I have almost fulfilled my dream!”
