About Borderless Friendship WA (BFWA)

Borderless Friendship Western Australia Inc. (BFWA) is a not-for-profit organisation, incorporated in November 2010.

We advocate for and raise funds to support hill tribe children and youth in Northern Thailand. These funds are directed towards safe accommodation, access to education, healthcare, and sustainable living initiatives.

We are a small, grassroots organisation, and we pride ourselves on transparency and direct impact. Our committee members travel regularly to Thailand, maintain close contact with local hostel caregivers, and ensure all expenditures are carefully considered and maximised for impact.

Our Purpose

Our purpose is to provide the best possible opportunities for safe, healthy, and rewarding lives for hill tribe children and youth. This includes working with families and communities to ensure long-term inclusivity and sustainability.

Key principles that guide our work:

  • Best possible: Achievable and realistic through the funds and support provided by BFWA and partners.

  • Opportunities: Access to education, health care and a loving environment.

  • Safe and rewarding lives: Lives filled with hill tribe culture, purpose, engagement and productivity.

  • Children in care: Living in trusted, safe and approved hostels overseen by hill tribe leaders.

  • Inclusivity of families: Encouraging the involvement of parents and family wherever possible.

Our Approach

  • 100% volunteer-led based in Western Australia with supporters around the world.

  • Funds go directly to programs on the ground in Northern Thailand.

  • Regular site visits and ongoing communication with local caregivers ensure funds are used effectively.

  • We focus on long-term, sustainable outcomes for children and hill tribe communities.

Leadership

BFWA is led by a passionate and experienced volunteer committee.

Dr. Lorel Mayberry
President, Borderless Friendship WA
PhD (Public Health - Sexology)
Lecturer, Department of Sexology, Health Sciences
Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia

Lorel

Lorel is the inaugural president of Borderless Friendship WA (BFWA) which was founded in 2010. She works closely with all the wonderful caregivers at all the hostels. One of her many roles is to coordinate our sponsorship program for over 380 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 BFF President, Pramote Eua-Amnuay 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 hill tribe friends to enhance the lives of hill tribe children.

At least once a year, Lorel works with hill tribe leaders 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 65 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.