A teenage survivor of human trafficking has successfully launched his own small business venture to help further his education in Thailand.

Aspiring chef Annan, who originally comes from an impoverished village on the Thai-Burmese border, began making jewelry earlier this year in bid to continue his culinary school classes.

The 18-year-old is the first person in his family to ever receive an education and is determined to create a better future for himself after spending the last five years under the care of Not For Sale Thailand’s Director Kru Nam.

Sales from dozens of his bracelets, which are now available from The Not For Sale Store, have enabled the proud teenager to pay 3,000 THB ($100) towards his own transport, ensuring he can attend school every day. He is also using the money to provide food for his extended family.

The fourth oldest of eight children, Annan was forced to spend much of his childhood selling drugs across the border because he belongs to an ethnic-minority tribal group, who are denied citizenship in both Thailand and Myanmar.

This eternal state of limbo prevented Annan from availing of any basic social services, including health-care and education, and also prevented his family from working legally in either country.

Struggling to support his large family, Annan’s father Pornthep began selling the highly addictive narcotic Ya-Ba, to both Thai and foreign tourists at the border.

However, he quickly discovered that the drug could fetch a higher price if he smuggled it directly into Thailand for the tourists because it is a crime that carries with it a penalty of life imprisonment.

At the tender age of 11, Annan was forced to take over the smuggling operation because his father got cold feet after a family friend was shot dead by border patrol.

Annan told Not For Sale that he feared for his life every single day before meeting some of the Not For Sale Thailand team at the age of 13 and moving into their Children’s Home.

With the help of Kru Nam’s team, Annan obtained official status to legally live, work and study in Thailand. He slowly learnt to read and write before enrolling in culinary classes.

Now 18, Annan is continuing his studies and also works as the chef’s assistant in a boutique resort near the border.

His success has inspired several of his male family members to consider enrolling in Not For Sale’s drug rehabilitation program in Thailand. Meanwhile, his mother and sisters are also working towards a brighter future by selling local noodle dishes, which Annan taught them to prepare.

Christina Hebets, Director of International Projects at Not For Sale, says: “Annan’s entrepreneurial spirit allows him to create his own future, free of exploitation. We hope to provide similar skills to all 125 kids under Kru Nam’s care, who will all eventually need jobs and opportunities to ensure they don’t fall prey to human traffickers again.”