This project, based in Northern Thailand's Nan Province , uses a holistic approach to address a variety of issues including education, leadership, youth, environment, culture and children's rights.

The Nan Tribal Community Strengthening Project works in four Hmong villages and two Lua villages in Nan Province . In these communities social problems related to drug addiction, trafficking (drug and human), labour abuse and transmigration are placing unprecedented stress on families and village unity. The needs within the communities are complex; and a multi-pronged project is being implemented. The Nan Project uses a holistic approach, focusing on education and learning, but also working towards leadership capacity building and community economic development.

Previously, the project worked to build the leadership capacity of tribal youth leaders. In the past 15 years traditional communities in northern Thailand have experienced rapid change as they modernise and are exposed to a range of external influences such as globalisation, cash economies, materialism, consumerism, pop culture, education, new laws, complex citizenship processes and healthcare. The changes have created a new generation gap between parents and their children and have led to further problems, such as drug use and destruction of the environment.

The Nan project has been designed to respond to these kinds of issues as well as act as a bridge between youth and their traditional communities. The project does not just focus on youth, but works with youth, their families and their traditional communities.

The solutions are as diverse as the problems facing these communities. To address the financial and health problems, MMF is assisting communities in creating chemical free pesticides and organic gardens. Traditional herbal medicine is also being taught to generate income for practitioners and improve health of the communities. To address the environmental issues, communities are planting forests around their villages and beginning other more sustainable agricultural practices. These activities foster relationships among community members and combat generational gaps by strengthening community unity.