The Border Consortium (TBC)

What The Border Consortium (TBC) does

The Border Consortium (TBC) is a UK-incorporated humanitarian charity and consortium of nine international NGOs from ten countries, founded in 1984 to deliver humanitarian assistance to displaced persons along the Thailand-Myanmar border. TBC's core operations center on nine refugee camps across four Thai provinces (Mae Hong Son, Tak, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi), where it provides monthly food assistance, shelter materials, protection, and support for community-led camp governance to over 100,000 refugees from Myanmar. Beyond the camps, TBC coordinates emergency assistance for displaced communities inside southeastern Myanmar, reaching 260,000 people in 2022.

The organization's service portfolio spans food security and nutrition monitoring (including quarterly Post Distribution Monitoring reports), shelter construction and repair support, livelihoods training (small business, agriculture, livestock), education and healthcare facilitation, community and camp management capacity-building, and emergency response including cash transfers. TBC operates an electronic food card system enabling refugees to purchase food at camp-based shops, supporting dignity and choice in aid delivery. It partners closely with refugee-led organizations including the Karen Refugee Committee (KRC), KnRC, Karen Women's Organization (KWO), KnWO, Muslim Women's Organization (MWO), and youth organizations.

TBC's funding model is dominated by government grants, with approximately 95% of revenue derived from the USA, UK, and Australia, and the balance from private foundations, churches, and individual donors. Headquartered in Bangkok with a registered office in London, TBC is governed by a board of consortium and independent members. The organization is currently navigating a 2025-2026 inflection point: Thailand's October 2025 right-to-work policy has opened new livelihoods pathways, but concurrent donor funding cuts have already reduced food assistance to over 80% of refugee households, prompting a published 2026 strategy emphasizing refugee-led governance and a shift from aid dependence toward self-reliance.

Name

The Border Consortium (TBC)

Legal name

The Border Consortium

Website

https://theborderconsortium.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Border Consortium (TBC) is a UK-registered humanitarian charity, founded in 1984, delivering food, shelter, protection, and livelihoods support to over 100,000 Myanmar refugees across nine Thai border camps and to displaced communities inside southeastern Myanmar, funded primarily by USA, UK, and Australian government donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Aid and Refugee Assistance Services

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Food Services (624210)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC), Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Migration, Refugees & Forced Displacement Assistance (BPADABAL)

Keywords

• Humanitarian assistance
• Refugee support services
• Food security monitoring
• Shelter programs
• Community-led aid

Headquarters

HQ city

Bangkok

HQ country

Thailand

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Funding: Approximately 95% of funding comes from government donors including the USA, UK, and Australia. Funds are used to provide food, shelter, protection, and humanitarian assistance to refugees and displaced persons.
2. Individual and Foundation Donations: TBC receives funding from individuals, private foundations, organizations, and churches. While institutional funding constitutes the majority, individual contributions are valued and provide meaningful support to staff and members.
3. Charitable Donations from General Public: One-time or monthly donations from individuals to deliver food, shelter, and emergency assistance to displaced communities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Border Consortium is a humanitarian charity that provides food, shelter, protection, healthcare, education, livelihoods, and emergency assistance to refugees from Myanmar living in nine temporary shelters along the Thailand-Myanmar border and to displaced persons inside southeastern Myanmar. The organization also facilitates durable solutions including resettlement, local integration, and voluntary return, and supports elected refugee committees and community-based organizations in governing camp life.

Product overview

The Border Consortium (TBC) is a humanitarian NGO, not a technology company. It does not offer a software product, platform, or SaaS offering. TBC provides community-led humanitarian assistance in refugee camps along the Thailand-Myanmar border. Its core programs include food security and nutrition monitoring, shelter support, livelihoods training, education and healthcare support, community and camp management, and emergency response. TBC also produces annual reports, research publications, and camp population monitoring data as informational resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Monthly food assistance to over 100,000 refugees
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered member, core partner, partner and key partner.

• Act for Peace / National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA)memberStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium member organization from Australia. One of nine INGO members from ten countries that form The Border Consortium partnership.
• Christian Aid (UK and Ireland) / Church World Service (USA)memberStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium member organizations. Christian Aid from UK and Ireland, Church World Service from USA. One of nine INGO members from ten countries.
• DanChurchAid (Denmark)memberStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium member organization from Denmark. One of nine INGO members from ten countries.
• Diakonia (Sweden)memberStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium member organization from Sweden. One of nine INGO members from ten countries.
• ICCO Cooperation (Netherlands)memberStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium member organization from Netherlands. One of nine INGO members from ten countries.
• Inter Pares (Canada)memberStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium member organization from Canada. One of nine INGO members from ten countries.
• The IRC (USA)memberStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium member organization (International Rescue Committee) from USA. One of nine INGO members from ten countries.
• Norwegian Church AidmemberStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium member organization from Norway. One of nine INGO members from ten countries.
• ZOA (Netherlands)memberStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium member organization from Netherlands. One of nine INGO members from ten countries.
• Karen Refugee Committee (KRC)core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerHighest representative body of refugees living in camps. KRC coordinates assistance from INGO implementers, liaises with Thai government, UNHCR, and camp visitors. TBC facilitates KRC's role in governance and service coordination.
• KnKaren Refugee Committee (KnRC)core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresentative body for Kareni refugees. TBC facilitates their role in governance and humanitarian coordination.
• Camp Committeescore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRefugee-led camp management committees responsible for day-to-day camp operations and coordination of camp services. TBC supports these committees with technical and financial assistance.
• Karen Women's Organization (KWO) / KnWOcore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen's organizations with large memberships running diverse activities in camps. TBC works extensively with both organizations to promote women's inclusion and representation in camp life.
• Muslim Women's Organization (MWO)core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen's organization representing Muslim refugees in camps. TBC supports their activities and promotes their inclusion in camp governance.
• Youth Organizations (KYO, KSNG, MYO)partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth organizations in camps including Karen Youth Organization, Karen Student Network Group, and Muslim Youth Organization. Organizing activities for camp youth.
• UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)key partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNHCR is a key partner in refugee protection and coordination along the Thailand-Myanmar border.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Relief International: Global humanitarian agency operating in Myanmar and the region on health, food security, and emergency response; comparable in size and mission to TBC though with broader geographic spread.
• Mercy Corps: Global humanitarian NGO with active programs in Myanmar on food security, livelihoods, and emergency response; comparable to TBC in mission but broader geographic footprint and not camp-based.
• Karen Women's Organization (KWO): Large refugee-led women's organization in the Thai-Burma border camps; a core partner of TBC and the most direct peer in terms of community-led refugee assistance in the same camps.

Direct peers

• International Rescue Committee (IRC): One of the nine INGO members of the TBC consortium; operates globally in refugee and humanitarian response including in Myanmar and Thailand, and is a directly comparable humanitarian NGO serving displaced populations.
• Church World Service (CWS): US-based INGO and member of the TBC consortium; operates refugee resettlement, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response, with overlapping institutional ties to TBC.
• Christian Aid: UK/Ireland INGO and TBC consortium member; works on humanitarian response, poverty, and justice globally, including in Myanmar/Thailand contexts.
• Norwegian Church Aid: Norwegian faith-based INGO and TBC consortium member; delivers humanitarian assistance in conflict zones including Southeast Asia, directly comparable in mission and donor base.
• ZOA: Dutch INGO and TBC consortium member; provides humanitarian aid and recovery to people affected by conflict and disaster, with presence in Myanmar and the region.

Broad incumbents

• UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency): The UN agency for refugees, a key coordination partner of TBC; operates across the Thailand-Myanmar border and globally, providing a broader mandate and institutional reference point for refugee assistance.
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): Leading international humanitarian organization providing protection and assistance in conflict zones including Myanmar; overlaps with TBC on conflict-affected populations and is a broader, more established incumbent.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-border-consortium

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Border Consortium (TBC)