About HAEA
About Horizon Asia Educational Association
Horizon Asia Educational Association (HAEA) — legal name Horizont Asien Bildungsverein — is a registered Austrian association (ZVR 1754047403) that runs free English, GED, and skills education for 200+ students in Thailand, Malaysia, and Myanmar migrant communities.
Our mission
We make education accessible where it’s otherwise out of reach — weekly in-person classes in Koh Tao, Zoom lessons for rural Malaysia and Myanmar, and sponsored courses for students ready to go further. Students set the goal; HAEA connects them to the teacher, course, or exam fee that gets them there.
How it began
Founders Valerie Johnstone and Pascal Bickel met at a hostel in Bangkok and found a shared interest in humanitarian work. What began as ESL lessons and small-scale digital literacy support in rural Myanmar, Malaysia, and Thailand grew into HAEA’s six program areas today.
Horizon Asia’s work began in 2020, when co-founder Valerie Johnstone started the Pos Woh Education Centre (PWECOA) for the Semai Orang Asli community of Pos Woh, Perak, Malaysia. What started as one village education project grew into programs across Thailand and Malaysia — and in February 2024, the organisation was formally registered in Austria as Horizont Asien Bildungsverein (ZVR 1754047403).
Who runs HAEA
- Valerie Johnstone — Founder
- Pascal Bickel — Co-Founder
- Kevin Keelan — Marketing & Digital Fundraising Adviser
- Tirapisen Osman — Education Coordinator. A former HAEA student from Malaysia’s Semai indigenous community, Tirapisen completed teacher training with SUKA Society through HAEA sponsorship and now coordinates HAEA’s education programs. Her student journey is on /impact/.
- Maria “Magui” do Canto — Volunteer Teacher (ESL, Arts, Computer Skills)
- Shahrizman Khalem — Community Liaison and Support Specialist
- Maroezka Williams — Volunteer Teacher (ESL)
Legal identity
Legal name: Horizont Asien Bildungsverein (Horizon Asia Educational Association)
ZVR-Zahl: 1754047403
Registered: 26 February 2024, Bezirkshauptmannschaft Feldkirch
Seat: Zwischenwasser, Vorarlberg, Austria
Volunteers, and a hostel as our base
Our Koh Tao programs run out of Wonderland Jungle Hostel, whose common area hosts 12 weekly English and GED classes and houses two students while they complete their GED. Every other program area depends on volunteers — teachers, mentors, specialists giving time in person or over Zoom. See open roles →
Horizon Asia Educational Association is a registered Austrian association (ZVR 1754047403, registered 26 February 2024) supporting 200+ students across Thailand, Malaysia, and Myanmar migrant communities. Verified 2026-07-21.
Horizon Asia Educational Association — verified 2026-07-21