MYANMAR DELEGATION NOVEMBER 2023
episode 2
A small delegation from the Rotary Club of Essendon travelled to Myanmar in November 2003 to complete the following projects
1. Hope for Myanmar Childrens Home
2 Step In Step Up Vocational Training
3 Mary Chapman School for the Deaf
4 The Myanmar Liver Foundation
5 The Rotary Club of Yangong
HOPE for MYANMAR CHILDREN'S HOME
Our first project was to the Hope for Myanmar Childrens Home on the outskirts of Yangon. We had all carried many extra’s for the children including balls, skipping ropes, pencils, exercise books, and other toys. We met with Grace and Run (HMCH Directors) at the Hmawbi market on the outskirts of Yangon.
They look after the Childrens Home, and we bought an abundance of Rice and lots of other food needs plus some towels and mosquito nets for them on the way to the farm. It was an extremely humid day in the market and the funds supplied ($1,000) by the Rotary Club of Essendon was well spent and will supply over 6 months of supplies for the Childrens Home.
At the farm we inspected the animals (chooks, ducks and cows, and checked out the banana plants (500) and the large vegetable patch. We met the children and spent some quality time with them.
We also checked the condition of buildings and the road to the farm which was paid for by the RCE, and it was in good condition after the wet season which was a relief and very pleasing.
STEP IN STEP UP VOCATIONAL TRAINING
We travelled across the River to meet with Jackie Appel the CEO of Step In Step Up (SISU), and the team from Step In Step Up (SISU) Vocational Training project. The SISU group has taken over the Dulwich College (who have left Myanmar) a large College building which was left idle when the Military Government took over in 2021. SISU runs all their training here and pays minimal rental. The Vocational training program aims to give young adults low level job ready skills to ensure they get employed in Yangon.
Child trafficking criminal activity is rife in Yangon. Children are trafficked for their “human organs” into China, Thailand and India and this project aims to stop that. Rotary Club of Essendon has made a significant donation towards this important work. (Over AUD$35,000 this year) and a further $35,000 next year (2024).
We also went and had a look at the ghetto area which is quite close by, where all the students come from. It’s quite a dirty and is a slum area which has many poor families who have no education, job prospects or sanitation. We also “muled” from Australia 250 small solar lights for SISU students to use at night as most of them have no electricity or lighting to help study at night. Jackie was very grateful. We toured many of the classes including hospitality, English, computer skills, first aid, barister and sewing. We also bought many of the items made by the students which they were selling. We invited Jackie and her staff to join us for dinner that evening, which they did and we had a great night with plenty of chat and laughter.
MARY CHAPMAN SCHOOL for the DEAF
We had our driver take us to the Mary Chapman School for the Deaf where the RCE has contributed funding $4500 to the supply and installation of a commercial size Dishwasher for the school’s use. All students are fed lunch every day and borders three times a day, and the dishwasher is a really useful facility as it reduces the incidence of water infections in the students as the dishwasher heats the water which kills the bacteria. We also took books, sports balls and clothes from DIK which they loved.
The school also teaches the older students in a Beauty Shop which includes hair and nail treatments – we had our nails done which was very professional and such an amazing experience with the deaf girls being very attentive. They also had a massage training program. A lot of the local Embassy staff use he Beauty Sho and the Massage Centre which helps with the funding of the school. Finally we toured the new School Museum which was most interesting and it was noted that Helen Keller visited the school in the 1950’s.
We will complete our story in episode 3 to be released 31 January 2024
If you are interested in joining with us to support the people of Myanmar contact secretary@rce.org.au
