Summary
Fifty years of conflict in Burma have had a devastating effect on the overall quality of life and opportunities available in the country. Yet some organisations remain dedicated to ensuring that the country’s youngest generation receives the education necessary to get the most out of life. One organisation, the Arakanese Youth Network Society (AYNS) is committed to improving the education offered to children in Guwa, a poor fishing village on the Bay of Bengal.
A priority in implementing their extensive plans was the renovation of a rundown school building, which would make it easier to gain the cooperation of the community and attract more sponsors to invest in school operational costs.
In order to help AYNS stay committed to its mission, we facilitated a donation from the Netherlands to cover the costs of the renovation.
Background
Despite the positive social changes that have occurred in Burma in recent years, there continues to be political unrest in many parts of the country. An example of this is in the Arakan State in west Burma where there has been ongoing conflict between Buddhist and Islamic groups. These conflicts have led to a systematic deterioration in the standards of education for the youth in this area.
The Arakanese Youth Network Society, an initiative of local social workers, is committed to improving the quality of education in Guwa with the intention of offering the students opportunities to graduate with skills that will allow them to find employment.
Goals and Results
Thanks to the donation from the Netherlands the school renovation project was completed by the end of 2012. Each year 180 students aged five to 15 can now attend Guwa School in a safe and healthy learning environment.
