Saturday, 30 June 2012
The Allen Family on their way to CDC
Gaynor Allen, David Lee, Maya, Seth, Imogen and Livvy Allan are on their way to CDC School, Mae Sot and to Rangoon, Burma. Follow their journey on www.ourthaiburmatrip.wordpress.com. (30.6.12)
Wednesday, 27 June 2012
CDC Boarders need food... please help.....
We are currently facing a very severe funding shortage of 18 million Thai Baht (US $600,000 or £364,000) and urgently need your support in helping us run our key services until the end of the year.
Despite the recent changes in Burma, we have yet to see a fall in patient numbers or a decrease in the number of children seeking protection and education. The continuing need for vital health and education services for the border community is evident, but it is becoming more of a struggle to raise the funds needed to continue our activities. We have not received enough donations to cover our funding needs in 2012, which will unfortunately lead to cuts in staff and services unless we receive further support.
In June, just days before World Refugee Day, the clinic held a series of emergency meetings to decide on measures that would minimise the funding shortfall. It was agreed that, effective immediately, staff would receive a 20% cut to their stipend. This will be very hard for everyone when our staff’s average salary is only 4000 baht (approximately £75) per month.
We will also have to reduce the number of staff at Mae Tao Clinic, which is also very distressing; Mae Tao Clinic is not just a workplace for our staff, it is also a home. 95% of our staff are displaced people from Burma.
We are also going to have to reduce our services; this may include any non-essential services and any non-emergency referrals. We are currently also very worried that we will be unable to continue providing dry food rations to the 3,000 unaccompanied children staying in boarding houses.
If there were genuine change in Burma, we would see fewer patients, since Burmese government hospitals would be fully equipped to deal with our caseload and provide affordable health services. We would no longer have such large numbers of unaccompanied children, separated from their families in order to access education or to escape from the threats of forced labour.
Until the day there is genuine peace in Burma and the government can provide quality health and education to all of its people, Mae Tao Clinic will continue serve those in need. But we really need more support to do this. To make a donation, please visit our donate page. Please also pass this urgent message on to your friends and family.
Despite the recent changes in Burma, we have yet to see a fall in patient numbers or a decrease in the number of children seeking protection and education. The continuing need for vital health and education services for the border community is evident, but it is becoming more of a struggle to raise the funds needed to continue our activities. We have not received enough donations to cover our funding needs in 2012, which will unfortunately lead to cuts in staff and services unless we receive further support.
We will also have to reduce the number of staff at Mae Tao Clinic, which is also very distressing; Mae Tao Clinic is not just a workplace for our staff, it is also a home. 95% of our staff are displaced people from Burma.
We are also going to have to reduce our services; this may include any non-essential services and any non-emergency referrals. We are currently also very worried that we will be unable to continue providing dry food rations to the 3,000 unaccompanied children staying in boarding houses.
If there were genuine change in Burma, we would see fewer patients, since Burmese government hospitals would be fully equipped to deal with our caseload and provide affordable health services. We would no longer have such large numbers of unaccompanied children, separated from their families in order to access education or to escape from the threats of forced labour.
Until the day there is genuine peace in Burma and the government can provide quality health and education to all of its people, Mae Tao Clinic will continue serve those in need. But we really need more support to do this. To make a donation, please visit our donate page. Please also pass this urgent message on to your friends and family.
Tuesday, 17 January 2012
The Power of a Photo
Being a follower of Borderline Collective on facebook (the art gallery and coffee shop in Mae Sot), I was sent a link to an article in The Irrawaddy:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=22861
This photo was taken on the rubbish dumps outside Mae Sot. This is the kind of situation many of the Burmese students see or have been through in their lives. Brings tears to your eyes.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=22861
This photo was taken on the rubbish dumps outside Mae Sot. This is the kind of situation many of the Burmese students see or have been through in their lives. Brings tears to your eyes.
Friday, 13 January 2012
Political Prisoners Released Today
Today in Burma some of the highest profile political prisoners (people almost as important to the Burmese as Aung San Suu Kyi) were released. Is this a good sign?
The government released – Min Ko Naing, Ashin Gambira, Khun Tun Oo, Ko Ko Gyi, Khin Nyunt and many more. There is still a great deal of suspision surrounding the government though but we can at least hope this is a step in the right direction. We hope our Burmese friends feel the same!
Tuesday, 4 October 2011
Leaving Scotland .....
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Thein Naing swims in the North Sea!
Today we visited Campie and Musselburgh Grammar
It was another nice day, quite sunny. I had my traditional Shan ethnic dress on so that teachers and students would have a chance to know what we wear in Burma.
Our first class was P6 (a) and the class teacher was Ms. Zoe. We brought two big posters from Thai-Burma borders. Both has the same title ‘Who is in charge of your life?’. The Campie primary students last year sent their poster with their different thoughts on the topic to CDC students in Mae Sot, Thailand so that our Burmese students could know and do a comparison with them. The Campie students, at that time in their P5 mentioned such as – parents, teachers, government, etc. But a year later, when I asked them if they have changed their thinking about the person in charge of their life, many grade 6 studnets answered ‘yes’ and asked me to add ‘yourself” in the list.
Our CDC students’ poster which was brought back by Campie teachers had some notes in it. The person in charge of their lives: Dr. Cynthia Maung, Aung San Suu Kyi, parents, teachers. Then I had to explain Campie’s grade 6 students who Dr. Cynhtia and Aung San Suu Kyi were, and why they have chosen so. The Campie students looked very interesting that a medical doctor has been providing health care for 150,000 population and providing an education opportunities for thousands of refugee children. Also, unless Burma becomes a democratic nation, many children’s lives, including CDC students, are not going to be easy. That was why they chose our democracy champion Aung San Suu Khi, the 1990 Noble Peace Prize Winner, as their aspired person. I found the students’ opinions in both schools quite interesting, and believed they all learned something from each other, simply by sending the posters with scribbles.
We answered some more questions from the students about CDC children and their lives on borders and refugee camps. One campie child asked me what would I do for CDC school if I had received lots and lots of money. They seemed to be quite astonished to my answer as I explained that I would provide a reading corner with lots of books in every classroom at CDC and more books for both teachers and students.
We concluded our lesson by teaching them how we spelt Campie School in Burmese, and they wrote their very first Burmese words.
After the first class, our acting Head Teacher, Mrs. Clarke, took us to Musselburgh Grammar School. I was invited to observe the first part of Citizenship class for Secondary (5/6) with the teacher, Ms. Jane Bonnar. After a quick chat, she asked me to do a presentation about my life story and the stuggle for democracy and human rights in Burma. For next 25 minutes, all the 35 senior students found it quite interesting to learn someone of their age had to become an active member in democratic struggle, escaped to remotest jungle on borders, set up a school for 500 displaced children, and survived on monthly income of a tin of rice and some vegetables for seven years. Many more interesting questions, answers and comments followed. I learned the new teaching methodology – Think, Learn, and ACT.
Three students showed us classes for Social Sciences, Arts and Business Management subjects. We observed each classes, had a chat with the teachers and studnets and learned a lot. I was quite surprised to learn that all students had to submit their art works for assessment. And I quite liked the idea. The Art teacher was explaining me how the students had been utilizing recycled materials to create their art work and learn in class. RME was also a key learning area, both Say Hei and I had very little knowledge regarding curriculum planning.
During lunch time at the Grammar school, I had another opportunity to talk to Musselburhg’s students members of the Amnesty International. I am quite delighted to observe that young students are concerned about international crisis and humanitarian situation elsewhere. I learned their activities, and shared my life as an activist students 23 years ago.
When we come back to Campie, P (4/5/6/7) students were ready for an assembly. Ms. Juliane explained them about the Global School partnership project and our journey from Thai-Burma borders to Campie and how we are doing. Then the students from different classes asked questions to Say Hei and me. Very interesting questions about lives in other part of the world.
Then we visited Ms. Kat’s house for dinner, and she cooked for us a wonderful meals.
Thein Naing and Say Hei
Our first class was P6 (a) and the class teacher was Ms. Zoe. We brought two big posters from Thai-Burma borders. Both has the same title ‘Who is in charge of your life?’. The Campie primary students last year sent their poster with their different thoughts on the topic to CDC students in Mae Sot, Thailand so that our Burmese students could know and do a comparison with them. The Campie students, at that time in their P5 mentioned such as – parents, teachers, government, etc. But a year later, when I asked them if they have changed their thinking about the person in charge of their life, many grade 6 studnets answered ‘yes’ and asked me to add ‘yourself” in the list.
Our CDC students’ poster which was brought back by Campie teachers had some notes in it. The person in charge of their lives: Dr. Cynthia Maung, Aung San Suu Kyi, parents, teachers. Then I had to explain Campie’s grade 6 students who Dr. Cynhtia and Aung San Suu Kyi were, and why they have chosen so. The Campie students looked very interesting that a medical doctor has been providing health care for 150,000 population and providing an education opportunities for thousands of refugee children. Also, unless Burma becomes a democratic nation, many children’s lives, including CDC students, are not going to be easy. That was why they chose our democracy champion Aung San Suu Khi, the 1990 Noble Peace Prize Winner, as their aspired person. I found the students’ opinions in both schools quite interesting, and believed they all learned something from each other, simply by sending the posters with scribbles.
We answered some more questions from the students about CDC children and their lives on borders and refugee camps. One campie child asked me what would I do for CDC school if I had received lots and lots of money. They seemed to be quite astonished to my answer as I explained that I would provide a reading corner with lots of books in every classroom at CDC and more books for both teachers and students.
We concluded our lesson by teaching them how we spelt Campie School in Burmese, and they wrote their very first Burmese words.
After the first class, our acting Head Teacher, Mrs. Clarke, took us to Musselburgh Grammar School. I was invited to observe the first part of Citizenship class for Secondary (5/6) with the teacher, Ms. Jane Bonnar. After a quick chat, she asked me to do a presentation about my life story and the stuggle for democracy and human rights in Burma. For next 25 minutes, all the 35 senior students found it quite interesting to learn someone of their age had to become an active member in democratic struggle, escaped to remotest jungle on borders, set up a school for 500 displaced children, and survived on monthly income of a tin of rice and some vegetables for seven years. Many more interesting questions, answers and comments followed. I learned the new teaching methodology – Think, Learn, and ACT.
Three students showed us classes for Social Sciences, Arts and Business Management subjects. We observed each classes, had a chat with the teachers and studnets and learned a lot. I was quite surprised to learn that all students had to submit their art works for assessment. And I quite liked the idea. The Art teacher was explaining me how the students had been utilizing recycled materials to create their art work and learn in class. RME was also a key learning area, both Say Hei and I had very little knowledge regarding curriculum planning.
During lunch time at the Grammar school, I had another opportunity to talk to Musselburhg’s students members of the Amnesty International. I am quite delighted to observe that young students are concerned about international crisis and humanitarian situation elsewhere. I learned their activities, and shared my life as an activist students 23 years ago.
When we come back to Campie, P (4/5/6/7) students were ready for an assembly. Ms. Juliane explained them about the Global School partnership project and our journey from Thai-Burma borders to Campie and how we are doing. Then the students from different classes asked questions to Say Hei and me. Very interesting questions about lives in other part of the world.
Then we visited Ms. Kat’s house for dinner, and she cooked for us a wonderful meals.
Thein Naing and Say Hei
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