Bamboo High School project in Burma
About the situation in Myanmar:
Due to political isolation Maynmar presently receives only 1.70 US$/head in international aid compared to more then 40US$/head in similar poor countries like Cambodia or Mozambique. Aids is a growing problem and so are street children and high infant mortality.
Kids-unlimited-Trust funded a major project in 2008/2009: the construction of the Bamboo High School building. It is the first High School in Alkal Chaung Wa, a village in the Delta heavily destroyed by Cyclone Nargis. It holds capacity for 500 students. This project has been sponsored Kids-unlimited-Trust and was organized and carried out by our local partner Amara Foundation with the help of many voluntary village people. The German architect Ursula Schmid has volunteered to design a school building able to withstand the unpredictable tropical climate. The design utilized local product such as bamboo and has a solid inner brick structure that can function as a disaster shelter. A solar energy plant, that generates and provides energy for the school is sponsored and organised by the Myanmar Foundation. Rainwater collection systems were donated by Arche noVa e.V. This school project has model character for future school buildings.
The school opened in May 2009 and has been recognized by the authorities as a model school that might be incorporated in the future school planning of the Ministry of Education as the building sets new standards of ecological and climate adjusted construction while at the same time being economically viable.
Future projects:
Kids-unlimited-Trust and Amara Foundation presently work on other Myanmar projects for some of which sponsorships and donations are still needed:
- Middle Schools buildings in remote villages (20,000$ for school with 200 students, 1 already funded)
- English school book supply to public schools (further 2,000$ a year needed)
- University scholarships for students in remote areas (3,000$ covers a student for 4 years; 4 students already funded)
- Health clinic in Delta region and remote areas (see amaragroup.net)
- Second Bamboo High School, already fully funded.
Our Partner in Maynmar: Amara Foundation Myanmar
From the very beginning of their activities in 2001, the Amara Group has always attempted to enhance and develop social and environmental projects in combination with their commercial endeavours. The main field of activity of Amara Foundation is the establishment of clinics, sponsoring of medical trips to remote areas, and the preservation of the land in creating forest preserves.
In the aftermath of the disastrous Cyclone Nargis in May 2008 the Amara Group immediately responded to the emergency situation in the Delta region by establishing a mobile clinic for selected Delta Districts. In the first 4 months after the Cyclone the Amara Medical Team treated more than 9,000 people in 55 villages. In addition the Amara Team provided food, vitamins, potable water, clothes, blankets, and basic kits for household, hygiene and shelter.
At the same time the official registration process of Amara Foundation Myanmar began and today Amara Foundation is fully recognized as a local NGO.
Currently Amara Foundation is focusing its rehabilitation activities on 8 villages in the Delta, areas of extreme isolation where villages are only accessible at high tide. People there have much less chance of being helped by other aid organisations. The main activity still is primary health care, supplied by permanent medical staff of Amara Foundation. School construction and the supply of school material is another important activity of which the Bamboo High School in the Delta is a good example. The allocation and administration of microloans is the third field of action of Amara Foundation.