A VISIT TO A SCHOOL IN MYANMAR

School kids at the Seik Phu Taung Youth Development Center in southern Myanmar. 

From the rear of a local bus cleverly disguised as a 1970s Toyota pickup, we glimpsed a big sign on the roadside that marked the entrance to the “Seik Phu Taung Youth Development Center.” Being in Myanmar, where you can only guess the actual meaning of anything posted publicly in English, it was impossible to know what the sign represented.

Was it a government-run propaganda education camp set out to brainwash help children? Was it something more worthwhile?

When we got to the nearest town, called Kinpun, we asked a couple folks about the place. Surprisingly, we learned Seik Phu Taung serves as a privately-run orphanage and school for some 600 of Myanmar’s underprivileged boys and girls. And, unlike many places, the government doesn’t forbid foreigners to visit (much of Myanmar still is off limits to foreigners). 

Mr. O gives Liz a tour.

After hitting up a store for a big stack of notebooks and pencils for the kids, we jumped on the back of two motorcycle-taxis and headed back the way we came. An hour later, we were getting a tour of the center from the headmaster, a retired teacher we called Mr. O, who was extremely happy to meet two English-speaking foreigners bearing gifts the kids could use.

Built on a 15-acre compound, the Center houses and educates boys and girls from 1-15 yrs old. A school onsite provides a secular education up to 8th grade, and it’s all run on donations from visitors and local benefactors.

Mr. O walked us into two of the classrooms, where around 20 children were learning English and math. While the math proved a bit difficult for us (because it was in a foreign language, Kip thought we should point out...), we were able to help a little in the language department, talking with the kids, who were terribly shy at first, but slowly began to test their English skills with us.

Liz and one of the English teachers, whose cheeks are spotted with thanakha, a lotion and/or sunblock made from trees.  Women, children, and some men have worn thanakha for some 2,000 years. Many still wear it and consider it a Burmese beauty secret.

After a too brief but fun visit, we let the kids get back to their regular lessons, thanking Mr. O for the tour and for his time. He shook our hands and told us that every little bit helps. He also asked us to pass on the word about his “little school” in case anyone else wanted to drop in or make a donation. We assured him we would. 

While there’s no way yet to donate online (the web address he gave us, www.SeikPhuTaung.com, wasn't working at press time) you're welcome to stop by. Seik Phu Taung is on the road between Kinpun and The Golden Rock, aka Mt. Kyaiktiyo. Among many other things, the Center needs notebooks, pencils, rice, and soap.