JOSÉ AND THE FUTURE OF HIS YOUTH

JOSÉ AND THE FUTURE OF HIS YOUTH

life skills

Today, in our STORIES FROM ANOTHER WORLD, we share the witnessing of José Magro. José is our psychologist coordinator of Golden Beehive, but today he will tell us how Dayamit youth are facing his “Life skills” course… what is this? Let’s discover through his words…

“The first three months of our course have just passed and the kids are already starting to show the ability to connect their personal story to the content presented in class. In fact, the issues are in themselves very proactive and the young people, in turn, willingly let themselves be involved to treasure them. In this way, we renew the interest in continuing to offer a safe and healthy space where students can deal safely and guided with topics that have to do with their development and growth. Favoring this psychosocial setting for students is being able in some way to also give the community the chance to become the beneficiary of the fruits that have matured during our educational journey.

The Life Skills Course is marked by topics such as emotions, self-esteem, self-awareness, coping and resilience, self-efficacy to which laboratory-type activities are incorporated that allow students to experience and not only learn a theory. They are invited to ‘jump in’ giving themselves permission to experiment with new situations never thought of before. We have particularly dedicated enough time to some of these activities. For example, the S.O.S.I.A. – acronym that stands for Sense, Opinion, Feelings, Intention and Action – is a suitable tool to help the person become aware of the dynamics that accompany the experience of a particular situation in life. The register of new information and the appropriately matured reflections consequently allow the subject to make appropriate choices for a constructive development of well-being and fulfillment. Another tool used and much appreciated by the students was ‘La Finestra di Orari’. Again, the fundamental theme refers to the aspect of self-awareness. Furthermore, it stimulates the person to identify ways in which to spread the level of knowledge of himself, depriving himself of relationships with others. Another activity heard by the class was the ‘Wheel of Life’. The latter is a tool that allows the person to vitalize where they are, here and now, in their choices, interests or where they are most engaging their energies. The specificity of this tool is not a question of imagining how one would like to be, but of seeing how one is experiencing one’s choices regarding everyday issues such as relationships with family and friends, the world of work, free time, etc.

The topics addressed in the classroom and, above all, the moments of sharing made in an appropriate setting, are arousing in the children the exploratory ability that allows them to have their say, to share their opinion, abandoning those answers made automatically “why yes!” ” why not!”. This aspect tells not only the maturation process that has started which fosters their ability to ask themselves the driving motivation in a choice but also to feel self-confidence.

The Life Skills Course follows with the second stage, presenting the other topics not yet proposed. At the end of the classes, time will be dedicated to reading and comparing the results of the Vocational Test administered at the beginning of the course and the observations made during the various activities. We hope that every male and female student has had the opportunity to get to know each other a little better, to adopt a flexible way of dealing with life’s situations and to learn how to learn. In fact, life demands a lot from each of us and allows each one to explore / make the most of the personal resources that he has at his disposal or that he acquires during his pilgrimage.”

So, our youth from Dayamit are building strong basis for their future, not only through vocational trainings but also with a strong work on their self-esteem.

Thanks to José for his work and his precious experience!

And good luck to all youth in Dayamit!

 

É

 

STEVAN AND HIS NEW FUTURE

STEVAN AND HIS NEW FUTURE

StevanIn the fiteenth chapter of “STORIE FROM ANOTHER WORLD” we want to tell you about Stevan, who, thanks to a meeting with our program manager, managed to change his life in a short time!

“Hi, I’m Stevan and I am 21 years old, I grew up with my Aunt because my parents died when I was 11 yo. I used to live in my village helping my aunt, without any kind of future.

For God’s mercy, one day mr Barnabas visited my village. He talked with my aunt and talked with some youth from the village about the Dayamit college. I wasn’t yet sure about my choice and I didn’t show any kind of interest.

I felt curious anyway, so after some times I tried to call mr Barnabas and asked him to admit me at the center. He answered that if I was interested I could have joined them. I felt really happy about this answer so I immediately signed up. It was well organized, the teaching method was personalized and not only academic. Teachers used to share their personal experience and stimulate us to share ours, this helped in knowing each other and live as if we were a family.

I observed a new system of teaching by our teachers: they teach through games, sharing and some activities, so I never feel bored. I would say that every teacher is unique and that they make us to be able to relate with others in a proper way. Dayamit accepts students from all over the country, especially from Dala, without any discrimination. It has been such an extraordinary experience to me to live with different people.

Mr Barnabas, our director, is very good in staying with youth. He gives us space and organize celebration and parties together: Hinduism celebrations, Muslim ones or Christian ones. To celebrate all festivities reminds us about our friendship!

Since I’m coming from far away, mr Barnabas prepared for me and other students a place to live in, in order to be able to attend courses.

It was an unexpected experience to me, because other students are coming from different places but, at the end, we are all the same. A really wonderful experience which thought to me many things for my future life: to cook by myself, to go to the lessons, to play sports… There have been moments of disagreements among us but we learned how to discuss together.

After completing my courses at Dayamit I immediately found a job at the Marvel factory. Also here I had a lot of new experiences that are making me growing up. At the beginning I was afraid by working for a new factory, but now I understood that every experience is a teaching for our lives.

I want to thank all donors of New Humanity who made my future brighter than ever!”

And we join your thanks, dear Stevan. And we want also to THANK YOU for sharing such a witnessing of how a simple meeting could really change your life!

SAW SAI, THE DETERMINATION OF A BOY

SAW SAI, THE DETERMINATION OF A BOY

In this chapter of STORIES OF THE OTHER WORLD, we tell you about Saw Sai Chit Oo, who suffers from physical and intellectual disabilities. Initially his mother was worried about her son’s future and didn’t believe in his potential, but thanks to Saw Sai’s journey, she realised that disability is not an insurmountable obstacle, but only a characteristic.

Saw Sai Chit Oo is a 14-year-old boy from Kyan Sit Thar Ward, Dala, Yangon. He has right hemiplegic cerebral palsy with intellectual disability and he’s a beneficiary of the I C.A.R.E (Inclusive Communities Advocating for the Rights to Rehabilitation and Education of People with Disabilities) programme. He is an only child and his parents run a restaurant, his father is not in good health and his mother was completely devoted to her son, considering him incapable of managing himself.

When we first met him, he had a bending contracture in his knee and although he couldn’t walk well, he was very good at cycling. His mother wanted him to start the programme to start walking well and was worried about Saw Sai’s future, as she feared that he would never be independent in his movements and daily activities.

The programme includes Physiotherapy, Meziere Therapy, Special Education and some awareness-raising meetings for the caregivers, in this case the parents are the ones who take care of him. Saw Sai immediately started to improve in terms of motor skills, he exercises daily and is more active than before. At the moment we are focusing on education, as he is interested in mathematics and wants to learn to help at the restaurant. After attending the awareness meetings, his mother is more and more involved and continues the programme even when they are alone with exercises and homework.

Before starting this course, the mother managed her son completely and did everything for him. Now she has realised the importance of teaching him to carry out daily activities on his own and slowly Saw Sai is learning everything. His mother’s views on disability have changed: she realises that the physical impairment is not a big problem for him as he can learn to perform all daily activities independently, calmly and with the right teaching.

To this day, he continues to follow the lessons and activities in the programme and to improve. He’s happy and confident, grateful for everything he’s learning and eager to improve more and more. Our team is happy to see him improve and especially happy to see how his family is changing their approach to disability.

We sincerely thank our staff and all those who support us, thanks to you we are generating a wave of change even in places where it seemed impossible before.

MAR TIN TIN OO, THE UNITY OF A FAMILY

MAR TIN TIN OO, THE UNITY OF A FAMILY

Today’s chapter of STORIES FROM THE OTHER WORLD tells us about a boy with deafness who lives in a village near Taunggyi, Myanmar. Despite the difficulties due to his disability in Myanmar, Wai Phyo was able to study, won some sports competitions and now has a profession, a life full of success!

“I am Ma TinTin Oo from Ho Nar village and I would like to share my experience and feelings about the work of New Humanity International.

First of all, I will briefly introduce my family: there are six of us, my husband, my three sons, one daughter and me, the mother. I want to share the story of my third child as he is the reason why we met the foundation.

Me and my husband, we have a day-to-day job, my children study and unfortunately the third one, Wai Phyo Aung, was born with deafness. We found out when he was one and a half years old, we didn’t know how to treat him. When he was old enough to start school, we sent him off but he was not accepted well by the teachers. The whole family suffered a lot and he had to stay at home all day with nothing to do.

Our family got to know New Humanity in 2011, when they supported many families in the village by donating food and raising piglets and providing training to improve farming techniques. In 2019, we ourselves received 2 piglets and the necessary feed for them. They monitored our food supply and supported the health of the piglets. We were able to increase the piglet farm, sell two of them and with the proceeds we bought hearing aids for our son.

In 2011, NH started taking care of our son and providing us with basic food like rice, oil, potatoes, eggs, pulses… This was already significant because there were many of us and we didn’t have enough income to buy much food. They also help us by providing special education for my son, the teachers come directly to our house and Wai Phyo Aung has become more alert and active. Since the teacher has educated the family in sign language, we can communicate with him more easily. My husband and I were very sad that our son didn’t go to school like the other children, now we are relieved that he can have an effective and appropriate education.

New Humanity cares not only for our family but also for other disabled families in our village. They have created a special education programme for children with disabilities, provide health care and provide awareness-raising and information and vocational training courses for the families of the beneficiaries.

In 2020, my son was able to overcome the limitations of his disability: New Humanity planned for my son and other deaf children from Nan Haung village to be examined by a specialist in Mandalay. The doctor prescribed hearing aids, but they were too expensive and we could not afford them. New Humanity further helped us by paying two-thirds of the costs. We were able to cover the remaing cost thanks to the sale of two piglets. Thanks to the hearing aids, my son can hear well and can pronounce some words including our names. My husband and I are grateful to New Humanity and are very happy for our boy.

We have the opportunity to have medical and dental check-ups for the whole family twice a year. Once a year, my son and I have the opportunity to travel to visit Taunggyi. Doing day-to-day jobs, we couldn’t afford to take our children on holiday or sightseeing without NH’s help. My son is very happy, I have the opportunity to meet other mothers and we can share our children’s progress. All this makes me feel relieved and optimistic.

My son also had the opportunity to participate in competitions during the holidays in 2019. He won the silver prize in the 2019 Special Olympics Regional Games (100-metre run) and the first prize in the Mini Marrathon Taunggyi (3 km run). We are very proud of him.

In 2022, New Humanity created a basic haircutting course in our village. My son, Wai Phyo Aung, had the opportunity to participate in this training course. He enjoyed it very much. After finishing the course, some people and children from our village started coming to our house to have their hair cut by him. Gradually, he will be able to turn this passion into a real profession.

Over the years, New Humanity’s projects and support have been of great help to all villagers, from children with disabilities to their families. We will continue to support the organisation and participate as much as possible in New Humanity’s future plans and projects.

On behalf of our family and the villagers of Kon Lon, I express my gratitude to New Humanity and all those who support these projects.

And we too are grateful to our staff and to all those who support us, thanks to you children like Wai Phyio have the chance to see their lives fully realised despite the context in which they live, THANK YOU!

SU SANDER, THE PRIDE OF A PARENT

SU SANDER, THE PRIDE OF A PARENT

In today’s chapter of STORIES OF THE OTHER WORLD we introduce you to Su Sander, a mother from the Insein slum, where our pre-school centre Golden Beehive is located. Su wants to tell us about her good fortune!

“My name is Su Sander, I am 34 years old and I am the mother of Hein Zayar OO. Last year, when the Golden Beehive Daycare Centre opened, our community was very excited to have a dedicated space for our children.

As school activities progressed, I noticed a marked improvement in my son’s learning of new words. In fact, his vocabulary has changed a lot! He has already learnt several words in English too! For example, he knows how to pronounce the names of animals, fruits in English and differentiate colours.

My husband and I are very satisfied with the quality of the teaching. This is not a conventional school like the others in town: our centre promotes different activities that allow the child to develop various skills.

The meals are very nutritious, my son loves having lunch at school! I really appreciate the school’s attention to children who cannot eat any meat as special menus are prepared for them.

Opening such a school is good for everyone, they use an effective education system, very helpful for the children. As a parent, I am happy that you opened this school.

Thank you very much, beyond words. I always consider myself lucky because my son attends this school.

It’s great to hear how what we do is helping someone, and this is also thanks to your support and the dedication of our staff!

Y.A. JUST WANTED TO STUDY

Y.A. JUST WANTED TO STUDY

 

Another chapter of the “STORIES OF THE OTHER WORLD.”

Today we tell you about Y. A., a 17-year-old boy who, in order to study, tried to reach the border, but due to a misunderstanding ended up in the Yangon reformatory where we work. Here, however, he was able to continue his studies and found himself with many peers with whom he shares the same dreams.

“My name is Y. A., I am 17 years old and I come from a small village in the western part of Myanmar, Rakhine State. I have a beautiful family with a brother and sister. My dad is a carpenter and my mom is a homemaker. Thanks to my dad’s salary and my enthusiasm for study, I completed my education up to seventh grade in Rakhine, I am a native speaker of my ethnic group, and I am fluent in English and Burmese. However, the village is far from the city and at this time I can’t access higher education because of conflicts. One of my ambitions is to continue studying so that I can then work in a decent and fulfilling way and support my family. I have always shared with my parents the dream of leaving home, away from my native place in order to continue my education.

In May 2022, I left for my journey in search of a complete education, said goodbye to my family and took a boat to Thailand together with other friends. Although we had prepared food rations for the trip, they ran out before we reached our destination. Due to hunger and other unfortunate vicissitudes, we docked in Ayeyarwaddy Division. Having no food or shelter, we sought help from houses in nearby villages, but as soon as some of the villagers saw us, because of the language barrier we did not understand each other and they called the police, although we tried to explain our good intentions. I was taken to Nghat Aw San Juvenile Reformatory (NAS) along with other boys who had left with me.

It has been almost six months since I arrived at NAS, I am happy that I had the opportunity to study through the informal educational program held by the staff of New Humanity. I passed the entrance test well and was able to attend level 2 from October to December 2022 to now I have moved to level 3 which will run from January to March. I am very stimulated to learn in different ways than what I was used to, since there are different teaching methods and we had the opportunity to take part in outdoor activities (playtime with classmates, sports activities, drawing lessons, etc.). The teachers are kind and caring, we had the opportunity to improve Burmese, English and math as school subjects, but also to study culture and communication and learn how to behave.

Before taking part in the educational program, we were locked in the dorms and could not go out except for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Thanks to the program, not only were we able to take part in many activities, but we also had the opportunity to talk to a teacher during counseling interviews about our stories, emotions and feelings. At first I was afraid to tell about the journey that had brought me here. Now I have learned to process these traumas and have realized that my classmates and I are not so different; we share the same roof. Although I miss my family, I have found many brothers and fellow students here.”

We thank the staff who are struggling to bring education and hope to Yangon Reformatory, thanks to them and all who support us kids like Y. A. can continue to study to achieve their dream of a better life.