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POEM
PEN ME
Break down negative thoughts, Build up positive views, Make up understanding hearts, Apply it all. Negotiate for peaceful home, Design for elegant room, Pen me as wisdom. Eh Tha Hser
to build the womens capacity. PSD community is a small poor migrant community in Mae Sot. The majority of the women in the PSD community have no work to do so there is no income to help their families. All the men in PSD are working in the factory near their houses.
This is the second training WH students have given to the women. More than 50 participants attended the training. The rst training was household gardening. For gardening we shared with them how to make natural compost, growing plants in containers and how to grow organic vegetables. When we evaluated the project, it was clear that the project had been very successful because the plants in their gardens were very big and fresh. Giving the training to the women in the PSD community helped to increase their familys income. Our purpose for giving the training was that the women will not need to buy vegetables and they can use vegetables from their own gardens. Currently, the garden in the community is very successful and they dont need to buy vegetables in the market. We can see that the successful gardening project is supporting women and is giving the women more motivation to move on to another project. set up a saving goal in their future. During the training, we discussed about their living conditions in the community. The training was going very well because we could learn from each other about things like culture, personal life skills and we tried to understand the challenges facing the community people. We can share our experience with them. Most of the women would like to set up a saving plan for the future of their children. They want their children to get a higher level of education and some want to save for their retirement. By giving the training, we have learnt several different goals from the women that we didnt know before. One of our participants said, The nancial literacy training has given me the knowledge that I did not have before. It makes me clear about how to save money and manage my time. The training has given me the strength to save more money for my family.
We believe that our training is a tool for the PSD women to improve their society and reduce the poverty. As a result they performed and showed their abilities in the rst gardening training. We really appreciated for that they produced their own vegetables and promoted womens abilities in the small community. One of our students said: our small hands could not provide a powerful result alone, but when we joined our hands as a team, we were successful together. We hope the women will come up with good ideas for individual saving plans or team saving plans for improving their living conditions. Finally, the women can be excellent managers for their families. By Khun Than Maung and Nan Khin San Moe
She explained, The organization has been making a survey on the situation inside Burma and have been discussing to repatriate to works closely and effectively in the future, but we havent decided to return and become registered yet. On the other hand, she hopes that Wide Horizons program will be able to stay here in Mae Sot, because several of migrants and refugees still live along the borderline, and they are not ready to return right now. If WH moves to Burma, it will be a problem for the youth who stay here and want to apply for their further education. In addition, it is only WH program that is focusing on providing youth adults from Burma the skills to develop their Community Based Organizations (CBOs) through community development skills. So it is better to take a moment in time until the situation is more reasonable.
For all the readers she added, I would like to encourage everyone, especially youth to try hard in their studies. The organizations need lots of qualied people to develop the community. We can learn not only in class, there are plenty of ways to improve our self even though we have a job. The only thing is depending on how much we are motivated and enthusiastic to promote ourselves. At last, we, WH thank Nan Snow so much for giving us the time for interviewing and sharing her experiences. She has been doing many things professionally to represent the meaning of WH. We hope for her and BPHWT that they will be able to go forward towards successful prospects. At the same time, we hope that current or coming WH students will be doing really well like her. Also, we really thank all our readers. We all admire your appreciation and warmly welcome you to support our future Wide Horizons as well. By - Paw Eh
Wide Horizons Studnets Newsletter
First you dream, then you make your dreams come true
We have almost successfully completed building safe and comfortable buildings for Elpis Schools boarding kids.
We got the contact with Ma Myat Noble from Room to Grow Foundation last year in September. She gave us the chance to write the proposals as practice and to do the school projects. At that time we were learning about writing proposals and were looking for a project. We considered and decided to write a proposal. Subsequently, we did research and survey in Mae Sot communities to write the proposal. We decided to write the proposal for Elpis Schools boarding kids. They are living in two rented boarding houses separately, 37 boys and 22 girls. They got a warning from the land owner to move to another place in March 2014. Furthermore, they have not had a permanent donor to pay for renting the houses where they live. It is a big challenge for them where to move and live after March 2014. We met and discussed with the Elpis head mistress and the Science and Technology Training Center (STTC) teacher, Kyaw Win Aung and his students, to build two dormitories for the kids. We were motivated by the children and we did try the best to get the funding proposal that was being offered by Room to Grow. Luckily, our proposal for te boys and girls dormitories was accepted and it helped to protect Elpis Schools boarding kids from challenges that they will face in the future. It has been being pleasurable for all of us to have a good chance to work for the children. We would like to thank to Room to Grow for their nancial contribution. This nancial support has helped us to provide two great buildings where Elpis boarding kids can learn and live in a safe environment and prosper in the future. Furthermore, the generous support has helped us as a good practice eld study for project management. Our special thanks to STTC Teacher Kyaw Win Aung and the student crew for the wonderful job they have done on the project. The Elpis headmaster, teachers and boarding kids were delighted with the buildings that fulll their wishes. Especially, they appreciate all the time and effort the STTC teachers and students put into the project. It is a joy for all of us to work with such dedicated and talented voluntarily working students. We would like to say thank you to the Elpis kids who participated to work at the ground area during the free time of their holiday. In addition, we are very thankful to the head mistress and her husband for actively participating and contributing some money for the project. The rest of the construction work will be nished soon. Finally, we are going to monitor and evaluate the project and report to the donor. By: Aung Aung
A success story about a former WH student who is currently writing her thesis at university
She graduated with Mathematic from Yangon University, Burma in 1994. In 1995, after she graduated from Burma University, she attended the International Diploma Computer Science program in Yangon (IDCS). In 2007, she learned Korean. Afterwards, she came to Thailand and her plan was to go and work in Malaysia with her brother. At the time the Thai police often arrested illegal people. So, she needed a safe place and many people told her that if she lived in Mae La Camp she would be safe and the police would not arrest her. So, that is a reason why she arrived to Mae La Camp. After she arrived in camp, she faced many problems. Such as social problems and that camp people put her down and criticized her. During her time in camp, she worked for Media services and at an HIV and aids health care center as a volunteer. The spokesman of Committee for Coordination of Services to Displaced person in Thailand (CCSDPT) wanted to appoint her as a volunteer staff organized by the International Rescue committee (IRC). But other people did not accept. So, she was hopeless and depressed. At the same time she saw an advertisement for the English Immersion Program (EIP) hanging on a Jack fruit tree. She decided to apply to EIP. After they saw her application form, they recommended her to attend Wide Horizons (WH) and sent her le to WH. Before that her plan was to go to a third country and she was waiting for her UN card. If she did not have a chance to attend WH at that time she would have been really upset. Fortunately, she was accepted to WH. After the academic year she nished her internship at Min Ma Haw Higher Education Program (MHEP) and she worked for another year using her WH skills. She always worked as a volunteer at the volunteer service center. She also worked for EPOP representative program in Mae Sot. And she got a scholarship for further study; she went straight on to study Master of Education (MED) at Assumption University in Bangkok. Now she is doing research for her thesis. After she has nished the university she will become a program ofcer with EPOP. She said to me: you also might feel the same as me because your school is nearly nished. All of you ideas have been changed. The students concepts and ideas have to change the day they arrive at WH. When they go back their organizations, all the skills that they learnt from WH are very effective, and their critical thinking skills are very useful. So, I would like to say thank you very much to the Wide Horizons program. Even though the program is short, it is great and students will be ready for all jobs. She is very grateful to WH for giving her a place to stand. According to her, WH is an amazing school and therefore there should also be one inside Burma, where it is really needed. In conclusion, I learned a lot and got much knowledge from her. And also how the WH skills are useful and effectively for all of us to get good opportunities. The skills and knowledge that WH gives changes the students life. I am very grateful that WH can show the way. I wish the noble WH can continue to be open and it can nurture many new leaders of future organizations.
Cartoon
Green ngers in WH
During the second trimester, WH students planted vegetables on the Wide Horizons (WH) compound supported by the Khom Loy Foundation.
In the second trimesters, we got a gardening training from Khom Loy Foundation. We got the skills from experienced trainers and a clear understanding with this gardening project. Also, we had a chance to learn and practice at the same time with the trainers. We learned about the nutrients of vegetables as well and how to make natural fertilizer from vegetables, plants and kitchen waste. Thus, today we remind each other to use the kitchen waste for the garden instead of throwing it in the rubbish bin. After the training, we started our own garden at the Wide Horizons (WH) compound with gardening supplies from Khom loy. The students are divided into groups and are competing against each other. We need to nd the raw materials near our school for the garden and make place for the plants. We water the plants twice a day with natural fertilizer and natural insect repellent. In addition, we dont have enough space in our school. But, luckily we learned how to grow plants in containers by using plastic bags and water bottles. It is promoting our management skills as well because we have to manage how to decorate our garden ourselves. Although we divided the groups for the garden, we helped each other in watering and decorating the garden. In addition, after the second trimester, most of the students went back to their home during the trimester break. The students who stayed at school help their friends by watering their garden. This shows that we all have unity and obligation by watering the plants regularly, by giving them nutrients and by killing the unnecessary weeds from our garden. Seeing the green plants in our garden gives us motivation. We have fun and laugh and we will never forget our memories from the garden while we were planting together. Moreover, when we were drowning in the
homework sea, only a glance at the garden made us feel fresh and relaxed. By having this garden, there are vegetables that we dont need to buy for our cooking and we can use the money for meat instead. Furthermore, we decorate our garden in different designs for viewing pleasure. It is also valuable not only for us, but also for our community because we can share our knowledge to the communities. It makes our mind relax and is good for our environment. In addition, our vegetables are fresher and healthier than in the market because we dont use chemical fertilizer and only use the natural fertilizer. It can also save the soil in a sustainable way. Now, our garden is very nice and can give us vegetables for our kitchen. We are really thankful to Khom Loy Foundation for giving us the knowledge and experience to plant vegetables.
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POEM
Swiftly Minutes
Swiftly, letters were ied to us No one knew each other and laughing and smiling Sometimes visit to Monaco And posting in the meeting the issues Thats nature that we knew later On occasion busy, sleepy Whatever, Its the best time that made us improve We long to try the best everything in the future Cause of WH, we are ready to help our community We love it all from WH John
Wide Horizons Studnets Newsletter
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Horizons is a very good school for the Community Based Organizations (CBOs) because the school trains the staff to get more capacity building for working in their mother organizations.
I would like to thank you for reading this interviewing. This is our second WH newsletter in the academic year of 2013-2014. I would recommend Wide Horizons to everyone and I hope that the program will be able to continue in the future. It is the best learning program for the staff that do not have too much experience and capacity building in their organization. By Eh Tha Hser
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I was very happy in this students exchange week because we got a chance to shoot videos by ourselves as actors and actresses and we ate barbecue together.
During the exchange week we got more knowledge and skills about social exchange and how to work together in teams. We could share our ideas and knowledge with each other. Everything that we learned during this week was very useful for us and for our community in the future. One of our friends said I was very happy in this students exchange week because we got a chance to shoot videos by ourselves as actors and actresses and we ate barbecue together. Therefore, we would like to say thank you to World Education, EIP and WH teachers who prepared this wonderful program to build stronger relationships between EIP and WH students. We also appreciate U Nyan Soe for giving us video editing training. All in all, for the coming years we think they should continue this wonderful exchange program.
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When did you nish your school? Where? And did you attend any other school after that? I nished high school in 1999, at High School No. (2), South Okkalapa, in Yangon. After I nished high school, I stayed at home for three years to take care of my younger sisters. Then I continued my education and attended the University Of Foreign Language (UFL) in Yangon for three years, where I studied Korean major. After that I worked for a Korean Company for six months. In august 2005 I came to Mae Sot, where I worked at Mae Tao Clinic as a volunteer for one year. I attended the training of Community Health Worker in Noh Poe refugee camp for six months and after I nished that training, I did an internship at the In Patient Department (IPD) at Mae Tao Clinic for six months. From June 2007 to May 2008, I attended a Health Assistant Training again and after I nished that I applied for Wide Horizons. When did you attend Wide Horizons (WH)? And why did you choose that school? I attended WH from July 2008 to April 2009. I think our year started a little later than other years because normally WH starts in June. I really liked WH because when I saw the students who nished from WH they were effective in their organization, could speak English uently and were good at management. Firstly, I really desired to speak in English because in any organization they communicate with foreigners so I was so eager to attend WH. This is why I chose WH.
What kinds of skills did you get from WH and how did you feel different before and after you attended WH? I got a lot of skills from WH such as computer skills, community development, English speaking and time management. Not only the skills that we learnt from class, but also from our friends. I met with different kinds of ethnic groups and religions. Especially, I got lots of experience from my friends. Some of my friends have a lot of experience because they had worked with their organizations and they shared their experience with us. And also when we visited the community, we improved our communication with the community people. Since I nished WH, I have had the condence to do something and I dare to speak in English. When I work with organizations, the situation has been very different since I nished WH. Today when I face problems I can solve them without any difculty. I noticed myself and I was so amazed how different I had become - I couldnt believe it myself. Could you let me know what your current job is? What is your responsibility and how do you use your skills from WH? My organization is Burma Medical Association and Im the program a manager of Project for Local Empowerment (PLE). I have been working with them since 2010. My organization trains people from inside Burma. After giving the training, they go back inside and work with clinics. We support them with medicine and materials that they need for clinics. Then we do Monitoring and Evaluation for the project. Of my WH skills, I especially use management, leadership skills and English speaking when I communicate with foreigners. What do you think about the future of WH? Should we stay here or move to Burma? WH is very valuable for people who serve the community. So I desire WH to keep the program in Mae Sot in the future. I also think they should expand and set up another WH inside Burma because there are some organizations that need the same kind of training there. WH is a useful school for the people who work for the communities and the organizations. By Ching San
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eracy and Training of Trainers (TOT). This training was given by Ko Lin and Heidi from Khom Loy. For the rst three days, Ko lin gave us a nancial literacy training (for example Budget plan, saving goal, money believe, household budget and time management). Heidi gave us TOT training. She taught us about the difference between teaching and trainings. Then we learned ten techniques to know how to be a qualied teacher. All in all, this training focused for Wide Horizons students to give training to women in Pasidam community and will also be useful in our future. According to these activities, all of the students at Wide Horizons believe that they got more experiences. It has many benets for us to improve our brains and skills. It helps us to gain experiences for our internship. By Nan Ah Du, Naw Ko Klaw Hto and Saw Sparrow
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Volume 2, 2013 - 2014 Academic Year Wide Horizons School, P.O. Box 27, Mae Sot,Tak ,63110,Thailand Coordinator - Too Mai Phone : 085 605 8382 Email : toomaiwh@gmail.com www.facebook.com/ Wide Horizons,Community Development Program