Showing love to the “street children”

Street children
Myanmar has many “street children.” Some estimate that 15% of the children in Myanmar are homeless. Often they are forced by their parents to beg on the streets, work long hours in businesses or join the military. Some run away to the jungles to look for work in the gold mines and often die there of malaria. They do adult labor, work extremely long hours, earn little salary, and often become sick and malnourished. The children learn inappropriate language and morals, and their life becomes a nightmare, without the promise of a better future.

Many children, both on and off the street, are orphans. Malaria and tuberculosis are the two main causes of death in Myanmar.  Sometimes parents give up their children voluntarily to orphanages or Buddhist monasteries because they cannot afford to take care of them, and they realize that someone else could give their children the hope and future they cannot.

Education in Myanmar

Education

Ideally, children are highly valued, and education is considered the highest priority for children in Myanmar.  Realistically, most families can not afford to send their children to school.  This is due to the high poverty rate coupled with the lack of information and availability of birth control.  While school is free, the books, clothing and other supplies needed are not, and parents often need their children to stay home and babysit siblings or work in the rice fields. Often, families with many children choose one of them to receive an education at the expense of all of the other siblings.  This can often create bitterness and resentment.  We want to help children receive an education in a healthy Christmas environment.

More on Myanmar

More about Myanmar

Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is the largest country (geographical area) in mainland Southeast Asia, or Indochina.  Bordered by the People’s Republic of China on the northeast, Laos on east, and Thailand on the southeast, Myanmar is located in the 10/40 window (an area of the world where the majority of unreached people groups reside). Myanmar has an estimated population of about 56 million, and 92% of the population is Buddhist.  The military has dominated government since a coup toppled civilian government in 1962.  The Burmese Way to Socialism drove the formerly prosperous country into deep poverty.  Myanmar remains under tight control of the military-led State Peace and Development Council.

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