Fieldnotes: Blogging on UNICEF's child survival work in the field

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Back to school despite all obstacles in Myanmar

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© UNICEF/HQ08-0563/Win Naing

While the school year is ending here in the U.S., in Myanmar the new school session is, despite all obstacles, getting under way. It's only been a month since the violent hurricane there left as many as 135,000 people dead or missing. And more than 4,000 basic education schools—affecting approximately 1.1 million children—were either damaged or totally destroyed.

But UNICEF believes it's essential to help children get back to school, and we're putting tremendous effort into seeing it happen. As Ramesh Shrestha, UNICEF Representative in Myanmar, recently said, "In any disaster affecting entire communities, the opening of local schools is an important step in the recovery process. Children rely on their daily routines for a sense of security, including the routine of attending school."

myanschool3a-080563G.jpg
© UNICEF/HQ08-0559/Win Naing

The extent of the damage means it's no easy task. In the Irrawaddy area, school will not open for another month while repairs are made, with help from 17,248 roofing sheets provided by UNICEF. But in Yangon, 98 primary schools have already been repaired using 7,750 roofing sheets and nails from UNICEF. This has enabled over 31,000 children to go back to school this week.

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© UNICEF/HQ08-0561/Win Naing
Teachers unpack a UNICEF-provided recreation kit.
In addition, we've provided over 400 School-in-a-Box kits and over 725 Recreation kits. These kits are, I have to say, incredibly cool. The School-in-a-Box is a large suitcase-type container stuffed to the brim with over 1,500 school implements and supplies that enable 80 children and a teacher to create an instant classroom—no matter where they are. Recreation kits contain all sorts of balls, games and toys to let kids play and, well, be kids.

We know children feel as happy as we do that they can return to school: when primary school no. 32 in Hlaingtharyar township reopened a few days ago, children were so excited to get back to their school that they started to arrive at six in the morning, an hour before class resumed.

Have you given to the Myanmar relief effort? If so, we know these children would thank you.

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Posted by Jen Banbury, UNICEF USA on June 5, 2008 10:20 AM |

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Comments (1)

Diploma Guru:

That's terrible. Poor children and their parents! :(

Posted by Diploma Guru | June 19, 2008 6:14 AM

Posted on June 19, 2008 06:14

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