How child labour affects children in Myanmar

Recently I visited  Myanmar to attend the opening of a new teacher training college, funded by ChildFund with the help of our wonderful supporters. There are very few teacher training facilities in Myanmar, so it’s one of the important ways we can help provide quality education in the country . I also visited a non-formal school that ChildFund supports in a slum community outside of Yangon.  This is what I learned about the children who attend the school, and my thoughts on what can be done to help them.

Child labour deprives children of their childhood

All of the children who attend the school have to work, forced by poverty to contribute to their household income from a young age. It’s very upsetting to see kids having to live this way, but it was tremendous to see them in class, enjoying the chance to be a child again for a time. Every child needs that. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/embed/WEAlZ_GeIik[/embed] What struck me most was the passion and determination of the children, especially an 11-year-old girl called May Su .

Creating opportunities for children with education

She was forced out of mainstream school at just seven and was so thankful for a second chance to learn . Projects like this make such a difference.

ChildFund would like to thank the Australian Government for its support of this work through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).