Bamboo Delight Summer Youth Camp 2024
Minn Myoh Minn Oo
Bamboo Delight Summer Youth Camp is a three-month summer project in March, April and May every year where the youths and children aged 10-25 are recruited and provided Leadership trainings, 21st Skills trainings and social sciences as well as intensive English proficiency classes, General Music class and Musical Instrument classes for their educational advancement and professional preparation. This year is the third year for the project since 2022.
This year, 2024 is the most challenging year for us because of several challenges. The most horrifying challenge is the Myanmar military’s conscription law which forces youths aged 18 to 35 to serve for up to 2 years under the military command. We are intimidated by this mandatory notice. Therefore, this year we have decided to open the summer youth camp on a hybrid basis: in-person classes for junior students aged 12-15 who are not at direct risk of this law, and online classes for senior youths aged 16 and above because senior youths are at high risk of being forced to serve for military service and we cannot guarantee their safety if in person at the Bamboo Delight School.
Another challenge is financial challenge because there is no financial support for our project due to little attention from NGOs and INGOs. Initially, we decided to take a break this year but I cannot turn blind eyes to our students, kids and youths and their educational development. I want to keep creating sustainable impacts and do not want them to discontinue their learning. Despite this financial crisis, I am implementing this year’s Summer Youth Camp with the help of youth leaders by using out-of-pocket money.
Next, this year’s camp is led by youths and alumni themselves and they are co-leaders for the management and they will participate in project implementation as part of their learning process. 2024 Youth Camp is special because it is led by youths for youths.
Background and Statement of Problem
Myanmar has been affected severely by both the Covid-19 pandemic and most obviously the military coup and severe political situations across the country. Nyaung Shwe is no exception while many NGOs and INGOs do not normally see it as their project location and invest less in development work in Nyaung Shwe than other cities in Myanmar.
Children and youths in Nyaung Shwe came to meet us and said, “We used to dream big but now we dream small due to the lack of quality education, and we really want to continue learning”. Just this word broke my colleagues’ and my hearts but it did encourage us to implement this project to fill this gap and to solve educational inequality.
In Nyaung Shwe, the youths and children aged between 12 and 20 have been lacking proper educational development since 2020 due to both Covid-19 and political conditions, resulting that some are getting married at a very young age, some addicted to drugs and alcohol, and some now working for low wages to provide for their families. Many youths have chosen wrong paths, including old students of Bamboo Delight.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, schools closed for almost two years and when severe political situations occurred, many children and youths do not continue education anymore. Consequently, their education is being delayed but youths in Nyaung Shwe are not willing to give up their learning and approached us for creating opportunities for them to keep learning and continue their education.
Moreover, Nyaung Shwe township does not receive any international attention from NGOs and INGOs. It needs so many development opportunities to grow all aspects of education, women, children and so on. Our project aims to solve the educational inequality for youths and children from underprivileged backgrounds.
With this main motivation, I decided to start implementing this “Bamboo Delight Summer Youth Camp” project in 2022, and even in spite of the lack of enough funds, my team and I managed to finish the project with the help of close friends as well as the assistance of volunteers. Last year 2023 was 10 years anniversary of our organization. The team managed to complete the Summer Youth Camp project successfully despite insufficient funds.
This year again 2024, my project team and I want to continue this project with many new ideas and creativity for education of youths and children in Nyaung Shwe in order to create sustainable impacts despite security and financial loan challenges.
Vision, Mission and Objectives
Vision
“To produce community leaders for their communities through education and leadership”
Mission
“To provide quality education and development opportunities for children and youths in Nyaung Shwe in support of their continuous learning”
Objectives
- To make politically and socially informed community leaders for the communities
- To boost children’s and youths’ English proficiency and skills
- To nurture children and youths through music and its musical instruments
- To make children and youths informed of social values and broader world concepts, promoting multiculturalism, diversity and human rights
- To enhance children’s and youth’s interpersonal skills
Project’s Thematic Areas
- Educational Inequality
- Youth Leadership and Empowerment
- Community Development
Target Beneficiaries
First Group: Students aged 12-15
Second Group: Students aged 16 and above
Junior students from the first group attend English language classes at Bamboo Delight Summer School on in-person basis. Our volunteer English teacher will teach English for three months.
Senior students from second group attend English class, University and Scholarship preparation course, Vocational trainings, Music Band class and social studies and 21st Skills trainings on online-basis for two months.
The children and youths are chosen on the following criteria:
- Must be from poor or underprivileged backgrounds and families
- Must have difficulties in continuing their education
- Must be from poor financial backgrounds
- Must be from slums or suburbans or rural villages
Starting from this year, we are admitting students from IDP camps in Nyaung Shwe to continue their education because they left their hometowns in nearby townships for safety reasons due to armed conflicts.
Course Details
- Cambridge English C2 Class (Sayar Min Nyi)
- University and Scholarship Preparation Class (Sayar Matt)
- Vocational Training (Sayarma Mi Yoon)
- Music Band Class (Sayar John)
- Social Studies and 21st Skills trainings (Guest Speakers)
This year, the students are prepared to be able to apply for admissions for foreign universities and scholarships to continue their studies. We are hoping to see some students go study abroad with scholarships after the camp.
Read more details about the project here
Projects Leader & Manager
Hand to Hand Charity Myanmar