Right from the beginning the idea of godparenthoods for children in Mandalay and Mingun was an important pillar for Förderverein Myanmar. Originally only godparenthoods for school children were arranged. But over the years many godchildren have successfully finished school and started to attend university. Many of the godparents wanted to further support the young people also during their studies and in consequence the possibility for student godparenthood was created. In the meantime we have around 380 godchildren (as per April 2017) of different ages. 15% of them are students.
It is very import for us, that a regular letter exchange is established between godparents and godchildren. This should be done in English language, whereby our staff in Mandalay and Mingun helps to translate the letters into Myanmar language for the younger kids.
Frequently a very intensive and personal relationship is built-up over the years between godparents and godchildren. The godchild becomes a kind of „family member“ and the godparents are part of a Myanmar family.
In case godparents plan to travel to Myanmar we will – together with our staff in Mandalay or Mingun – help to organize a meeting with the godchild. Such an encounter is always a very special event – for the godparents as well as for the godchildren.
The monthly donation for school kids (currently EUR 10,–) is not paid out to the family but is used directly for the education infrastructure of the godchildren. Only students will get paid out the monthly scholarship (currently EUR 36,–) since they have to pay themselves for books and courses etc for the university.
As godparents you take over responsibility for the education of a godchild. We do not require a minimum duration for the sponsorship. However, it should last ideally until the end of education
Moe Moe, who is heading the school kitchen at Phaung Daw Oo school (PDO) is the perfect example how useful an individual sponsorship can be. She had to skip school after four years . Instead she sold postcard to tourists to increase the income of her family. U Nayaka , the abbot of PDO, gave her the chance to attend his monastic school and she became one of our first godchildren. This enabled her to successfully finish school. Afterwards she attended several courses at the Hotel Management School in Yangon and became a cook. Such courses of life are important proofs for our associations’ activity aim: Promotion of self-help
In April 2017 Brigitte Falkenstein Copyright : Brigitte Falkenstein Förderverein Myanmar e.V.