Women-only bazaar to raise funds for educational centres in Myanmar - Peninsula On

Doha: Under the theme 'Burma Appeals for Help,' Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) Ladies Forum and 'Call for Good' women's group will organise a women-only bazaar in Katara for three days from today to raise funds to establish educational centres in Myanmar.

The bazaar will raise money to build 20 basic education centres at IDP camps in Rakhine state, serving 3,180 children at a cost of $396,428.

Coordinated with Burma Red Cross, local authorities, and Unicef, construction is scheduled to begin in August through April 2015.

With a capacity of 60 students per one schooling period, the centres will be rain-proof, flood-proof, and fully-furnished, with multiple water and sanitation facilities annexed.

The project also involves distributing school bags and rain jackets to students, providing teachers with training, instructional aids, and monthly income, raising awareness among children about optimised water use and personal hygiene guidelines.

Noora Al Dossari, Head of QRC Ladies Forum, urged all women to participate in the bazaar and support Myanmar's children deprived of education.

"Over more than one year now, all interventions from government and international organisations in Rakhine have been focused on assistance in sheltering, water, healthcare, etc, aspects that were given priority at the expense of other neglected sectors," she added.

"Children at IDP camps have no access to formal education outside due to insecurity, repeated curfews, and lack of transportation. Educational centres are lacked in most camps or, if any, are largely inadequate and ineffective.

"Most children missed a whole academic year because they had no opportunity to attend any educational institution. 

"We had to raise the alarm about the issue before the back-to-school season, to have educational projects in place and ensure that children are not denied their right to education," she said.

Even prior to the outbreak of clashes in 2012, Rakhine has been one of the most educationally-underprivileged states. The region suffers severe shortfalls in teachers, schools, and educational services and materials.

This project is part of a comprehensive relief strategy pursued by QRC in Myanmar under a cooperation agreement with its Burmese counterpart in September 2012 to set mutual mechanisms and coordinated action plans.

The Peninsula

 

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