karennisdc – Karenni Social Development Center

Alumni profile: Aye Aung

August 20, 2015 by karennisdc Comment Closed

Q: Can you give some information about your history? A: In 2006 – 2007, I joined with a Karenni young people’s group. Later in 2011 – 2012, through a relationship with Karenni Youth Organisation (KnYO), I joined the Karenni Social Development Center. After completing SDC, I joined with the Union of Karenni State Youth (UKSY) and I have been serving for my community until today. Q: Since graduating from SDC, what have you achieved? A: After finishing SDC, I joined a women’s leadership training course. I have also participated in a workshop concerned with elections and leadership. I have had the opportunity to meet people at the grassroots level. Therefore, I am aware of our people’s problems Q: How did studying at SDC help you? A: By attending SDC, I have learnt effectively about human rights, democracy, environment and the rule of law. I have sufficient awareness of these issues. In addition, I have some skills of English and Computer. Q: What do SDC alumni do...

SDC alumni provide educational assistance for IDP areas

August 15, 2015 by karennisdc Comment Closed

SDC alumni continue to be an asset to the Karenni people in many ways. During July, some SDC alumni traveled inside Karenni State to rural IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) areas and distributed school supplies and stipends. The alumni traveled inside Karenni State to support a Karenni Education Department (KnED) project. The project provides IDP students and teachers with support in order to improve education for young Karenni (IDP) people. They provided a variety of materials to the children including books, pens and sport equipment. They also provided a partial stipend to the teachers. This small stipend is not enough to provide a teacher’s full salary but it offers a reward for all of the teacher’s efforts to educate young people in a situation with such limited resources. The educational situation for the children of the over 15,000 IDPs, as estimated by the Karenni Refugee Committee, is very difficult. Most schools do not have basic equipment and teachers receive very little, if any, salary....

Ration cuts set to affect the Karenni Community

August 11, 2015 by karennisdc Comment Closed

Refugees in the two Karenni Refugee Camps are set to face further cuts to their rations. In the past month, The Border Consortium (TBC), an NGO that supports provisions to the refugee camps along the border, has confirmed to residents of the camps that due to funding cuts they will be forced to further reduce rations, starting in August 2015. TBC has already confirmed that the new round of cuts will only affect rice and charcoal rations. The stark reality for refugees is that, due to previous cuts of basic food stuffs, any cuts other than to rice would leave the refugees with a diet that is not nutritious enough to survive on. Since the previous cuts, households are separated into different status groups. These are self-reliant, standard, vulnerable and most vulnerable households. The cuts will affect all but the most vulnerable households along with children aged between 6 months and 5 years. The cuts will mean that the first member of...

SDC Alumni launch the Peace Initiative Program

August 6, 2015 by karennisdc Comment Closed

A new project to empower young Karenni people has begun courtesy of our SDC Alumni. Over the past few months, SDC alumni have been working hard to prepare and design a program to create the change they desire in their community. As a result of this dedication, last month, they successfully began running the Peace Initiative Program (PIP). In order to set up this organisation, our alumni ran a series of meetings. The first meeting was for all alumni who were interested in being involved in a new organisation to provide help for their community. This meeting allowed for an overview of the need for the organisation and an opportunity to talk about aims. After this, later meetings focused on designing an outline for the organisation, its committee and planning some upcoming projects. As a product of these meetings, the Peace Initiative Program created aims for their organisation. Their organizational aims are as follows: “To provide the Karenni students and disadvantaged youths in camp...

Our community participates in World Refugee Day

July 14, 2015 by karennisdc Comment Closed

World Refugee Day is an important time for citizens across the globe to recognise the plight of refugees. On UNHCR’s website they say it as a day that ‘commemorates the strength, courage, and resilience of millions of refugees.’ This was shown through the coming together of the diverse groups within the camp to attend a small event in Karenni Refugee Camp 1. World Refugee Day was first celebrated on the 20th June 2001. This was to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees. It also coincided with the more widespread Africa Refugee Day. In 2001, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees stated this day would be used to recognise the plight of the approximately 14 million refugees in the world. With the global refugee situation in mind, it is important to get a scope of the current refugee crisis within the world. At this moment, more than 43 million people are forcibly displaced across...

Alumni Profile: Klaw Reh

July 11, 2015 by karennisdc Comment Closed

I currently live in Karenni Refugee Camp 1 with my sister but I come from Shadaw. I came to camp in 2009 because there were many problems in my community and I wanted to study. My father passed away in 2010 because of alcohol. Inside Karenni State, we were unable to make a living or farm. Fighting often occurred in my village in Shadaw. I couldn’t understand about this because I was too young. We always hid in bunkers that we dug under our houses. I was not afraid. I always believed that when I became an adult, I would be a Karenni soldier and fight back against the Burmese soldiers. The Burmese soldiers beat our community leaders. Many people moved to the refugee Camps like me. We could not face this discrimination. I decided to study at SDC because we have no human rights in my village. Therefore, I wanted to know about them. I wanted to know why we...

Welcoming our new students with our SDC orientation

July 7, 2015 by karennisdc Comment Closed

The new school year for SDC has officially begun. Between June 1st and June 5th, our 51 new basic course students got to know our school, our staff, our teachers, our coordinator and each other during their orientation. The orientation included a fresher’s welcome party which the Advanced Course students attended as well. Orientation is important for SDC as our students come from a variety of backgrounds. There are students from different ethnic groups, religions and areas. This year, we have students from the ethnic groups of Kayah, Shan and Kayan. There are also Animists, Buddhists and various denominations of Christians represented within the students. Our week long orientation provides these students with the perfect opportunity to meet and get to know each other before the school year officially begins. This year’s orientation included a number of activities. The students participated in; introductions; river of life; explanations of school rules and regulations; electing monitors for the students; providing duties to groups; talking...

About our traditional Karenni beliefs

June 28, 2015 by karennisdc Comment Closed

The Karenni people have many different cultural traits and beliefs. Karenni is a broader term used to describe all of the sub-ethnic groups that comprise it. Their beliefs are dependent on their sub-ethnic group. There are 8 main sub-ethnic groups: Kayah, Gekho, Gayba, Kayan, Manu Mano, Yintalae, Yinbaw and Payae. The Karenni are not just diverse in ethnicity. As a group, they also have different traditions and religions. The main religion of Karenni people is Christianity (Including various denominations). In addition to Christianity, there is also a minority Buddhist population. The third main religion is the traditional Animist belief. Some Karenni people only believe in their Animist traditions. Other Karenni people hold on to their Animist traditions and also follow other religions. The Animist traditions of Karenni people are centered on serving and protecting their community. They are separated into two main groups; the Ee-Lu-Phu and the Khai-phu. The Ee-Lu-Phu has responsibility for leading rituals and worship to their gods and spirits. The...

The Karenni people celebrate their 140th National Day

June 16, 2015 by karennisdc Comment Closed

On 21st June, our students joined with many other young people and organisations for a celebration in Karenni Refugee Camp 1 to recognise Karenni National Day. Karenni National Day commemorates the day that Karenni State was granted independence. For this day, Karenni people across the camp and across the globe unite in their shared history and roots. Every year the Karenni leaders remind their people of their history on the 21st of June. On this day, in 1875, the Burmese minister of foreign affairs, Kin Woon Mingyi and Sir Douglas Forsyth, a representative of the British viceroy, signed a treaty recognising Karenni independence. The treaty stated “It is hereby agreed between the British and Burmese governments that the state of Western Karenni shall remain separate and independent, and that no sovereignty or governing authority of any description shall be claimed or exercised over the state.” Despite this treaty, successive Burmese governments have ignored Karenni State’s independence and occupied their state. The 1875 agreement...

Alumni Profile: Rosie

June 14, 2015 by karennisdc Comment Closed

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your history? A: I joined SDC School in 2004. After that in 2005, I served for my community in the Karenni Refugee Camp Committee for 6 months. Next, I interned for 6 months at Karenni National Women’s Organisation (KNWO). I have now been working at KNWO for 10 years. For the first 4 years, I was working as a staff member. I was then promoted to the position of treasurer for 2 years and then for the last 4 years as coordinator. Q: What effect has SDC had on your life? A: I have benefited from my experience at SDC by improving my knowledge and becoming more confident to speak than before I studied there. After attending SDC, the knowledge that I received from this school makes my work more effective. My study was especially helpful in preparing me for a leadership role. Due to this study, I am able to implement my activities,...

12 3 ›»