karennisdc – Page 6 – Karenni Social Development Center

Ready for freedom: A Volunteer Testimonial from Elliot Billingsley

September 12, 2014 by karennisdc Comment Closed

This year, I had the privilege of teaching at the SDC for a short, 3-month term. The SDC is one of the best run community-based organizations on the Thailand-Burma border. It gives an opportunity for Karenni and other Myanmar refugees to gain the building blocks for a greater civil society. I am lucky to have been a part of it. At the moment, I'm traveling between Karen and Shan states to enjoy some of the best the country has to offer: gilded pagodas rising to the sky, lively tea shops on quiet streets, endless friendly encounters with the locals. Today I gazed upon the wondrous surface of Inle Lake. I'm visiting a country where members of the SDC students call their own, but where few of them have had the chance to live freely. Myanmar, in isolating itself from the world, has alienated its people from their land. Now, as foreign tourists spur the construction of five star hotels and the...

Traditional Deeku festival celebration 2014

September 11, 2014 by karennisdc Comment Closed

Between September 3rd and 5th, Karenni refugees celebrated Deeku festival. The elderly leaders of our animist religion who preserve and are knowledgeable about our ethnic’s traditional ways organise our traditional festivals. They lead in predicting which days are suitable for celebrating Deeku festival. These leaders read a chicken bone on Monday 1st September. As a result of the prediction based on the chicken bone, this year the Deeku festival started on the 3rd September and ended on the 5th September. After this, people can make preparations for hosting their friends and relatives. The festival must take place within the days predicted by the chicken bone. Deeku is celebrated by Karenni people inviting all of their relatives and guests to their homes. At their homes, they will provide food especially deeku, traditional wine and meat. Karenni people will visit many homes where they eat, drink and enjoy each other’s company. During the festival, we closed our school for two days to allow our...

Flash flood on 26th August

August 27, 2014 by karennisdc Comment Closed

FLASH FLOOD: On Wednesday 26th August 2014, one of our school campuses suffered serious damage and some classrooms were destroyed due to a flash flood in Karenni Refugee Camp 1. We also lost books, tables, chairs, 2 whiteboards, a video camera, a TV satellite dish and other useful materials. Education is a right but refugees in Karenni Refugee Camp 1 face many challenges to receive it. These challenges include security challenges due to the policies of the country they reside in: Thailand. They also include environmental challenges due to weather. During rainy reason flooding is always a risk but the recent flood was more serious than previous ones. The flood destroyed one classroom entirely. This has left students and teachers without a place to use for their lessons. This flash flood has also had a serious effect on many organisations within the camp as well as the day to day life of the over 12,000 refugees residing in the camp. Many of our...

Classroom videos

August 20, 2014 by karennisdc Comment Closed

We use an open style of learning on both of our courses and allow our students to be involved in many activities. This is a video of our Basic Course: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVlcS4bPSus This is a video of our Advanced Community Management Training Course: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_Ky2PR8d1w...

Shar Myar Kay’s story

August 13, 2014 by karennisdc Comment Closed

Q: What is your background and history? A: I was born in Daw Liah Lee, Demawso Township, Karenni State on August 6th 1995. When I was young, I stayed with my family. When I was seven years old, the police arrested my father. He was accused of being a thief. He said he did not do anything. At this time, my mother looked after me and my seven siblings. She could not find enough money to support us so I moved away to stay with my uncle in another village. During those two years, my younger sister passed away. After two years my father called me to the refugee camp with him. My mother and other siblings did not come here. My mother moved to camp in 2010. Q: Can you describe your experience in Karenni Refugee Camp 1? A: When I started living in the camp, I missed my village and I was not happy. Before, I came to the refugee camp...

A meeting with our donors, AJWS

August 10, 2014 by karennisdc Comment Closed

On August 5th, We met with our donors, American Jewish World Service, AJWS. This was a fantastic opportunity for us to discuss the progress of our project, our past achievements and our future plans. During the meeting, we focused on how to challenge the main issues in Karenni State such as land confiscation. We also spoke about the current political situation and how conducive to civil society it is. AJWS also used the opportunity of the visit as a chance to see our school in action. They spent some of the afternoon sitting in on one of our classes. We have attached a video below about the day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=480U_AowXXc ...

Legal Training from the LAC

July 21, 2014 by karennisdc Comment Closed

Our Basic Training Course is specifically targeted at creating future activists for our community. More specifically, one skilled group we aim to provide our community with are legal activists. How can we build a new society without an understanding of Law? Our Training course provides training in Legal subjects but we also aim to network and integrate our students with opportunities within our community. With these ideas and priorities in mind, we provide training from the Legal Assistance Center (LAC). These trainings allow our students to network with staff in the camp legal system. They also create an opportunity for our students to get a valuable understanding of the practical aspect of working in the legal field. The trainings have been taking place during this month, July 2014. ...

Knowledge and Information Sharing

July 20, 2014 by karennisdc Comment Closed

Many of our students have known nothing outside of the camp's boundaries for their whole life. It is common that ethnic students along the border to have precious little knowledge of news and current affairs. For our SDC students, we aim to change that. This month, students on SDC's basic course were introduced to a new activity: Information sharing. Beginning on the basic course, this year, every Friday, our students will present information about current news either in Burma or internationally to their fellow students. The students will present their information, individually, and each week different students will be selected to provide information. We believe this activity will both further our students' knowledge of the world around them as well as provide a valuable opportunity to improve their public speaking and presentation skills. The activity fits in well with our school policy of providing learner centered activities for our students. This activity will also soon be implemented on the SDC...

Nga Meh’s Story

July 15, 2014 by karennisdc Comment Closed

Q: What is your history ? A: I am a Kayah woman, born in Saw Uyoe Lay on the Thai-Burma border. My parents are from Shadaw, Karenni State. I’ve never been to Karenni State and grew up in the camps. First, I lived in Karenni Refugee Camp 3 but later we were all moved to Karenni Refugee Camp 1.I studied from nursery school to grade 10 in the camps. After that I completed the SDC basic course 2012-2013 & 4th ACMTC . Q: Why did you apply to SDC? A: After grade 10, I was interested in the environment, human rights and the rule of law so I applied to SDC. Most of our community doesn't understand human rights, the environment or rule of law. These issues are very important for our people. So for me, I knew if I could learn about these subjects, one day I could share this knowledge with other people. “Before attending this class, I didn’t know about legal...

World Refugee Day Celebration

June 26, 2014 by karennisdc Comment Closed

On 20th June 2014, our students were involved in the world refugee day celebrations in Karenni Refugee Camp 1. The UNHCR requested for our students to help them to implement their activities on that day. Some of our students helped prepare an exhibition about the activities of various organizations and our Karenni culture. At the ceremony, organizations shared brochures as well as seeds and vegetables. Our students helped run games and competitions for the audience. The winners of the competitions were awarded with some prizes by the UNHCR. During the ceremony, there was a big audience. There were over 400 people including children and parents. Everyone had a lot of fun....

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