August 2025 – New Horizons and Monsoon Meditations

We don’t have a proper “summer” here in the tropics, so the change in seasons is marked by the arrival of dark storm clouds from the Andaman Sea. The school year ends just as the hottest days of the year settle in, and by the time the new school year starts, everyone is praying for the rain to wash away the brutal heat of May.

The monsoon brings not only cooler days, but a larger sense of renewal, a cleansing of what was before and time when new things start to grow.

With the new school year now in full swing, we have exciting news on many fronts – new students, new experiences, and new classrooms! Also, an overview of how we are able to educate a child for less than $300 per year.

Read on to learn more.

We are providing education in a safe and inspiring environment for more kids than ever before. On June 3, we welcomed 191 students that had registered for this school year. Thanks to our new school bus, this includes 13 new children from a remote palm oil plantation.

Thanks to your support, we have been able to add a new 8th Grade class, allowing 15 teenagers to stay in school instead of working illegally.

Nothing in Myanmar points to a reduction in the flow of migrants in the near future, so our work remains as vital as ever.

In the 2024-2025 school year, we spent $54,890. As you can see, your support went a very long way.

With a team of eight teachers, salaries were our biggest expense, followed by the cost of our two school busses. This year, our drivers will cover more than 220 miles each day to provide the children safe transport from their homes.

The amount spent on admin was $0, so all donations went directly to the school.

Looking forward, we need to raise roughly $65,000 for the next academic year, so please help if you can.

As part of our new program for Youth Empowerment, we held a training for our teenage students focusing on their basic rights within Thai law. Over 20 students divided into groups to consider situations where they would need to stand up for their rights, such as seeking medical care, dealing with law enforcement, getting fair prices, and labor exploitation. The event concluded with the groups performing one-act plays that they scripted and performed themselves.

Dharma Day (also known as Asalha Puja) takes place in July and is one of Theravada Buddhism’s most important festivals, celebrating the Buddha’s first sermon. It is also when Theravada monks withdraw to the temple for a 3-month monsoon retreat. Most towns hold a parade to honor the occasion and donate supplies to the monks. The Andaman Center was invited to participate, and our students had a great time representing their school, and donating rice to the temple.

We would like to highlight two students this year that are receiving full scholarships, including lunch and uniforms, as their parents are unable to cover any fees. Education is the only way to break the cycle of poverty that traps so many of these lovely and deserving kids.

Phue Wint War Kyaw, 10 years old

Phue Wint War Kyaw is a grade 4 student. Her father is a daily-waged construction worker and her mother is now a migrant teacher at the center.

The family moved to Thailand when they were persecuted by the Myanmar military. Their journey involved a 3-day jungle hike without proper sleep. At the border they had to separate. Their daughter is still a child so she could cross into Thailand without documents while her parents had to cross the sea in a small boat. When they got to Thailand, they had to stay at a sister’s house for about a year without proper employment.

Phue Wint War Kyaw wants to be a teacher like her mother. When I asked her why, she said ”if I am a teacher I can teach children like me to become educated”. She likes English the most. She loves to come to school because she likes to learn and play with her friends.

A Thu Aung, 12 years old

A Thu Aung is a clever student who works hard and always tries her best. She is a grade 5 student having passed grade 4 with a “B” grade last year.

Her father is a fisherman. It is dangerous work that keeps him away from home for long periods. Her mother is unemployed. She has two elder sisters and the whole family depends on their father’s income.

She wants to be a business woman so she can provide jobs for Burmese people. Her favorite subject is Maths and she is doing well in English. She likes to come to school because she likes to play with her friends and learn from her respected teachers.

After years of crowding into just 6 classrooms and a small dining hall, we are thrilled to finally have more space! We have just completed construction of 3 new classrooms and an assembly hall. The extra space will make a huge difference, as we can now add: a class for the 8th Grade students, a second Thai language teacher, and a computer room.

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Now we need your help to get the new rooms up and running:

$30 pays for a desk and chair.

$300 covers one month of salary for a teacher.

Any amount is helpful.