Teacher Meagan!

Something really awesome about the Non Profit world is the ability to collaborate with local businesses and other NGOs in the area you work. The work pours out into all facets of your life! Recently as collaboration with SCBI International school in Yangon LFM Director of Myanmar Ministry Relations Meagan Henry was able to negotiate some education opportunities for underprivileged young people that would otherwise have not been able to learn English and Computer skills. Meagan also works at SCBI as the English Program Director.

The girl pictured above (with Meagan) is one of the girls sent to SCBI by ‘Business Kind’ an NGO participating in this program for free education. She completed the elementary course and got on at Yangon Bake House, a social business that is training staff to cook western style food so they can get careers at hotels or as personal chefs to foreign people. Totally, of the 8 that came to SCBI School for totally free English class, three ended up at Yangon Bake House (their picture is below). Others went to do further coursework for computer training (for instance) and one even went back to her home village as the new English teacher for the village school. The idea was that all of these girls (none of whom had even ‘matriculated’ by taking the test you have to take to enter higher education facilities in Myanmar) were destined for a life of work in the paddy field in their farming community. Business Kind wanted to provide them with education (especially in English at SCBI) that might broaden their potential working options.

Meagan went to Yangon Bake House for the first time a few weeks ago, and not having been inside the door for more than a minute or two, the girl pictured with her came rushing from the back yelling “Teacher Meagan!” She remembered her because, though Meagan wasn’t even in the country while she took the majority of her course, Meagan gave her extra help on the weekends to prepare for the final presentation to ensure that she could pass the class.

It is incredibly special to get to make these connections with people and see them succeed in meaningful ways!