A Project Brought to Life: Improving 17 Boarding Houses in Myanmar 

Since the 2021 military coup in Myanmar, the country has been facing an ongoing crisis that has forced millions of people to flee their homes and placed many families under severe strain. In this difficult context, a growing number of children have been taken into boarding houses.

This project seeks to equip 17 of these homes, ensuring that 2,820 students have access to safe, supportive and suitable living and learning conditions, so they can continue their education despite the ongoing instability.

We are deeply grateful for your generous support.

Since the military coup on 1 February 2021, which overthrew the civilian government and ushered in a state of emergency, Myanmar has been facing a prolonged political, economic and social crisis. The public protests that followed, and the subsequent crackdown, have forced 3.5 million people to flee their homes within the country, with a further 1.5 million seeking safety in neighbouring countries. In the space of just five years of conflict, the country has effectively lost around 15 years of development, leaving families under increasing pressure in their daily lives. 

In the most affected regions, families have been forced into internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, villages where security can still be maintained, or community-run facilities such as parishes, village schools and youth boarding houses, where they are supported by local communities at no cost. Movements are often repeated and unpredictable, with families relocating in response to shifting frontlines, sometimes leaving overnight when safety can no longer be guaranteed. Many parents, unwilling to expose their young children to this constant instability, choose instead to place them in boarding houses in areas less directly affected by the conflict. 

The project was designed to support these places of refuge, which have seen a growing number of children arriving in recent years. 

In many cases, these facilities are not equipped to cope with such pressure. Key needs included the installation of proper sanitation systems, the upgrading and adaptation of accommodation buildings, and the provision of water storage and filtration systems to ensure access to safe drinking water. 

Alongside this, there was also a need to develop safe learning spaces in village halls, boarding houses and similar community buildings. These were equipped with basic furniture such as tables, chairs or benches, as well as blackboards, together with independent power solutions to allow students to continue studying despite frequent electricity cuts.

SAFE WATER AND BETTER SANITATION FOR BOARDING HOUSES 

The largest share of the budget was directed towards improving access to safe water and sanitation in boarding houses and informal learning centres. This included the installation of drinking water storage tanks, the drilling of a well for displaced children, and the renovation of sanitation facilities. 

The work was carried out across five locations: Saizang, Kyuk village and Kyunglong in Chin State, Blablo village in Shan State, and Chipwi in Kachin State. In total, these five projects have helped ensure that children living in boarding houses, as well as those attending informal education centres, now benefit from reliable access to safe drinking water and improved hygiene conditions. 

In Chipwi, a remote boarding house in eastern Kachin State, the sanitation facilities were outdated and no longer sufficient for the 40 young residents, from primary to lower secondary level, hosted each year. Their renovation has brought a real improvement to daily life, particularly during the rainy season when illness had previously been common. 

In Saizang, a village in northern Chin State with around 500 households, an informal education system has been established following the closure of public schools. A drinking water storage tank has now been installed, providing 150 students, from primary to lower secondary level, as well as nursery-aged children, with daily access to safe water.