Today is a very important day for all women all over the world. November 25th is the day when all people in the world should give their time to recognize and honor all the women who have suffered from violence and at the same time, make a commitment to stop the violence.
Please see our message:
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For the 2018-19-project period, KWO Special Education Project conducted TOT training in four places: Mae La and Ma Ra Moe, Bang Dong Yang, and Htam Him. Every year there are new teachers who need to be trained.
From 9 to 18 May 2018, we conducted training for participants from three camps; Mae La, Umpiem and Nu poe camp in Mae La Camp. There were 24 participants. They were field coordinators, school directors, trainers, and teachers.
From 24 May to 2 June 2018, the training took place in Mae Ra Moe. There were 18 participants.
From 4 to 12 June 2018, the training took place in Bang Dong Yang and Tham Him. For Bang Dong Yang and Htam Him, the trainers separated themselves and provided training for the school director and all teachers in two sites.
The training topics included:
The trainings were provided by Naw Eh Shee, NawHsaLer Paw, Naw Stone Paw, NawHtee Moo SheendNaw Paw PlaWah.
The strengths of this training
All of the teachers in the training were very happy, worked in the small groups together and shared their experiences on what they had done.
In May 2018, the KWO Early Childhood Development Education project conducted TOT for project senior staff, field coordinators, trainers, head teachers and teachers. This TOT training had not been organized since 2014.
In May we conducted this training in Mae Ra Moe camp. The training lasted 21 days starting on 7th May 2018 and finished on 2 June 2018. The people who participated the training included 34 representatives from Mae Ra Moe and 20 from Mae La Oo camps. They were senior field coordinators, head trainers, school directors, teachers, and field coordinators from Mae La Oo, CBT, Early Childhood Development Education, Project Coordinator, Early Childhood Development Education Project Assistant and Karen State Early Childhood Development Education Project Coordinator and Karen State Early Childhood Development Education Project Assistant. All of the participants were women.
This training was given by:
The training topics:
This training included new topics that were beneficial to the trainees attending. The participants shared that their knowledge increased and had a greater understanding of the topics introduced. Some of the trainers from Mae La Oo camps were new so they had less to share because of a lack of experience background. Another challenge was that trainings held in the daytime saw fewer participants because attendees were taking care of their families.
From Karen Women’s Organization and Karen News
The IDPs return home with dignity and safety? “We do not dare to go back because of the landmines that are planted in the fields where we make our living. If we go back, we could lose our limbs at any moment.” Currently, the Burma Army’s operations in Mutraw District violates the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement and has recently displaced more than 2,000 villagers from their homes. These displaced villagers, feel unsafe, have received threats, concerns and repression to return to their abandoned villages. They feel there is no guarantee for their safety and security and many political problems are unresolved. The displaced Karen people in Ei Tu Hta IDP camp are now facing a massive humanitarian crisis.
Please watch this video produced by KWO and Karen News about the current crisis
Please click here to download the statement, English Version:
KWO Statement on Supporting the Kachin Communities Worldwide Demands to UN English Version, 2018
Please click here to download the statement, Karen Version:
KWO Statement on Supporting the Kachin Communities Worldwide Demands to UN Karen Version, 2018
On March 4th, the Burma Army began the largest and most coordinated deployment of troops into Karen State’s Mutraw (Hpapun) district since 2008, breaching the terms of the NCA and provoking multiple clashes with the Karen National Liberation Army’s (KNLA) 5th Brigade. Burma Army soldiers have indiscriminately targeted civilians while more than 2,400 villagers have been forced to flee their land and homes. The majority of those displaced by the Burma Army’s current operations had only recently returned to rebuild their villages, farms, and livelihoods following decades attacks by the Burma Army and displacement in the area.
The KNU and Burma Army are both signatories to the 2015 NCA, which prohibits the expansion of military infrastructure and troop reinforcements in ceasefire areas. However, since March 4th, at least eight Burma Army battalions have entered Luthaw, without the required prior agreement from the KNLA, and begun constructing a military operations road to connect their military bases. If the road is built, Indigenous Karen villagers may be permanently displaced from their homes and ancestral village territories.
On the occasion of KWO’s 33rd anniversary, April 5, 2018, we celebrate our successes while also looking at our challenges ahead and how to overcome them. KWO will have it’s largest celebration of the anniversary in the Taw Oo District of Karen State led by the KWO Central leadership. The celebration includes a sport competition, a concert showing Karen culture, songs, and dancing. KWO will also present information on KWO’s work, the peace process and gender equality. KWO will particularly honor KWO leaders and staff who have worked full time for 10 years, 15 years, 20 years and 25 years respectively. KWO is the strong vibrant organization we have become because of their commitment and hard work.
It is our honor to recognize Nan Paw Gay as well for her leadership and contribution to our community and to Burma. She is a member of the KWO Standing Committee and has worked in community media. Due to her talent and hard work she rose to Chief Editor of the Karen Information Center in 2008. She was also Burma News International (BNI) Executive Director.
Additionally, we honor a KWO young leader, Naw Hser Hser, a KWO Standing Committee member and Joint General Secretary of the Women’s League of Burma. Naw Hser Hser won the P’doh Mahn Sha Young Leadership Award this year which she will receive on KWO day. KWO congratulates Naw Hser Hser on her award. Naw Hser Hser is a role model for younger women in our community through her hard work for KWO, the Karen community, and the entire ethnic community in Burma.
Both these women show the strength, vision, and hard work of Karen women and inspire all of us through their work.
In addition to all these women we also want to recognize the 80 Traditional Birth Attendants who work with KWO for their incredible contribution to the health and well being of women and children in our community.
KWO will honor 151 women and 2 men today for their positive contribution the Karen community. The list of those being recognized follows:
Women’s Champion in Social Work: Nan Paw Gay, Chief Editor of Karen Information Center and Executive Director of Burma News International
Women with over 25 years of service: P’doh Myaing Poe, P’doh Paw Day Toe, Tharmu Shwe Paw, Thramu Baw Nyaw, P’doh Naw Dah Dah, and Naw Khin Yin
Women with over 10 years of service: 31 women
Women with over 15 years of service: 30 women
Women with over 5 years of service: 5 women
Traditional Birth Attendants: 80 people (78 women and 2 men)
KWO is excited to announce the formation of a new a new “Karen Grassroots Women’s Network” which will strengthen the voice of Karen women in advocacy efforts. KWO gathered women from a wide variety of Karen civil society organisations for the third Karen Women’s Seminar at the end of March 2018.
The women discussed issues for two days and decided to form the new Grassroots Women’s Network. At the conclusion of the seminar the attendees jointly endorsed the following resolutions:
KWO was awarded a Women of Change award by the United States Embassy in Rangoon. The Women of Change Award is a U.S.Embassy initiative “to recognize Myanmar women who have made significant and lasting contributions to their communities…”
