The Children in Nursery Schools in Karen State in Burma need your help. Education is important for people all over the world and Karen communities in Burma work hard to ensure education for their young children, despite long-standing abuses by the Burmese army. In Burma, education is woefully underfunded. The average length of schooling is just four years. In areas that are dominated by ethnic minorities the average education level is lower and the poverty higher. However, the Karen people have demonstrated a huge commitment to the children’s education, knowing that a good education will help pave the path to a better future for their children.

Karen communities work together to gather building materials, construct schools, and volunteer to run schools so that young children have a safe, fun learning environment. This shows the incredible commitment to education that these communities have in the face of hardship.

The Karen Women’s Organization supports these community schools and the children in them through money we have received through grants. Although schools are constructed and managed by communities, KWO provides some funding for school supplies, teacher’s salaries, teacher training, basic hygiene supplies, and lunch. These schools are successful that more and more communities are implementing them.

Nursery Schools work to provide a daily lunch to over 3,800 children. Many of these children come from impoverished families that cannot always afford nutritious food for their children. In the last year, due to higher enrollment, KWO was unable to provide enough funding for daily lunch for all students, forcing some schools to do the daily meals to only twice per week. This is where you come in. Last year, KWO was able to raise over 100,000 Thai baht for the Nursery School lunches. This year we are hoping to match that amount and even increase it.

Please help support the KWO Nursery Schools Project to ensure that young Karen children receive the food they need. Just $25 USD will feed a child for an entire year. The Karen community has been disrupted by years of war but the commitment and strength of the Karen people to a better future is undeniable. Help KWO build that better future.