Remember the story about a Clean Water for Remote Afghan Village? Well, one of our GHNI staff members in Afghanistan recently spoke with the leader of this village. The leader said that before the chashma (pipeline) project, 80% of the children were sick. Now it is down to 5%! It’s one thing to know the critical importance of clean water, it’s another to actually see the health impact in less than six months.
It’s not only children who are benefiting from clean water. The leader shared about an old couple who live by the pipeline. They are thrilled because the wife doesn’t have to struggle all the way up the valley to collect water anymore. For this elderly woman it is almost as good as having running water in the house. It has had a huge impact on her life.
Read more stories from Afghanistan here.
It’s hard to overstate how historic these days are for the people of Myanmar. After decades of hardship, there is now much reason for hope. Cries for freedom and transformation are finally being answered – so it appears. As Myanmar (also known as Burma) moves toward a more democratic society with international economic sanctions easing, GHNI is continuing to branch out into different areas of the country to help poor villages transform themselves.
We would love for you to become a part of this journey! Learn more about how you can help the people of Myanmar rise above the traps of poverty and into sustainable development by clicking here.
Here’s a clip from one of our posts in April that tells you a little more of GHNI’s story in Myanmar, and a ‘person of peace’:
GHNI has been working in Myanmar after Cyclone Nargis killed close to 140,000 people and left many children orphaned in 2008. Though we have primarily been working in Thar Yar Kung through orphan care, this year marks a new turning point. Just this last January, the village of Thar Yar Kung has decided to take steps toward their own development through our Transformation Community Development (TCD) program.
Before GHNI enters a village, we look for what we call a ‘person of peace’. U Than Win is that person for Thar Yar Kung. He is the village president who is loved and respected by his people. Thanks to him, we have been able to work in this community. He is very enthusiastic about seeing development and transformation strengthen his village.
A lot of what GHNI does through TCD is education through knowledge transfer. It is not building something for the sake of building. Any project we do, we want to do in view of long-term sustainability.
Thar Yar Kung is a model village as GHNI looks to replicate its success elsewhere in Myanmar. In July, a GHNI team will be returning in order to help develop the capacity of our local staff and partners to effectively engage with the hidden and hurting peoples of Myanmar.
We are excited by the prospect of branching out to areas of the country that have remained isolated and inaccessible for so long. We invite you to join us in this journey and become a partner and friend to the people of Myanmar. Contact us here to learn how you can “adopt-a-village” or partner with us!
Read more GHNI stories on Myanmar here.
