In early January, fighting broke out in Rakhine State following a nationwide increase in conflict. This new fighting between the military government and resistance forces was devastating and caused thousands of villagers to flee from their villages. The military continuously exercised airstrikes on the targeted areas day and night. After a few days, the internet and all communication channels were shut down. Since then, we have totally lost connection with our champion and the villagers.

In our latest conversation, our champion said that the community has prepared themselves to face the upcoming challenges that are unavoidable. The community has proven to be resilient whenever they encounter challenging situations. We sincerely hope they make it through these stormy days for them. Regarding the community project, even before the war, they had already gathered all the materials they needed for building the new school building. They bought tons of iron bars, stone, sand etc. They hired a skillful carpenter to start the building. It was reported that the foundation of the building had been completed before the war broke out. This new school will provide classrooms for more than 200 students. Now, we don’t really know what has happened to the community. We hope that they are safe and continuing to sustain themselves.