YOUR COMMUNITY IN CHAUK

Child Sponsorship is the main source of funding for World Vision New Zealand’s (WVNZ) support in Area Development Programmes (ADPs). Your sponsorship will help give the children of Chauk a childhood and an education. The Chauk ADP is located close to the Irrawaddy River, in southeast Magway Division, 693 km north of Yangon, Myanmar’s capital. World Vision aims to improve the living conditions of almost 309, 329 people living in one of the most impoverished parts of Myanmar, enabling them to become self-sufficient.

Infrastructure, income generation and development potential

Poor accessibility to the Chauk township exacerbates its isolation and poverty. However, the area has land for agriculture, and rivers and forests, which will improve household income when people know how to manage the natural resources. World Vision will develop plans to enable farmers to increase their crop and livestock income by teaching small-business skills, offering low-interest, small-business loans and helping people to access markets.

Sanitation and water supply

Owing to deforestation, annual droughts and unsafe surface water causing water-borne diseases, Chauk has a scarcity of water, especially clean drinking water. Families who are limited to one 50-gallon drum of water per day for drinking, cooking, and washing have to share their quota with their goats and cows. The shortage of water means poor sanitation, while the lack of latrines seriously endangers the villagers’ health. World Vision is working with the community to improve water supply, irrigation and drainage systems.

Health

World Vision is focusing on improving people’s understanding of child health, family planning and sexually transmitted diseases. The community has serious health-related problems with 27 per cent of children under three years of age suffering from malnutrition. Health facilities are few and do not meet the increasing demand. The prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV and AIDS, is rife, partly because of the transience of the community. People migrate frequently in search of employment, exposing them to infection and transmission. Government policy has stopped health centres from sharing medical costs. This has led to a serious shortage of drugs and limited access to services, such as antenatal and maternity care, medical services for children, family planning, and health information. World Vision has developed plans to support the community of Chauk to work together with their medical staff to improve the wellbeing of all people.

Community leadership

With financial support from WVNZ, World Vision Myanmar has worked closely with community and government representatives to develop a programme that meets the vision and long-term, sustainable goals of the community. In the design phase of the Chauk ADP the local community helped to identify and prioritise their own development challenges and opportunities. World Vision is supporting the development of strong communities that can hold authorities accountable to deliver services the people need.

Employment and education

World Vision sponsorship means this 10-year-old can go to school. He is looking forward to a bright future.
Photo: Moe Moe Swe

In the absence of adults who migrate to cities and towns in search of jobs, children are forced into menial work at home to help support their families. School attendance is low, which means illiteracy is widespread, and general education poor. World Vision will introduce programmes to release children from enforced labour and encourage education.

Sustainable development

World Vision began researching the need for an ADP in Chauk in 2007. Your commitment to improve the life of children through sponsorship will contribute not only to children’s wellbeing, but also the health, food security, livelihood and infrastructure of the Chauk community. World Vision’s partnership in the Chauk ADP is envisaged to stretch over a period of 15 years. During this time, the community works towards selfreliance. When this is achieved, World Vision will withdraw from the ADP - allowing the community to direct its own development.