A new year, a new start

Hello all,

after starting this website with information about ESC and the teachers that came and taught, I was hoping that finally I could finish a project. Alas, it didn’t manifest itself that way and now at the start of 2015 I read that for more than a year I haven’t been updating about ESC’s history. As I might be the only reader, it doesn’t really matter.

Last year also was a year of loss. Khin Maung Kyaw had been a member of the ESC working group for several years until he went back to Yangon with his wife at the start of 2014. Several former teachers from ESC paid them a visit in their new home, which was also the birthplace of Khin Maung Kyaw, and they also hosted other Nu Poe citizens when they passed through Yangon.

Khin Maung Kyaw used to be a tourguide before he fled Burma to avoid persecution, and on returning he was able to do tour guiding again. Also he was able to ride his beloved bicycle again and ecah Friday night he joined dozens others to do a weekly night bike ride through Yangon.

On June 13 of 2014, Khin Maung Kyaw suddenly passed away, leaving behind his wife Ma Myint Zu. At ESC, many will remember him for the thousands of photographs he took of all the celebrations we had. Other people in the camp will have notice him on special activity days at the big football ground, and often he would stand alongside football champions on the stage, making sure players and cup were visible on the picture.

The most favourit picture by him was the 2012-2013 champion showing them from behind with the audience in the background. This was not a reporting picture, this was an artistic impression of a memorable event.

 

Khin Maung Kyaw besides his bicyle during a break.

The Friday night Bike Ride team, each Friday night dozens of cyclist ride through Yangon pass Swhedagon, Suley and other landmarks,

Getting ready for the next part.

In the same period that I did not add to this site, ESC was also unable to find new volunteer teachers. A variety of reasons were responsible luckily it did not mean the end of the program. Local teachers kept the program running and that means for 7 and a half years, people from Nu Po have been able to join a program where their English skills could be improved.

This coming year will see some changes in Burma and very likely in Nu Poe and probably at ESC. For now the school will start with two new volunteer teachers from Australia, we hope to introduce them later and that this will be the start for another fruitful year.

ton