A NETWORK of groups involved in caring for needy children is
helping its partner organisations establish micro-finance programs
to help them generate more funds to support their activities.
The program coordinator of the Child Focused Network, U Thiha
Sane, said it had helped five of its 53 partner organisations
provide micro-finance services since it began the project in June.
The network, which provides staff training for its partners
as part of its regular activities, was established four years
ago to strengthen the capacity of childcare centres and orphanages,
U Thiha Sane said.
As well as staff training, the network also helps childcare
centres to exchange resources, he said.
“It is our objective to care for and protect children,
especially vulnerable children, through cooperation with our partners,”
U Thiha Sane said.
Established with financial support from World Vision Australia,
the network’s activities are funded by the United Nations
Children’s Fund and donations from a number of charities,
non-government organisations and individual well-wishers.
The staff training provided at least once a month by the network
covers such subjects as child psychology, children’s rights,
communications skills and proposal writing.
The network also arranges a regular series of activities for
children, including meetings and excursions, U Thiha Sane said.
Special events for children, which include competitions for
essays, poems and art, and sporting events, are aimed at contributing
to mental and physical development, he said.
Of the network’s 53 partner organisations, 38 are in Yangon.
Others include seven in Mandalay, five in Pyin Oo Lwin, and two
in Myittha township, about 30 miles (48km) south of Mandalay.
“More orphanages and children’s homes want to join
the network but it is difficult to support more partner institutions
because of limitations on our funding and staff,” said U
Thiha Sane.
“It is also challenging for us to raise extra funding
we need to expand the activities we arrange for children,”
he said.
