VSO

Two years in Yangon, Myanmar

I returned to UK 4 months ago after volunteering with VSO and, through them, with Save the Children devising courses for teacher trainers to help them train primary teachers how to include children with Disabilities or with Learning difficulties in their classrooms. An amazing two years! I spent the first 6 months gaining trust, learning the culture of the Myanmar teacher training team I was assigned to and unlearning everything I thought I knew. I had to begin at the beginning and was assisted by visiting community schools, talking with community members and with disability self help and pressure groups. Having gained a better understanding of the realities faced by teachers, administrators, children and their families only then could I begin to work with the teacher training team to develop meaningful training programmes for teachers and community leaders. As Gandhi says (something like....) "if you want to find yourself, lose yourself in helping others. Thanks VSO and Save the Children. Chris