4. Maung Kyit Tun, orphan of cyclone Nargis

Maung Kyit Tun is the little boy third form the left in this photo with the red jumper on. He is between 3 and 4 years old and he has no family. He is the sole survivor of his family from the destruction of cyclone Nargis. He is from the irrawaddy delta region but now he has been brought 600 kms north to this orphanage near Pyin Oo Lwin.

I heard about the orphanage from a friend here and so I went to make a donation of $200 US. There are 600 children here. Several of whom are orphans from the cyclone. But they come from all over upper Myanmar.

Maung Kyit Tun came up to a monk whom I was talking to and was clinging on to his robes as any kid would who wanted to be picked up and cuddled. Now he has a family of 600 orphans and monks and novices. There is a great deal of love, kindness and warmth in a place like this. It is a great testimony to the goodness inherent in most humans that these children are looked after and that many people come here to make donations to support them.

There is a japanese man who is organising to build a new section of dormitories for the children. He has raised quite a lot of money from his colleagues and the company he works for.

Without the benefit of family they start off with nothing and the main aim of the orphanage is to ensure that the children obtain education so that they can go out into the world and fend for themselves.

This orphanage is a home to many children who are studying at all educational levels. They have a government junior school right next door to the monastery. Students studying in high school are sent there by bus during the day and return to the monastery at night. There are also 80 students studying at Universities in Myanmar who are supported as boarders by the monastery orphanage.

If anyone wants to make donations for the orphanage then they can contact me and I will work out a way to get the money there.