As UK pupils start the exam season, the future looks precarious for children and young people in Myanmar. A 7.7 magnitude earthquake in March affected more than 2,300 schools, leaving some completely destroyed. The approaching monsoon season is likely to exacerbate the situation, posing a significant risk of severe flooding to already weakened structures, potentially causing even longer-term disruption to education for many.
Tearfund’s local partners, who have been supporting communities affected by the earthquake which killed more than 3,500 and injured around 5,000 people, have recently spoken to some of the children and young people impacted, many of whom have been without a school building since the day of the disaster. Due to security concerns, their words are anonymous.
One child said: "I already had to leave my home before the earthquake and move to another town. When the earthquake struck, I saw the roof and walls collapse. We had to run outside. Every night, we sleep outdoors. With the monsoon coming, the school roof is damaged, and I’m not sure if it will reopen. I worry about my mom. I'm afraid another earthquake might happen."
Tearfund’s local partners are working with communities who have been affected, providing food, water, shelter and psychosocial support to those who need it most.
Jude Ryan Seares, Tearfund’s Country Director for Myanmar, said: “Families are receiving crucial cash assistance from us, allowing them to meet immediate needs and secure essential items for their children. Tearfund and our partners have established child-friendly spaces, providing a safe environment for children to process trauma through play. Mobile clinics are also reaching the most vulnerable, delivering essential medical care and nutritional support to infants and pregnant mothers.”
Another young person said: “I'm preparing to attend Grade 7. When the earthquake struck, I was at home. I thought it was the effect of a bomb because I had never experienced anything like it before. After a few minutes, I started to worry and hid under the table. The second time it hit, I was outside, worried about my family members still in the house. My house is slightly tilted to one side, and the back wall has been pushed out. I'm also concerned about my education; I've heard that our school might not reopen, and there's uncertainty since my school building was damaged. Right now, my main worries are repairing my house and continuing my studies, and I pray to God for help.”
To find out more or donate to Tearfund’s Myanmar Earthquake Appeal please visit: www.tearfund.org/myanmar-earthquake
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Notes to editors
- Tearfund has directly supported local partners in Myanmar since 1997, coming alongside local communities as they address poverty and environmental issues and develop strategies to reduce the vulnerability of people living in rural areas. Around 20 million people were already in need of humanitarian assistance before the earthquake – about a third of the country.
- Tearfund is a Christian charity that partners with churches in more than 50 of the world’s poorest countries. We tackle poverty through sustainable development, responding to disasters and challenging injustice. We believe an end to extreme poverty is possible. Tearfund is also a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC). For more information about the work of Tearfund, please visit www.tearfund.org.
