Afghan Refugees -

Giving Hope to Afghan Refugees in Pakistan

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Transforming Lives

He learned from the other boys how to survive on the street: collecting cans and bottles to sell, and begging for money. And, far too often, he didn’t make enough. Almost every day, 13-year-old Myimt faced a difficult decision: steal, or go without food. He may have been homeless, but Myimt recalled the principles instilled in him at the monastery school he attended before running away from his abusive family. Weak from hunger, he refused to take what wasn’t his. "He had tried to escape physical abuse at home, and to conduct himself morally, only to be regularly mistreated by the police simply because he lived on the streets," says Father Peter Myo Khin, director of Don Bosco Friend of Youth Center (DBFYC) in Mandalay. "I wish I could say Myimt's experience is unusual, but it’s not. For the hundreds of children like him in Myanmar, the picture -- past, present and future -- is grim. You can understand their feelings of despair." Fr. Peter devotes himself to transforming the lives of children like Myimt. Through the Don Bosco Project for Street Children (a program of DBFYC), he and a dedicated staff of six provide a safe haven for 30 boys ages 4-18. Here, the boys receive shelter, daily meals, basic healthcare, trauma counseling and the chance to go to school.

Myimt first learned about the Center through an outreach worker who met and befriended the boy during his daily rounds of the streets. Today, two years after first going to live there, Myimt is thriving. He attends 7th grade at a local school and returns to the Youth Center in the afternoons, where he enjoys interacting with other children. He enjoys practicing the guitar and playing soccer, and is a whiz with computers and electronics. “He can fix almost anything,” says Fr. Peter. “I would like to be an electronics engineer!” adds Myimt, who plans to attend vocational training at a Don Bosco college abroad. He also hopes to give back to the program that has given him so much -- returning to volunteer as a mentor to other boys like him.

Vocational Training for Brighter Futures

Matthew, 19, left school after 8th grade to help his parents on their farm. Robert, 24, completed high school but failed his final exam. Peter, 20, fled his rural village to escape the violence of war, only to land in Mandalay with no prospects. And Leo, 16 -- orphaned as a young boy -- had nowhere to go after outgrowing the boarding school he attended. These young men, like so many others in Myanmar, held little hope for continuing their education or finding long-term, stable employment. Without meaningful intervention, they instead faced subsistence work and a lifetime of poverty and hopelessness.

Fortunately, thanks to referrals from a variety of sources -- parish priests, former teachers, relatives and social workers -- Matthew, Robert, Peter and Leo learned about the Don Bosco Friend of Youth Center (DBYC) in Mandalay, and its innovative residential apprenticeship program. Here, they join other youth in learning the valuable skills they need to secure decent jobs and an independent future. Specifically offered to youth affected by poverty, as well as those who have struggled in traditional school settings, this three-month program blends onsite theoretical study with offsite practical training in the areas of automotive and motorcycle repair, computer technology, electrician skills, baking and English. Students who wish to explore more than one specialty, or seek to further sharpen their skills, may extend their apprenticeship for an additional three to six months. During their training, students live at the Youth Center, where they receive daily meals, necessary healthcare, clothing and the chance to participate in sports, recreation and other enrichment activities. "We treat them as family members," says Fr. Peter. "And the education we offer truly changes their lives, their habits and their outlook on life." In bringing skilled labor to Mandalay’s work force, the program also fulfills a mutual need, explains Fr. Peter. As the city seeks to overcome a weak economy and the lack of qualified workers, DBYC graduates can directly contribute to Mandalay’s development goals while simultaneously building their own, more prosperous, futures. “It’s a win-win,” he says.

Matthew, Robert, Peter and Leo are well positioned to contribute to such growth. After his own intensive training, Robert now runs DBYC’s bakery program, where Matthew and other aspiring students develop their skills (Matthew hopes to join Robert on staff when he graduates). Peter has successfully completed his motorcycle repair program, and is augmenting his skills by learning English and computer technology. And Leo is excited by the opportunities his own training in motorcycle repair will afford him. "I could operate a motorbike taxi, or help other people keep their motorcycles in good order so they can get around the city," he says, his eyes bright with future possibilities. Looking forward, Fr. Peter and his staff hope to partner more closely with Myanmar’s government in order to expand job opportunities for the country's youth.