Myanmar: Church Capacity Building

March 2017

Participants from the E-CARE training pose for a photo before going home. Adam is at the back of the group in the dark blue shirt and glasses. © E-CARE 2016.

 

In June 2016, ABM supported Adam Kyaw Thu Ya to attend 3 weeks of training in the Philippines. Adam is the Coordinator of Disaster Risk Reduction for the Church of the Province of Myanmar, ABM’s partner in that country.

Adam attended the “South-East Asian Anglican and Pacific Community Development and Leadership Training” which was started in 2014 and is now being offered annually by ABM’s partner, the Episcopal Community Action for Renewal and Empowerment Foundation (E-CARE). ABM, the Episcopal Relief and Development (US) and other Anglican Partners support this training by funding participants costs.

Adam recently spoke to ABM about the impact this had on his work, and on his life.

“I’m very thankful to E-CARE for this training, because I encountered new exercises and learning modules that I really enjoyed. This training is scripture in action, with all exercises or modules intended to use the Asset-based Community Development (ABCD) approach. This aims to increase the capabilities and capacity of the church and lay workers, and to teach best practices and apply what we learnt in the communities we serve.

The modules included the following topics;

• Gender Sensitivity and Awareness
• Asset Based Community Development Training, ABCD Timeline and Season Changes, ABCD Transect walk and Village mapping
• Project Vision and Mission Development
• Project Proposal Writing and Project Management
• Natural Farming Systems and Elements
• Organic Swine Feed
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Disaster Risk Reduction

Training participants perform a song in Guina-ang. © E-CARE 2016.

“I was very interested in this E-CARE training, because of the emphasis on existing community assets, and how to utilize these assets effectively to develop business ideas that are sustainable. The ABCD Transect Walk and Mapping presentation and practice (where trainees go to a village and conduct an assessment of the existing assets) were particularly exciting to me.

“This is very important to identify the assets within a community. Therefore, I am applying and practicing this learning in my Disaster Risk Reduction program. All the modules are useful for Community and Church Development in Myanmar.”

Since Adam returned home, he has been striving to apply what he has learned from the training in the various roles he holds within the church. When visiting communities, he talks about the importance of recognising their own strengths, and helping them identify and use their existing assets to bring positive change.  One such community, Dee Dote village in Pyay Deanery, wanted a pre-school and initially asked the church to provide this for them. After Adam’s visits, the people themselves donated wood, bamboo and other materials to put up a pre-school. The local government is now also helping to build a primary school in the village.

ABM would like to thank our partners and the generous supporters who made this vital training possible. Your kindness and commitment has enabled the capacity of Community Development workers in Myanmar to increase, to the benefit of communities throughout the country.

 

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