Dear Friends,

I’m Mar Nwe Aye, the founder of Nature Classroom, and I’m writing to you with a heartfelt request. Nature Classroom is more than just a kindergarten—it’s a movement to transform early childhood education in Myanmar. As the first fully outdoor kindergarten in Yangon, we serve children aged 2 to 7, offering them a unique, nature-based education that nurtures their minds, bodies, and spirits.

About Me

Originally from Myanmar, I qualified as a Forest School Leader at Little Forest Folk, a chain of Queen's Award-winning outdoor nurseries in West London. The settings I worked at were rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, and I became the first Forest School practitioner in Myanmar. Before the 2021 military coup, I ran nature-based learning programs in Yangon.

In 2022, I initiated Forest School programs at Flo’s Nature Nursery and The Children's Allotment in Oxford. These experiences inspired me to establish Nature Classroom back in Yangon, bringing holistic and nature-based education to children in my home country. I’m also currently completing a Diploma in Holistic Baby and Child Care (Steiner/Waldorf and Pikler approaches) at Emerson College.

I’m deeply passionate about alternative education and holistic child development. I believe that not every classroom has four walls, and I’ve dedicated my life to creating spaces where children can learn, grow, and spend their quality childhood years in harmony with nature.

Our Journey So Far

Nature Classroom began two years ago, and since then, we’ve created a safe, inspiring space where children can learn, grow, and heal through nature. We’ve also launched a weekend Forest School program for primary-age children, with 50% of places currently reserved for urban poor families. But we want to do more. With your help, we hope to increase this number, ensuring that even more children from underserved communities can benefit from our transformative programs.

Why Your Support Matters

The past few years have been incredibly challenging for Myanmar. The ongoing conflict, economic instability, and high inflation have made it even harder for families to access quality education. Many parents are struggling to provide basic necessities, let alone afford quality early childhood education. At Nature Classroom, we’re committed to offering scholarships and low-cost education to ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive.

But to continue our work, we need to secure our learning space for another year. The annual cost for rent, maintenance, and materials is roughly $7,000. Without this funding, we risk losing the safe and nurturing environment that our children depend on.

How Your Contribution Helps

Your support will directly impact the lives of children in Myanmar by:

- Providing a safe, inspiring space for children to learn and grow.

- Supporting local educators and other like minded settings by sharing our unique approach though workshops and training programs.

- Offering scholarships to underprivileged families.

- Maintaining our outdoor learning environment where children connect with nature daily in the heart of Yangon.

Every dollar you donate will go toward ensuring that children in Myanmar continue to receive a joyful, holistic education rooted in nature.

Our Vision

Nature Classroom is inspired by the Pikler, Waldorf, and Forest School approaches, which we’ve adapted to Myanmar’s unique cultural and environmental landscape. We believe that not every classroom has four walls, and we’re passionate about creating an educational experience that is both innovative and deeply rooted in our local traditions.

In addition to serving children, we’re also committed to improving early childhood education standards in Myanmar by providing high-quality training for local educators. Through workshops, seminors, and culturally integrated programs, we’re sharing internationally acclaimed teaching practices that empower educators and uplift communities.

How You Can Help

Donate: Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference.

Share: Spread the word by sharing our campaign with your friends and family.

Sponsor: If you or your organization can make a larger contribution, we’d love to connect!

The late Dr. Emmi Pikler said, “World peace begins on the changing table,” and we firmly believe that too.

Donate now and be part of this transformative journey!

With gratitude,

Mar & The Nature Classroom Team

For the organiser of the fundraiser:

My name is Velika Dimova and I have completed Holistic Baby and Child Care training (Emerson College, UK) in the same class as Mar.

As we continued our journeys as an early years professionals after the training, we continued to be in touch and to follow each others work. Today I am happy that I am able to support Mar and contribute with setting up this fundraiser with my best intention of helping the wonderful early years setting to thrive and bring love and warmth to many, many children!