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Tomorrow's Leaders - Rakhine State

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Overview of Peace & Development Initiative (Kintha)

The Peace & Development Initiative  (Kintha) was founded in 2013 in response to the deepening religious and ethnic divisions occurring throughout Rakhine State. Our projects focus on social integration through sports activities and raising awareness through civic education training. Activities began building trust not only between communities in conflict, but also between community members and project staff. Through established networks, Kintha is strategically positioned to deepen activities that will contribute towards integration of communities, strengthening cooperation and building peaceful relationships.

AISS Classroom 

Who Are We?

Akyab Institute (AISS) is a new 2017 Kintha initiative in response the increasing need for programs that provide youth empowerment training and further education to young people from Northern Rakhine state who lack the knowledge, skills and confidence to take advantage of the opportunities that are available to them.

The institute aims to develop a younger generation of local and grassroots change makers who undertake civic initiatives in their respective communities. The institute provides practical skills through leadership capacity building, civic education and enhancing social, political, cultural and economic awareness of youth at the local and grassroots level.

Our Project: 

Near Aung Ban, Shan State

To complement our students' classroom learning we are planning an exposure trip. Our plan is to visit similar youth initiatives in Mandalay and Southern Shan state (Theik Khar Myamar, Pre- Collage program in Phaung Daw Oo, Mai Pan Youth Institute, Cherry Myay Institute) and explore rural life in Shan State during a home-stay experience in a Danu village near Aung Bang. Students will have a chance to build relationships with other  young leaders, observe profoundly different cultures and ways of living, and  ask reflective questions about who they are, where they come from and what connects us.

AISS Students

The estimated cost of the trip for 30 students and teachers will be around $3,000 USD. We have already raised a small amount through local fundraising activities but we need your help to raise the rest. While our goal is to cover the costs of the trip any additional funds we raise will be used to support experiential learning activities once they return to Sittwe; activities that help students to transfer what they have learned about themselves and their country to their lives at home.

AISS Family Meal

Why is this important?

Akyab Institute opened in August 2017 with a class of  30 young, motivated students from different townships of Rakhine state for one year immersive program (9 months in classroom learning, and 3 months internship in other CSOs). The students have very limited experiences of other cultures and different places. Most of them have never been outside apart from their home town. To learn and understand the cultural diversity is crucial part of their thinking toward social cohesion and PDI’s goals.

There are valuable purposes of doing this exchange trip beyond having fun. Those purposes mainly focus on students’ social, educational, and professional development.  There are certain advantages that can be rationally expected from this exchange trip. Those beneficial themes can be categorized into three: program, education, and personal benefits.

Program Benefits:


This exchange and trip will help to develop stronger networks between the youth and education initiatives visited.

The newly networked organisations will be able to share educational resources, trainings, and information regarding students’ future studies, internship, and work opportunities.

Teachers will have the opportunity to observe different teaching techniques and classroom management styles.

Educational Benefits:

The trip will introduce the students to new cultures and environments.

Students will gain the real-life understanding of a Non-Rakhinese culture while at the same time having the opportunity to reflect upon and share their own culture with others

Students will learn new ways to support and lead change grassroots change in their communities.

Students will learn to value of the process of discovery; how to learn by doing, asking questions and of not being afraid of the new and unusual.

AISS Students in Sittwe

Personal Benefits:

Through expanding their social sphere and stepping out of their comfort zone, students will gain maturity, tolerance, and socializing skills.

Students will foster friendships and relationships that will keep them connected to voices outside of Rakhine State and their home communities.

Students will develop valuable networks that will support their future academic, professional and personal goals.

Students will strengthen their interpersonal skills and deepen their own self-awareness through communication with new people. 

Students will learn to be flexible and adapt to new environments; a skill that will help them overcome future personal and professional challenges.

AISS students playing football

Any single amount of your donation or any contribution will be really helpful to this trip.

If you live in Myanmar and would like to make a local bank transfer please contact Gum Ja La, AISS Education Officer, [email redacted].

Thank you for your support! If you would like to know about the detail of our exposure trip or any other PDI project please don’t hesitate to contact us.
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Donations 

  • Shona Kirkwood
    • $500 
    • 6 yrs
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Organizer and beneficiary

Kara Emily Wong
Organizer
Surrey, BC
Grace Michel
Beneficiary

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