A Brief History
Volunteer in Myanmar (VIM) originated in 2006, under the name Teach for Myanmar.  Teach for Myanmar operated on an ad hoc basis, coordinated from Thailand primarily as an extension of the Burma Volunteer Program (BVP).  BVP has been operating for over many years, and has placed nearly one hundred volunteers in sites across Myanmar.  After some years of inactivity, VIM is reestablished in 2016 as a volunteer placement program of Thabyay Education Foundation.  

Objectives

• To provide volunteer teachers, trainers and lecturers to transfer skills and build capacities of students and civic leaders in Myanmar
• To set up courses in English, social sciences and NGO development at community, faith-based and educational organizations in Myanmar
• To promote critical thinking, interfaith dialogue, civic empowerment and global studies
• To provide access to further educational resources and opportunities for continuing studies in Myanmar and abroad.

Scope of Services
Through VIM, we place volunteers with backgrounds in teaching and international development in our own Kant Kaw School of Community Leadership and Social Studies and other schools as well as community centers across Myanmar.  Placements range from 10 weeks to one year.  The main purpose of the program is to support the growth of civil society in Myanmar, through capacity building and English language instruction. VIM also guides students toward their goals of further study in education, community development, health and many other subject areas.   VIM has also helped set up and maintain classes in English and social sciences, organizing diagnostic tests, class levels, timetables, curriculum and assessments.

Primary Target Groups
VIM works primarily with educational institutions, monasteries and civil society organizations.  The students in these programs are focused on learning English for further educational purposes and improving their English and other skills to increase their ability to do their current job or enhance their work in the community.  There are four main types of organizations that have expressed an interest in receiving volunteers form VIM.

• Monastic Education Programs – These include a few monasteries such Paung Daw Oo in Mandalay that run formal education programs and others that offer informal English language classes.

• Christian & other Faith-based Education Programs – These include seminaries, their affiliated liberal arts programs and leadership program located in Yangon and Manadalay and in ethnic minority states.
  
• Local NGOs – These include organizations that are registered and are running educational, capacity building, health, agriculture and other livelihood programs.
• Community Based Organizations – These include a wide range of registered and unregistered community projects that offer English classes and development projects as their primary function.

"Our mission is to promote social justice, foster reconciliation, alleviate marginalization, and support sustainable development in Myanmar/ Burma, through higher education and professional development."

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
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Kant Kaw Education Center
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Curriculum Development
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Scholarship & Student Support
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Thabyay E-learning Platform
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Experiential Learning Program
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