Education Within Arms Reach
Written by Phyu May Khin
Project Overview:
Within Arms Reach will be partnering up with "Myanmar Charity Group" to accomplish the project.
The Existing Building:
The existing school which is located in "Rakhine" State in Burma provides educational services from K – 8th grade to the children in the village. After the 2007 flood the classrooms were heavily damaged. They need an immediate classroom space for 7th and 8th graders for the upcoming year. They also lack space as they have all the different grades placed together and having only small none-sound proof partitions dividing between each area. The lack of space in the current building makes it very uncomfortable for children to learn and attend classes.
The Project Location:
The school will be located in “Seik Tara Village” in northern Rakhine State of Burma/Myanmar. The occupation of the northern Rakhine State communities consist of a mix of farming, livestock rearing, fishing, off-farm activities and casual labor. The total population of this village is 2,900 people.
If you would like to support this project, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for information
Within Arms Reach
Within Arms Reach is a 501(c)(3) not for profit design organization, dedicated to bringing design services and education to communities in need.
Our Mission:
Within Arms Reach offers design services to communities and individuals who are in desperate need by providing them with sustainable buildings and educational resources. Using the power of design, we bring construction and development services to people around the world to transform lives. Our goal is to work diligently to make sure our design services are within arm’s reach of those who are in need.
What We Do:
Our team consists of designers, contractors, business professionals, and anyone with a heart to serve coming together to improve the quality of life for all humanity. In order to accomplish our mission, we partner up with nonprofits, local contractors, professionals and volunteers from around the world. We use the power of design to transform lives by constructing schools and homes while building sustainable communities that will endure for a lifetime.
We understand that sustainable design goes beyond the use of materials or having the latest technology implemented in a building. A well thought of design means making sure that our actions and decisions today won’t inhibit the opportunities and resources of future generations.
Why Education:
We believe education allows the future generations to gain the skills they need to affect their own communities and free them from the thought of being powerless to shape the world. There is an enormous need for education around the world and design can be a catalyst for change.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela
History
Brief Background:
The organization stemmed from two personal humanitarian trips to Burma (Myanmar) in order to provide relief for Cyclone Nargis victims. Cyclone Nargis was a strong tropical cyclone that caused the worst natural disaster in the recorded history of Myanmar on May 2, 2008. It killed at least 138,000 people and left over 1.5 million homeless. Damage was estimated at over US $10 billion, which made it the most damaging cyclone ever recorded.
Witnessing the harsh living conditions and devastation in Burma, we decided to use the power of ‘design’ to benefit others who are in need. The experiences from the trips and passion for helping people led to starting “Within Arms Reach” which was incorporated in March of 2010.
Burma (Myanmar) Trips:
During the two trips to Burma, “Within Arms Reach” was able to provide several services to the Cyclone Nargis victims which include the following:
• Built several homes for the victimized families in the Delta district.
• Successfully dug three water wells in order to provide clean water for the community.
• Built a clinic in the center of the town to provide a centralized location for first-aid care.
• Distributed food, clothing, and medicine to the orphan temple and the community.
The trips were a success due to all the prayers and generous support that was received by our families, friends, churches, entertainment community, Burmese community, and the design community.
Services
“Transforming lives around the world through the power of design and education.”
We provide a range of design and building services to the communities, partners, and clients around the world.
* Education & Sustainable programs
* Schools
* Homes & Shelters
* Community Centers
* Products & Supplies
How We Offer Our Services:
. Creating job opportunities by hiring local builders and contractors
. Provide professional skills and resources in order to help them sustain and be affective in their own communities
. Give them a ‘pride of ownership’ of the building by having them participate along the process
. Field/Site study to understand the culture, client’s needs, geography, government, etc
WITHIN ARMS REACH
O: 714.886.9345
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Mailing Address: P.O.Box 138, Cypress, CA. 90630
To learn more about our work and follow our progress, please visit us at www.withinarmsreach.org (or) find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/withinar