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Shanta Foundation July 2009 Newsletter
A message from Mike 
Worldwide studies definitively show that children who attend pre-schools are more likely to graduate from school, have a higher income as adults, and whose own children stay in school longer.
The mothers in Shanta's villages are very excited about having their kids in pre-school later this year. These schools will be modeled after Save The Children's program and the teachers are being trained by theirinstructors. They are very well run and, as I can attest, lots of fun too! Singing, dancing, crafts, learning basic language skills, loads of outdoor activities, snacks, and naps fill their day. Plus, the village women who are being trained as teachers will now have paying jobs that did not exist until now.
Shanta has hired a part-time education director, Nam Kum Law, who is becoming a trainer for pre-and primary school teachers and will oversee the creation of the pre-schools. Shanta is funding living expenses for all teachers-in-training, school resources, and some renovation money for the school facilities. The first of six schools should begin classes in September 2009, and training of our pre-school teachers has already begun!
Our goal in our time in Myanmar was to assess maternal and newborn care in three villages: Yim Bya, Teeloh and Sin Mee. Almost all prenatal and child birth is overseen by Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), as is the case throughout much of the non-Western world where TBAs provide over 80% of care to women during pregnancy and child-birth. The TBAs of Shan State are generally older women who have been trained empirically by other TBAs and have only a rudimentary education. The health referral system in Myanmar, though compromised for lack of appropriate government funding, does provide for professionally trained midwives in each district. We had the pleasure of working with the midwife who resides in Pamon village providing back-up for the TBAs and vaccinations for children in her region.
Almost all the TBA's from the surrounding villages attended our training sessions where we learned of their practices especially during childbirth. Owing to the general good health of the women, many of the salient causes of maternal death and morbidity that plague much of the non-Western parts of the world, are not such pressing issues amongst the Pa O mothers. In our trainings we emphasized the need for cleanliness during delivery, methods of initial newborn care that were appropriate for the culture and conditions of home birth, and some of the signs and symptoms of pregnancy or delivery complications that would warrant transferring the mother to the district hospital or summonsing the midwife.
We found women in the villages where Shanta Foundation works to be in good general health owing to the rigors of daily living, walking as the primary mode of transportation, and a healthy diet that includes very little processed food. As there is no electricity for the most part, physical labor is central in the life of men, women and children. The water systems that Shanta Foundation has assisted in providing have had a very positive impact on villages and relieve much of the back-breaking labor of hauling water over steep mountain paths.
Linda
Finally, a few words from Ron Serle, the chief architect of our newly established micro-finance 
project...
Dear Shanta Members and Friends,
I recently returned from a trip to Myanmar with Mike and Tricia Karpfen.
I was first there with them and my wife, Ranjana, four years ago when we hiked to various mountain villages that eventually led to Mike and Tricia starting Shanta Foundation.
I had not been back since and when I was asked to join this March trip and help create a micro-financing plan I jumped at the opportunity. We spent a few days in Yangon and then Inle Lake where we prepared for our trip to Yim Bya, the first village to build a school and where the concept of Shanta was formed. I observed a profound depth of love, patience and dedication in how Tricia and Mike relate with the village people. There are, of course, cultural and language differences but when heart connects there are no differences.
Village life is very simple. The villagers mostly grow rice and wheat and the average income is about $200 per year. However, this small amount of money has absolutely no correlation to their happiness and generosity. These people will invite you into their home, share their precious food, and embrace you as a member of their family.
I, of course, had no idea the best way to initiate a micro-finance program but I kept trying to listen and understand the needs and circumstances. As I tried to figure out concepts for a local business, I thought it best to start with something livestock-related since it was something with which they were familiar. The idea of a village full of small pig farms began to resonate and I was able to find an organization that would help train the villagers, and had a method of raising the pigs stink-free. The plan could work fairly simply. We would buy some pigs and give two females to each of several families chosen by criteria the villagers themselves created. Each family would raise them and would then give half of the first litter of 6-8 piglets to two other families. They would also be responsible for training the new families.
The idea was simple and manageable and I was thrilled that I was able to participate in helping these villagers create greater income. Since a micro-financing system requires significant training to function properly I decided to do this as a social business in which I could donate the initial funds and then let the villagers manage it's growth.
I went to Myanmar to contribute something, never expecting the gift I would receive of understanding, gratitude, humbleness and love, none of which can be purchased with dollars.
Thank you, Shanta.
Ron Serle
Our Villagers in Shan State thank you for your continued support!
Mike at Shanta Foundation
