The Amazing Project - Stepping Back to Burma

It’s time to bring an update from our treatment centre in Karen state, Burma. By the end of August our first ever treatment cycle at our new treatment centre in T’ree Hpoh Kwee came to an end, and the 27 clients were reunited with their families at the graduation celebration. For some of the clients it was the first time in three months that they got to see their families, since the rainy season floods had destroyed the roads, making it cumbersome to travel.

The reunion was an immense experience to clients and family members alike.

Fighting

The rewarding feeling after a job well done, and the anticipation before the next treatment cycle set to start by September was soon replaced by a feeling of alarm, as fighting broke out in Karen state on the 4^th of September. As a consequence of the conflict, roads were closed, which resulted in fewer clients being able to make the trip to the treatment centre. Despite the armed conflict, DARE Network staff stayed at the treatment centre, allowing for a new treatment cycle to begin. Currently 19 clients are being treated at the centre in T’ree Hpoh Kwee, set to graduate by the beginning of December 2016. The conflict cooled down by the end of September, and neither clients nor DARE Network staff was injured during the fighting. The safety of clients and staff are of the highest concern to us, and during the time of conflict, a communication system was established, with hourly updates on the situation. The communication chain was a collaboration between our staff at the treatment centre in T’ree Hpoh Kwee, DARE Network village coordinators in 20 Karen villages, local authorities and locals, and it helped us qualify the decisions being made to keep clients and staff safe. DARE Network would like to thank all the people who helped us keeping up the treatment during the recent conflict.

Currently the conflict has ceased, and we hope that the relative stability will allow for more clients to attend our 3^rd treatment cycle that will begin by the start of January 2017.

Before the next treatment cycle, we will be putting a lot of effort into disseminating our treatment offers at the T’ree Hpoh Kwee centre, through our 20 village coordinators, village leaders, local authorities, and through our monthly education and prevention education in the 20 villages that we are present in, in Karen state. The recent events are a testimonial as to how motivated, and hardworking our staff in Karen state is, and gives us great sense of pride and hope for the future.