Magic Bus Myanmar
Magic Bus has been active in Myanmar since 2017.
We work towards a world in which individuals break out of the cycle of poverty, leading fulfilling lives and contributing positively to their communities. We aim to achieve this by ensuring that children complete secondary education and are equipped with the life skills and knowledge they need to eventually transition to employment. Based on our ecosystem approach, we also engage parents and various community stakeholders so that beneficiaries are fully supported throughout their journey.
At a glance
- Although the national youth literacy rate is relatively high in Myanmar at 94%, over half a million young adults are unable to read and write1
- The national school attendance rate among children of secondary age is 68%; many children who enrol in school fail to attend regularly or drop out early due to the cost of education, the need to work or care for family members, difficulties traveling to school, a lack of interest, or personal illness1
- Magic Bus Myanmar currently works with 11 government schools and one monastic school based in the two townships of Thanlyin and Hlaing Thar Yar, located in Myanmar’s largest city of Yangon
- Many children in Thanlyin and Hlaing Thar Yar face daily challenges; in particular, some areas of Hlaing Thar Yar have become associated with severe poverty and crime in recent years
- Most Magic Bus beneficiaries are children of factory workers, vendors and day labourers, who often have unstable sources of income
Outcomes
- Successful programme rollout has been achieved across 12 partner schools, where weekly sessions take place to develop five core life skills: communication, teamwork, problem solving, learning to learn and managing self
- As of October 2019, there were 4,634 children aged 11-13 registered with the programme, with a slightly higher enrolment of girls compared to boys
- In 2018, 100% of registered children progressed to the next grade at the start of the new academic year
- Quarterly parent meetings have provided opportunities to discuss children’s performance and future development with family members, raising awareness of wider social issues such as the importance of completing secondary education and delaying marriage
Our
Partners
1 Source: Myanmar Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population (2017) The 2014 Myanmar Population and Housing Census: Thematic Report on Education - Census Report Volume 4-H
