Wednesday 11 September 2013

Stationery Distribution at Naba railway station

The following brief report was received from Doctor Hla Tun:-

On 20th August 2013, a stationery distribution was made at Naba railway station, during the 'Road to Mandalay' Bhamo Cruise 1.

Dr. Hla Tun and a young Guest from 'Road to Mandalay' distributing stationery to students on the broad platform at Naba Railway Station.


This photograph is from the set RTM Social Contribution.

The rather odd venue for the stationery distribution is because the 'Road to Mandalay' Guests had travelled from Katha to Naba by Private Train and so the station was a convenient location for the stationery distribution.

I've previously visited Naba myself in 2010 (when I was allowed to travel in the cab of the diesel locomotive hauling the Private Train) and again in 2012. However, we didn't make a stationery distribution on either of these trips. My report of the trip in 2010 is Train Ride to Naba (with links to my photographs). My report for the trip in 2012 is By Train to Naba (again, with links to photographs).

Stationery Distribution at Kyan Hnyat

The following brief report is based on information from Doctor Hla Tun, who also supplied the photographs.

First Bhamo Cruise 2013

On 15th August 2013, a stationery distribution was made at Kyan Hnyat, during the 'Road to Mandalay' Bhamo 1 Cruise.

RTM guests and staff distributing stationery to students at Kyan Hnyat.

Students at Kyan Hnyat worshipping after receiving stationery.

Second Bhamo Cruise 2013

During the second Bhamo Cruise, a further stationery distribution was made to more than 700 students in Kyan Hnyat Village on 30th August 2013.

The second stationery distribution in the Monastery building next to the High School.

Third Bhamo Cruise 2013

During the Third Bhamo Cruise, there was another opportunity to distribute stationery to the students in Kyan Hnyat Village on 13th September 2013.


The above photographs are included in the set RTM Social Contribution.

I've previously visited Kyan Hnyat myself in 2010 and 2012. My reports are here (for 2010) and here (for 2012).

[Second Bhamo Cruise in 2013 added 17-Sep-2013, Third Bhamo Cruise in 2013 added 25-Sep-2013]

Stationery Distribution to Schools along the Ayeyarwady River

Education Support in Myanmar

I've written a number of posts describing the support which the 'RTM Social Contribution' makes to education in Myanmar. You can find all these posts here. A number of these posts describe visits to schools to distribute stationery to students but, in general, these schools are in the Mandalay and Bagan area, accessible as the 'Road to Mandalay' ship carries out its regular cruise schedule on the Ayeyarwady River.

Each year, the 'Road to Mandalay' makes two or three extended cruises further upstream as far as Bhamo, accompanied by two 'Fast Boats' which act as ferries taking Guests ashore for various trips. Some of these trips include visits to schools with donations of stationery. In addition, a number of schools along the river receive donations of stationery, although the 'Road to Mandalay' does not stop. In these cases, the 'Fast Boats' load the stationery and, preceding the 'Road to Mandalay' up river, drop off the donated materials at each of the schools in turn. This means that, by the time the 'Road to Mandalay' comes abeam each school, the students are waiting on the river bank, waving exercise books which they have received and indicating their thanks by waving and cheering. I have been on Bhamo Cruises in 2010 and 2012 and can confirm that the excitement as the 'Road to Mandalay' passes, sounding her siren, is quite affecting.

Stationery Distribution in 2010

My first Bhamo Cruise was in 2010. All my reports on that trip can be found here. On 26th August 2010, after visiting the 'Pottery Village', we sailed past a number of schools which had earlier received stationery donations and there's a brief description in the post Nwe Nyein Pottery Village.

Students waving as the 'Road to Mandalay' passes in 2010.

There are a number of pictures of the schools we passed in the set Cruising North on the Irrawaddy.

Stationery Distribution in 2012

I repeated the Bhamo Cruise in 2012 and all my reports are here. The itinerary was similar to that on my first Bhamo Cruise and, on Thursday 13th September 2012, we visited the 'Pottery Village' and then sailed past eight schools where the 'Fast Boats' had earlier delivered stationery. The post Visit to a Pottery Village and Stationery Distribution to 8 Schools describes the day.

Children waving their new, blue exercise books in 2012.

All my pictures as we cruised north are in the set Schoolchildren and others along the Ayeyarwaddy.

In order, as we sailed north, these are the schools we passed:-

Place Nbr of Students River Bank
Ma Au 154 West
Pya 58 East
Nyaung Pin Thar 95 East
Yone Pin 270 West
Kote Tet 355 West
Ka Bwet 327 West
Kyaw Lay Well 60 East
Pon Ner 108 East

The following reports on the Bhamo Cruises are based on information from Doctor Hla Tun.

Stationery Distribution on First Bhamo Cruise in 2013

On the 15th August 2013, the 'Road to Mandalay' sailed north through the Third Defile of the Irrawaddy River, passing eight riverbank schools where the 'Fast Boats' had earlier delivered stationery to about 1300 students. As the 'Road to Mandalay' passed each school, students, assembled on the riverbank, waved in thanks.

There are about 300 students at Ka Bwet school which also includes a secondary school.

There are about 340 students at Kote Tet school which includes a secondary school.

There are around 125 children in Pon Ner Village.

Stationery Distribution on Second Bhamo Cruise in 2013

On the 28th August 2013, the 'Road to Mandalay' sailed north on the second Bhamo Cruise. Once again, stationery, exercise books, pencils, rulers and ballpens were distributed to the eight riverbank schools.

Stationery Distribution on Third Bhamo Cruise in 2013

During the third Bhamo Cruise in 2013, on September 12th stationery was again distributed to more than 1300 students of the eight schools along the Third Defile of the Ayeyarwady River.


Pictures showing these riverbank schools are included in the set Schoolchildren and others along the Ayeyarwaddy.

[Second Bhamo Cruise in 2013 added 16-Sep-2013, Third Bhamo Cruise in 2013 added 25-Sep-2013]