Grassroots HRE facilitated a sport festival for migrant children in its learning centers during Thidingyut (end of Buddhist Lent) school break in October, in Ban Niang village, Takuapa District, Phangna Province.

About 150 people in total, students, teachers, parents and GHRE staffs participated in the festival.

The purpose of facilitating this event was to promote the children’s physical and mental fitness.

There were three different games to compete in for the children from 5 learning centers. They were soccer, Takaraw (cane ball over a low set net) and Tote See Toe (a Burmese traditional sport or game which is played between two teams. Members of one team try to cross the lines on the ground without being touched by the line-keepers from the opposite team. If one of the members can cross all the lines, (usually 5 or 7 lines) and come back the same way to the starting point, they win a match).

“These games can improve the children’s team spirit and collaboration as well as unity among them;” said Saya Mya Oo, secretary of Grassroots HRE’s teachers association.

“We include the Tote See Toe games in the sport competition to revive Burmese traditional game and to share it with Thai community in order to promote understanding towards each other,” said Day Sein Aye, a teacher from Baniang Learning Center.

“Major sport for children is organized on international children’s day in January. But this mid-term game is a sort of rehearsal for that main event. And this is the third sport festival for the children in five Leaning centers for Migrant Children after Tsunami,” said Min Thein Kyaw, lead teacher for all L Cs in Takuapa who also expected better relationship and collaboration among migrant children, in future as they grow up, from this kind of participatory activities.

Pakweek LC won the first prize in Traditional game (Tote See Toe), Pakalan won the first prize in soccer and Baniang LC won the prize in Cane Ball (Takraw).

Grassroots Director Htoo Chit arranges 2 interschool games a year for children in Migrant Learning Centers and similar sport competitions for migrant adult workers occasionally on His Majesty the king’s birthday and Her Majesty the queen’s birthday with the approval and permission from local authorities.

The event concluded at 4;00 pm in with the prize awarding ceremony.