A chance meeting while holidaying in Myanmar in 2012 has been the catalyst for a group of Port Stephens residents to help the impoverished people of Lintha village with sanitation, education and improved health.
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In seven years, Digging Deep for Myanmar – the registered charity established as a result of that initial contact – has completed a total of 38 toilet blocks while providing training and jobs for the local villagers.
As the charity’s profile and work has grown, so has the membership, which includes Nelson Bay’s Tim and Jo Banner, Sonja and Graeme Chamberlain, from Boat Harbour, and ex-Bay resident Jamie Maslen.
The Banners have since became the charity’s directors, saying they decided to devote their time and energy to the charity because of the difference they can make to the lives of people in need through renewed hope and empowerment.
“We wanted to do more than just contribute by donating money and help build toilet blocks. We wanted to engage with the people and upskill them so that they can become more self sufficient,” Mr Banner said.
“The other thing we liked about the charity was that every cent donated goes straight to the frontline. There are zero administration costs thanks to our corporate donors.”
Mr Banner said that since its inception the group had formed a close relationship with an English lady named ‘Mama Sue’, who operates an English language school in Lintha.
“Sue established the school to provide quality education opportunities for local children to enable them to get jobs in the village’s main industry, tourism. Ironically, as the tourism industry grew, many families were being forced out of their homes and away from their primary food source, fishing.”
Digging Deep for Myanmar was set up focus on the strengths of the community, not the weaknesses, by committing to building practical skills among its people to enable them long-term self-sufficiency, not long-term dependency. Mr Banner said that since building their first septic toilet in 2012, a further 37 have been added, providing sanitation for more than 1000 people
“The charity has also built three houses for emergency accommodation, repaired five houses for disadvantaged families and donated 700 kgs of clothing distributed in the community. We have also trialed household water filters to provide clean drinking water, introduced solar lighting for safety and security, distributed dental products to over 300 school children and delivered health and hygiene education,” he said.
In the coming months the charity will be launching an appeal to purchase land and provide much needed housing to families.
Learn more or donate at: www.diggingdeep.org.au.
