Unstoppable Compassion: Transforming Lives and Rewriting Futures with Every Act of Care
Our team leader recently wrote about a donation trip we undertook to support Dr. Chan Pyae Aung, known as Shin Chan, who founded the Shin Chan Charity Orphanage and Elderly Home in Sadaung Township, in 2018. Inspired by her childhood altruism, she provides shelter, education, and care for orphans and disadvantaged children, as well as elderly individuals. Despite personal challenges, including traveling long distances while completing university, she has tirelessly worked to build the charity with help from friends and monks. Her vision includes not only providing basic needs but also teaching life skills to street children. Shin Chan's dedication and compassion have made her a model of selfless service in her community. Our team leader shares a further reflection today.
Let me to continue to share about our recent visit. So Shin Chan is the youngest child in her family, and her parents were able to educate all three children until they graduated. She herself graduated with a Ph.D. in Archaeology from Yadanarbon University in Mandalay. After working as a lecturer for a few years, she left her job to devote all her efforts to opening an orphanage home in Sadaung and caring for orphans, fulfilling a long-held wish. It was nice to learn that she is originally from Ywar Thar Village, near the famous Nyaung Kan Village of Sayadaw U Bud in Budalin Township, to the north of Monywa. She shared with her assistant, who was standing nearby, that we are from the same region.
With the help of three friends, she established a home for orphans in Nyaung Ngotto Village in Sadaung Township in 2018. In addition to caring for orphaned children from the surrounding area, she tirelessly traveled to various regions to bring abandoned babies to her loving home. From 2020 to 2021, she and her team successfully overcame the challenges posed by the pandemic. However, after the military coup in February 2021, it became unsafe for her home and the children to continue operating there. A respected monk, Lay Kyun Myay Sayadaw, invited them to live in his charity clinic, which had been closed during and after the pandemic. Although they were able to breathe with the help of the compassionate abbot and their home survived in the first few years, it has become increasingly difficult due to fewer local donors, despite the growing number of orphans and abandoned elderly people. In addition, since residing in Sadaung, they have been offering extensive care to homeless elderly people with no children or supportive relatives.
Due to the rising prices of everything in the country, they have been struggling to survive on local donations of food and other essential supplies for the babies, such as milk powder, diapers, and more. The same applies to the elderly! Despite the hardships and challenges, we truly felt a sense of care and love from their staff and volunteers for the children, as well as a well-organized and systematic operation. Today, we were able to distribute all food supplies and other essential items to the vulnerable children and elderly people at this authentic charity home. We distributed:
10 sacks of rice to each site (they now have a separate site for the elderly home, as the space for the children is limited).
2 buckets (18 liters each) of pure peanut oil.
20 boxes (650 grams each) of milk powder (Dugro Dumex) [for both step 1 and step 2].
20 packs of baby diapers.
2 cotton mattresses for infants.
10 packs of adult diapers.
Along with these essential supplies for the children and elderly, we also provided 3 meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) for the orphanage today and will offer the same for the elderly tomorrow. It was a busy and delightful day for me today. Our team felt truly blessed to spend these moments together with the kids yesterday and today. For breakfast, the staff informed us in advance that they had prepared rice chicken soup with eggs, as some children had experienced diarrhea a few days ago. At 11:30 am, it was very pleasing to see the children enjoying their lunch with beef. The staff, whom the children affectionately call 'Mom,' were also happy to go around, ensuring the children chewed their food properly, giving them more when requested, and offering Burmese traditional medicine (လျက်ဆား‒herbal and mineral powder) after the kids finished lunch—just like a caring mother would!
It was inspiring to witness the deep compassion and commitment of Shin Chan and her team as they continue to provide for those in need despite immense challenges. Their tireless efforts and resilience reflect a profound dedication to serving the most vulnerable members of society. The smiles of the children, the care shown to the elderly, and the sense of hope that permeates the charity home are testaments to Shin Chan's vision and unwavering spirit. As we left, it was clear that her work is not only about providing necessities but also about nurturing love, dignity, and a brighter future for all.
If you would like to support Shin Chan Charity Orphanage and Elderly Home in their mission to care for vulnerable children and elderly individuals, donations of any amount can make a meaningful difference in sustaining their essential work!
