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Who are the people?

Myanmar, previously known as Burma, is a country made up of diverse peoples and subcultures. In all, about 90 languages are spoken, but Burmese is the country’s official language.

More than half of Myanmar’s labor force works in agriculture, growing rice, corn, sugarcane, and a variety of other crops.

However, many of the farming families struggle just to grow enough food to feed their children. World Vision is working alongside these families to teach them new agricultural techniques that can increase harvests and help them better provide for their children.

Though a large number of Myanmar’s people are literate, the country’s desperate economic situation indicates that many children are without opportunities to receive a good education or adequate health care. Unless they receive help, boys and girls will never reach their academic potential and will find it difficult to escape the cycle of poverty and improve the future of their communities.

While the people of Myanmar enjoy freedom of religion, Buddhism, which was once the state religion, continues to have a strong influence across the land. About 90 percent of the population is Buddhist, and there are approximately 1 million Buddhist temples in Myanmar.

What is it like to live there?

Slightly smaller than the state of Texas, Myanmar is characterized by subtropical forest and a monsoon climate with three seasons.		Sponsor a child from Myanmar



 
Country Statistics 
Population47 million
Land Mass253,954 sq. miles
Life Expectancy63 years
Infant Mortality Rate51 / 1,000
Literacy Rate83%
School Enrollment84%
Access to Safe Water78%
Average Annual Income (GNI per capita)US$220
 
 
In summer, which lasts from February to May, there is little to no rain and temperatures reach their highest. The rainy season begins in May and runs into October. The weather then becomes dry and cool until February.

Myanmar is one of the poorest nations in the world. Decades of military rule have devastated the country’s infrastructure, and underemployment and economic stagnation have become the norm. World Vision sponsors are helping to provide the poorest of families with the skills and resources they need to increase household incomes and improve their quality of life.

Over the years, Buddhism has been a veritable spiritual fortress in Myanmar. Even so, the Christian faith has taken root. In the face of much adversity, and with only a fraction of the population claiming Christianity, the church continues to grow.

How You Can Pray for Your Sponsored Child
  • Pray that your sponsored child might respond to God’s love and grace.
  • Ask God to guide your sponsored child as he or she learns, grows, and moves toward a future full of hope and possibilities.
  • Pray for God to protect the health of your sponsored child and his or her family.
  • Child sponsorship is providing families with desperately needed food production assistance, medical care, clean water, income-generating opportunities, and education. More boys and girls in Myanmar are growing, thriving, and coming to know God’s love.

Unfortunately, at this time, online picture folders are not available from Myanmar. You may still be able to sponsor a child from Myanmar by submitting a special request.
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