Tim Daniell serves as the Project Manager for all Orphan’s Promise projects in Asia and the Pacific region. He is also heavily involved in directing our Keeping Families Together (KFT) initiative, which aims to equip families with the necessary tools and support to stay together, eliminating the orphan crisis in the process. Through our KFT and orphan care programs, we are changing the lives of thousands of children and families. Tim was recently in Myanmar visiting a project where a cooperative effort between Orphan’s Promise and Youth With A Mission (YWAM) Myanmar is serving orphans and at-risk children. He shared his thoughts.
Orphan’s Promise is partnering with Youth With a Mission (YWAM) to provide fresh nutritious soymilk for about 1,000 children living in slums in Yangon, Myanmar. The National Leader of YWAM, Saw Peter Hla Min, says the soymilk they produce is high in protein and is helping these malnourished children to have a more balanced diet so they can be healthier and study more effectively in school.
In early 2016, Orphan’s Promise assisted YWAM with the initial set-up costs of a donated “SoyCow System.” Orphan’s Promise also provides for the ongoing weekly production and distribution costs of the soymilk in the slums. As well as receiving delicious soymilk three times a week, children and parents in these slums are also provided with training on health and hygiene. Home visitations are made and education is encouraged and supported. This all builds relationships with families in these slum communities and opens up the door to share the love of God in meaningful ways.
The level of poverty here in these slums is beyond comprehension, and it’s hard to imagine young children surviving here without the help of organizations like Orphan’s Promise & YWAM. These are resilient people, but these children need nutrition to grow. We pray that in the next 5-10 years, many of these children, who are being shown the love of Jesus through a cup of soymilk, will grow up and help to change the conditions in Myanmar.
In July 2016, I had the privilege to visit some of the children in these slums and see the soymilk distribution with Saw Peter Hla Min and his team. I also had a chance to try some of their freshly produced soymilk and I can say that it is delicious! When I looked at the swarms of children in the slums waiting eagerly to get their glass of soymilk, and their resulting milky-white ‘moustaches’ and smiles, I could see they also agreed with me.
I am so glad Orphan’s Promise can help to run this soymilk project in the slums of Yangon, and am blessed to see the positive impact that is taking place in the lives of these precious children and their families. For someone who has never been a big fan of the taste of soymilk, I am now hooked and looking forward to my next glass.
Cheers,
Tim