This footage was filmed and produced 23 May 2021.

The monastery for the orphans was established in 2015 in order to support the state and public and educate the children and avoid the burden of the schooling costs.

During 2017 there were 150 monastic students. They are the children from Taninthari region and orphans and the children whose parents cannot afford the schooling costs.

The eco-brick library is one of the buildings in the monastery compound.

The translation of the interview:

(Interviewer) – When did you establish the monastery?
(Interviewee) – It has lasted for over five years since I established the monastery on January 18, 2015.
– How many orphans live in the monastery?
– All children are not orphans and all come from different regions and states. In the state academic period, there were 200 monastic students. But, due to one year of Covid-19 and this situation of the state, some students left for their localities in terms of difficulties of food, clothing and shelter including general expenses. Now, there are nearly 100 students including novices.
– Which areas do the orphans come from?
– Mostly, they come from Ayeyarwaddy region and Yangon region and some come from Kayin state, Chin state and neighboring area of the monastery as well.
– What process of your monastery is it?
– Currently, we mainly focus on the education from the primary level to high school level. Over ten students passed the matriculation examination during five years. After passing the matriculation exam, some went back to their parents’ homes and some work for a living and some are helping with me. I am mainly providing the necessary support for homeless children and the children who really want education as much as I can. I also provide the shelter and food for the children in need as much as I can. I have provided education to them as human resource development and trained some children with bad characters and the homeless children for possessing good characters as much as I can.
– Is the process of your monastery delayed due to the political changes?
– Actually, it is not only my monastery. But, other monasteries such as the monasteries for learning Buddhist literature, monasteries for meditation and monasteries for welfares across the country as well have faced scarcity of necessary things depending on the number of people since Covid-19 period and they were in trouble. It is not because of political changes. Firstly, we had to manage to free from the contagious disease. Secondly, the process of the monastery depends on the laymen and laywomen. I had to stand on my own feet without background supporting preaching and going around for alms-food. During the Covid-19 period, as the laymen and laywomen earn less money, all kinds of monasteries including the homes for aged face scarcity of necessary things. It is not only my monastery which faces scarcity of necessary things. I still maintain the process of the monastery very hard. During the Covid-19 period First, I prioritized to free from the contagious disease. Second, I managed for food, clothing and shelter to be sufficient and third, according to your information, the schools were closed during the Covid-19 period, but I have provided the state education with the help of three teachers from the beginning of the Covid-19 period until now. The teachers are standby here for the primary level to the high school level. And, the students could not stop learning the religious literature such as Paritana, Pahtan and Mingala sutta. And they can also learn English speaking. During the Covid-19 and the political changes, all things are taken into consideration for the process of the monastery.
– I thank you for answering my interview.
– I also thank you. May my country be peaceful. May all people free from sadness. May all people free from ego and conceit. May all people free from killing each other. May Myanmar be a peaceful and prosperous country as soon as possible.