Did you know that one of the coolest and most impactful places of Nyaung Shwe is based just around the corner of Song of Travel?

This place, called Bamboo Delight, is a charity foundation focused on creating a better future for the children of Nyaung Shwe and surroundings. Their mission is to teach them English and social skills, making them more confident and making them believe that their dreams can come true. How amazing is that?!

I have had the honor to contribute to their mission by volunteering at Bamboo Delight as an English teacher and I can say with certainty that this was one of the greatest experiences during my travels. I have never seen kids so eager to learn, kids with so much enthusiasm, curiosity and appreciation. Every single morning I got greeted by their smiles, their happy faces and their energy. And every afternoon they said goodbye with a big hug and a big “thank you so much for the class”.

Bamboo Delight is founded in 2013 by Sue. Sue is what we’d call a real power woman. She started with solely the desire to set up a place for children, where they can gather, play, learn, enjoy and develop themselves. Despite the many challenges and setbacks, she has managed to let this place grow into a community which has welcomed 180 children this year and provides them with opportunities they otherwise won’t have. Sue and her husband Lesli have build a classroom in their backyard and a library full of educative books. During the Burmese summer holiday (March, April, May) daily English classes are organized, taught by international volunteers. Given the bad quality of the English education at Burmese schools and the lack of resources of most families to provide their kids with proper education and development opportunities, Bamboo Delight really makes a difference for all the children of the community.

It is amazing to see how enthusiastic and motivated the kids are to learn, and to see what Bamboo Delight means for them. During their holidays many kids hang around all day; to read, play and interact with each other and with the volunteers. During my time as a volunteer I have seen the children develop so much. They got less shy and were more and more able to have conversations in English (something which they don’t learn at school in Myanmar). I am convinced that, thanks to Sue, Lesli and all volunteers, the children of Nyaung Shwe will have a better future than they would have without the existence of Bamboo Delight.

Did you get interested in this impactful charity foundation after reading this story, and would you like to contribute to Bamboo Delight? Well, good news: that is definitely possible and would be of great value.

For now Bamboo Delight only needs teachers during the summer holiday (March, April, May). However, they have the ambition to grow and offer classes during the rest of the year as well. Follow Bamboo Delight on Facebook or feel free to reach out to Sue or to the hostel staff to be updated about the volunteering possibilities. Planning to volunteer and need a place to stay during your time as English teacher? Song of Travel will give you some good discount when staying in the hostel!

Furthermore, you can support Bamboo Delight by visiting their restaurant. Oh yes, Sue and Lesli not only built a classroom and library in their backyard, but also a big kitchen, in which they welcome guests for lunch, dinner and cooking classes. The cooking classes are great fun and the food is delicious. Definitely worth a visit! (see TripAdvisor for some proof that it is not just me who thinks so). Incomes from the restaurant are invested in the education for the kids. So it’s a big win-win: eating loads of amazing Burmese food and contributing to a great purpose.

So: if you are in Nyaung Shwe, make sure you visit Bamboo Delight to learn how to cook delicious Burmese meals, to just enjoy the food of the restaurant, to interact with the cutest Burmese kids who love to play and talk with you, to hear more about Sue’s story and to contribute to a better future of kids in this amazing country!