Our Story
The name ‘Stars Do Shine’ is inspired by the conviction that every child born upon the face of the earth is a star that is meant to shine. Poor children, however, do not shine because they live beneath an overcast sky of poverty. Their light does not break through. They remain dimmed before our eyes. ‘Stars Do Shine’, however, is built upon the belief that every poor child, if empowered and granted access to a full education, will shine. Their light will break forth for everyone to see, for they, too, are stars that do shine.
Stars Do Shine has been helping children and youth from the fringes of Myanmar society since 2017 to reenter school and complete their basic education. To date, SDS has housed and assisted 200 children/youth who had dropped out of school because of financial difficulties. Since the onset of covid and the coup, SDS has turned to a broader response of assistance on the humanitarian front (see/follow us on our newsletter). The vision and mission of SDS, however, continues.
Vision
If it takes a village to raise a child, then, that child, in turn, can help raise the village out of its cycle of poverty – if that child is empowered through full access to education.
Mission
To educate and empower children and youth from the fringes of Myanmar society.
Goal
To empower child and youth at the fringes of Myanmar society to be the primary actors and agents of their own future, who, by building a village-like network within their own communities, will lead and help other children and youth like them to do the same.
To serve as a platform for needy children and youth from the fringes of Myanmar society to access education.
To enable local communities at the fringes of Myanmar society to prioritize the education of their young.
To empower child and youth at the fringes of Myanmar society to be the primary actors and agents of their own future, who, by building a village-like network within their own communities, will lead and help other children and youth like them to do the same.
To advocate for education and empowerment, especially of poor children and impoverished youth, as a right and not a privilege, for which civil society and the national community bear a duty and responsibility.
To secure the long-term sustainability of the mission of SDS of educating and empowering children and youth from the fringes of Myanmar society.
