Effective and educational special talks were successfully done on November and December, 2020. Before the election, youth program arranged to give the right information about election process to the first voters. Youths participated not only from targeted areas (Insein and East Dagon) but also from Hmawbi, Bago and some other townships from Yangon.

The Participants discussed openly and learned from the speaker during one and a half hour.

In the feedback: As the first voters, they said that they got knowledge about voting system and about Hluttaw. So they got advantages from this session.

Special Talks on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights held in December 2020. Many youth were participated from Kayin State, Bago, Taungoo, Taunggyi, Mandalay and Yangon.

Youths loved to learn about that topics and showed their interests till the end. Some gave the suggestions to do for part-2 in coming year. The session went lively by using basic language for University and School Drop-out Youths. 73 youths participated in these two session of special talks and we had great times with youths and the speakers.

In 2020, Precious Stones' Youth Empowerment Program organized Life-skill trainings three times for Basic School and University Students, Drop-out Youth on November 4th-6th, 13th-15th and December 8th-10th through Zoom. Total 19 youth were participated.  Skills on Goal Setting, Problem Solving, Self-esteem, Communication, Decision Making and Responsibility  were given in the trainings.

One of the youth said, “I love to learn about goal settings because I realized detail about my life. The training was very good for me and I shared to others. During the training, I could evaluate myself well”.

After all of the trainings, youth  set their goals for 2021 and for their life careers. They actively participated in the trainings and urged to do inhouse trainings. They also suggested that each of the trainings should do more than 3 days. All the certificates were transferred online. So that, we reduced the risk of Covid-19.

In November 2020, Parent Honoring Day Program was organized with 18 youth from East Dagon, North Dagon, Insein, Shwe Pyi Thar and Hlaing Thar Yar.

In this year, any one cannot communicate in person especially like previous years. It was hard to do the traditional homage section with youth groups visitation. Thus, honoring activity was created online according to their respective beliefs. In this time, youth pay homage to their elders (or) parents and took family photos respectively at their homes.

Youth Program uploaded the family photos at the Precious Facebook Page on 24.11.2021. Participated youth accepted the honorable gifts at the Youth Learning Centers from Insein and East Dagon on 28.11.2021. In this way, everyone could see the sweetness moment of youth and their parents in Tasaung Daing Festival instead of Thadingyut Festival.

Because of that activity, the communication and relationship between youth and their parents were getting better than ever. Youth learned between different religions, beliefs and norms. According the feedbacks, youth and their parents got some attachment that was not get ever before. This is what Youth Program wanted to improve the relationship between parents and their youth.

According to the Precious Stones’ Goal, we want to empower women and youth to be skilled and constructive leader in building flourishing communities. Precious Stones Organization’s Youth Program organized the Online Reading Club and Online English Conversation Club for youth by using Zoom application during period of Covid-19 era. There are two Reading Clubs of Insein and East Dagon. For Insein Reading Club, we targeted the university level students and drop-out level students are for East Dagon Reading Club.

Insein Reading Club’s sharing section

The programs were started from end of April 29th, 30th and still in progress of every week. Due to the Reading Club, some youth could participate and shared their experience about their daily activities during Covid-19 period. We made the new world for youth to learn and share their feelings through Social M. In every week, we announced and persuaded youth to be a participant of Precious Stones’ Youth Program by using the Facebook Posts.

East Dagon Reading Club’s sharing section

East Dagon Reading Club’s reading section

We read books, played games about Burmese Proverbs, shared the general knowledge during the Reading Clubs in Insein and East Dagon.  On the other hand, we only have  an English Conversation Club. We organized the students from East Dagon, Insein and Shwe Pyi Thar to participate and let them grab the opportunities to have self-confident, to improve in English Skills and Presentation Skills within the activity.

Insein English Conversation Club’s speaking section

     There are 4 Self-Help Group Committees in 4 target areas of Precious Stones. In each committee, there are 5 to 15 Self-Help Groups. So, there are 40 Self-Help Groups in Precious Stones. Totally, there are 200 Self-Help Group members. In Pandemic Era of Covid-19, the SHG committees cared their SHG members in each community by supporting basic need to overcome the hardship as much as they can.    

    East Dagon Self-Help Group Committee supported basic foods (rice, oil, sardine tin, noodles and seasoning powder) to 73 Self-Help Group members on 8^th April at Community Learning Center because of Covid-19 pandemic threaded. It is really supportive for those who are facing out of work and to earn daily income.           

   Insein Self-Help Committee supported (51) Self-Help Groups’ members on 10^th April. They supported basic foods (rice, oil, onion and seasoning powder) from their committee revolving fund. They used (10000 MMK) for each members.

East Dagon Self Help Group Committee supported to their Self Help Group members in pandemic era

East Dagon Self Help Group Committee supported to their Self Help Group members in pandemic era

32 ward Committee from North Dagon supported basic foods (rice, oil, onion, garlic, soap, eggs and vermicelli) to (25) Self-Help Groups’ members on 2nd April. It’s cost (16000 MMK) for each member. The committee used their revolving fund to support all of their Self-Help Group members.

42 ward Committee from North Dagon supported packs of rice for each SHG members on 20^th  April. They used their committee revolving fund each for 7000 MMK.

32 ward Self Help Group Committee supported to their Self Help Group members in pandemic era

Insein Self Help Group Committee supported to their Self Help Group members in pandemic era

(2017-2019) 3 years review was done in MBCU, Mawlamyaing on 30.11.2019. (5)staffs and (40)youths (Drop out and University Students) who were from East+North Dagon and also Insein were actively participated.

Asking and reflecting on how long they participated with Precious Stones Organization by doing activities. Round Table Discussion on learning points improvements and challenges by world cafe’ style and presentation within groups.

Discussion with youths who were participating with community development activities,engaged with learning and also development activities, improve relationships with parents and friends.

• with topic by topic grading
• with why,how, challenges by H-form group discussion

Circle time for feeling sharing

World Cafe’ discussion activity

World Cafe’ discussion activity

World Cafe’ discussion activity

World Cafe’ discussion activity

World Cafe’ discussion activity

H -Form group activity

H-Form group activity

Youth Training on 22-23^rd February 2 days training at youth learning center, PS have rational thinking training for youth. Youth program gives self-esteem, responsibilities, problem solving, goal setting and decision making.

Also give an idea about the difference between love and sex and sexual transmitted diseases which make youth to rethink about their values and have awareness on infection. By facilitation with games and role play by the help of mobilizers they actively participated with questions and discussions.

Parents knew when they come and learn what their youth were doing in the program, youth were actively participating by reading poems to parents, group songs and individual songs, role play and giving hand make arts drawing to parents drawing by one youth.

First, parents misunderstood that they were wasting their time outside but when they learned the program is doing for youth,giving space for youth to gather to do positively, parents say thanks to the program and have understanding what their youth doing.

Parents were interesting in discussions, participated in games and tea talks.

Youth were under the pressure of parents who were struggle for their daily lives no time to guide and teach to their kids. Parents only demand what they want. No freedom, no understandings between them. They have less priority to study what they want. Later they don’t like their parents anymore.Youth were burst out how they felt and overcome with and participating happily in the games about how to resolve the problems.