Our people empowered, transformed and integrally developed
To serve our people, especially the poor, needy and marginalized by empowering integral human development guided by the Gospel values and the social teachings of the Church
Since 2002 Karuna Mission Social Solidarity (KMSS), guided by the Social Teaching of the Church and mandated by CBCM, undertakes the Social Development activities in 16 Dioceses. It works in cooperation with faith based leaders, local authority, ethnic groups and community leaders at all levels. The main role of KMSS is to coordinate with donors and Diocesan KMSS offices through local Church and to help Diocesan KMSS in enhancing the capacity of the local people with practical knowledge and skills, in uplifting the overall living standard of the poor and the marginalized regardless of creed and ethnicity through facilitating awareness training workshops, strengthening formal and informal education, fortifying health, and improving agricultural and livelihood opportunities.
KMSS-Pyay has experience implementing emergency response, Integrated Community Development program, Maternal and Child Health Nutrition, HIV/AIDS care and support, ECCD and Child Protection, Primary Health Care and livelihoods projects, with a geographic focus on Chin and Rakhine States. KMSS-Pyay has experience in the implementation of livelihoods recovery and development activities, including Farmer Field Schools, support for animal rearing and micro-finance projects for several years. During the Cyclone Giri and Komen emergency response period, KMSS-Pyay set up four distribution points to provide emergency relief in the Townships of Myebon, Minbya and Pyay. In Minbya, KMSS-Pyay worked in 18 villages (within 7 village tracts) to provide food assistance for four months.
In addition, KMSS-Pyay is implementing both previously existing projects and cyclone recovery project activities in Myebon Township. Started in 2009, Karuna’s ‘Integrated Community Development project’ covers 6 villages in Myebon providing support for water and sanitation, livelihoods (embankment construction, agricultural inputs, small animals and livestock, demonstration farms, and micro-finance) and education ( Teachers trainings, pre-school centers). In response to the cyclone Giri, KMSS-Pyay is also working on education focusing on Child Friendly Spaces project in 10 villages supported by UNICEF in the village tract of Dai Bon, Chaung Kya, Nga Shwe Pyin, Pin Kat Chaung, Pha Lar Kya, and Kyauk Pha Lar village tracts. KMSS-Pyay currently has 8 staff in Myebon for Building Community Resilience to Disaster Risk through Community Led Livelihood Program for 14 villages funded by One Body One Spirit Movement of South Korea (Caritas Seoul).
Based on these previous livelihood experiences in working in Myebon Township of Rakhine State, and level of organization capacity it is possible, KMSS-Pyay can handle to gain theoretical and practical knowledge in implementation of humanitarian and other development activities to take a strong role in the future.
Currently, KMSS-Pyay has 35 project staff and 2 volunteers (male 26 and female 22) working with different programs such as Social Protection, Education, Health, Livelihood and Emergency Relief. With the support of International funding agencies such as CAFOD, CEI, OBOS, Caritas Italiana, Misereor, GRET and IRC together with local communities' participation, KMSS-Pyay is accomplishing its mission for the people in the rural communities. In all programs and projects, KMSS appreciates and recognizes local diversity of races, culture, languages and religions. KMSS Staff and volunteers organize and mobiles the existing community strength and local human resources in capacity building and allowing them to have confidence in decision making with regards to their own lives.
Director: Fr. Nereus Tun Min
Address: St. Francis Xavier's Church, Yangon-Pyay Road, Sandaw Quarter, Pyay, Bago Region, Myanmar.
Tel: 053 26214, 09 4563 68758
Email: caritaspyay.program@gmail.com, nereustunmin@gmail.com, adm.hrkmsspyay@gmail.com
Facebook Page: KMSS-Pyay
