Up Dated Kyo Information

unDo;p>u&X vD>cX.o;(uD>olvhR) KAREN YOUTH ORGANIZATION CENTRAL (Kaw Thoo Lei) P. O. Box -105, Mae Sot, Tak 63110, Thailand. Email: [email protected]

CONTACT INFORMATION KAREN YOUTH ORGANIZATION P.O.BOX - 105 MAE SOT, TAK 63110 THAILAND EMAIL: [email protected] ORGANIZATIONAL SUMMARY Civil war and oppression of Karen people have caused much more difficulties for the youth (particularly IDPs) to join together for the betterment of themselves and their communities. The KYO (Karen Youth Organization) was formed on 23rd May, 1989 to respond to the real needs of the young Karen people in Karen community. For many years the KYO has performed valuable works on behalf of the Karen community and helping young Karen to develop their potential to work in and on behalf of the Karen community. KYO acts as a unifying body for Karen Youth, finding ways to promote higher education and to nurture leaders to ensure that Karen people have the capacity to create economic and government infrastructures, as well as an active civil society in a future democratic union of Burma. In March 2001, the organization was revived, new leaders elected and membership renewed. Its leadership has been younger and has included more young Karen women. Its role in the community has become more important for younger generation. It is structured to maximize youth's participation in and ownership of our entire programs. The KYO currently has committees at four levels; they are Central, Districts, Townships and villages. We provide training on Education, Social Protection, Community Development, Community Organizing, Political Awareness and Situational Relevant Programs in Karen Community to ensure that local needs find local solutions. Our main goal is to empower and equip Youth with skills, which will enable them to respond to the everchanging needs of the community.

VISION Empowering and equipping youth through democratic leadership & socioeconomic development for a better world for establishing a place of justice and peace. MISSION Formation and Education of young people, to play vital role for a just and peaceful society. AIMS & OBJECTIVES As we intend to empower young people to actively share their current and future livelihoods in order to achieve the target of development e.g. environmentally sustainable, politically, economically accessible, socially just. The following are aims & objectives; 1) To help today's youth in becoming Democratic National Leaders. 2) To educate the youths about their responsibilities. 3) To raise the living standard of the youths by improving their physical and mental power. 4) To maintain, upgrade, and encourage participation in the various cultures of the ethnic nationalities within Burma, while promoting fellowship and cross-cultural exchange. 5) To support the achievement of unity among the different ethnic nationalities, which are presently being oppressed. 6) To help establish democracy throughout the country while promoting the concepts of a Federal Union. Community organizing and supporting Community Organizations are the most important work that KYO carries out. KYO Structure KYO currently has committees at four levels; Central, Districts, Townships and villages. Each level has different numbers of staffs and advisors. Central level: (3 Advisors) 1. Chairperson 2. Vice chairperson 3. Secretary 4. Joint Secretary (1) 5. Joint Secretary (2) 6. Treasurer 7. Auditor 8. Alliance 9. Social Welfare 10. Information and Publication 11. Community development & Environment Conservation

District Level: (2 Advisors) 1. Chairperson 2. Vice chairperson 3. Secretary 4. Joint Secretary 5. Treasurer 6. Auditor 7. Social Welfare 8. Information and Publication 9. Community development & Environment Conservation Township and Camp Level: (2 Advisors) 1. Chairperson 2. Secretary 3. Treasurer 4. Auditor 5. Social Welfare 6. Information and Publication 7. Community development & Environment Conservation Village Level: (2 Advisors) 1. Chairperson 2. Secretary 3. Social Welfare 4. Information and Publication 5. Community development & Environment Conservation All staffs are volunteers and receiving no allowances from KYO. Members are actively recruited and some are recruited indirectly. Actively recruited means, at the grass roots level, members of the KYO Executive Committees conduct speeches that describing the KYO organization. Youth who are interested in joining complete a membership form which is sent to the District Committee where the decision is made on whether to accept the applicant. Indirectly recruitment occurs through participation in KYO-sponsored activities such as trainings and workshops. According to December, 2007 survey, KYO has 21,292 members in 7 Districts of Karen State and 18,737 members in 7 Refugees’ camps in Thailand. Job Descriptions: Executive Committee has job descriptions as laid out by the KYO Congress. Job Contracts: Central Level: Four years. District and Township Level: Two years. Village Level: One year.

Meetings & Evaluation: KYO has Quarterly Meeting of Executive Committee (EC). During this meeting the KYO advisors attend. In this meeting, Executive Committee members and staffs evaluate one another informally The EC holds emergency meetings as needed. KYO also has Annual Meeting which it holds at the beginning of the year. In this meeting 1 or 2 members of each District and Camp (KYO) Committee attend and present their activity reports. This is an important forum for exchanging of information. Important issues are discussed and the yearly plan is composed. PROGRAMMATIC PROCESS Program Overview: KYO works in four sectors: 1. Alliance This sector includes National Youth Forum, Student and Youth Congress of Burma, Karen Student and Youth Forum and Karen Community Based Organizations. 2. Social Affairs This sector includes Education, Sport, Health, Relief and Vocational Training. 3. Organization and Information This sector includes Publication, Collection of Information, Organizing Trip and Short and Longs terms Trainings. 4. Environment and Community Development This sector includes Environmental Education, Environmental awareness raising, Reforestation, Subsistence (sustainable) Agriculture, and Community Services. Current Project Activities Karen Youth Development Program Empowering Physical and Mental Power of Refugee Children Program Youth Empowerment Program Monthly Youth Exchange Program Youth Capacity and Development Project Political Advocacy Training for Youth

KYO Current and Future Plans 1) To recruit and educate the new generation to ensure continuity in the ongoing struggle for democracy and self determination through a planned program of information and education delivered by trained Karen Youth Leaders. Leaders will be identified by local committees and selected through the central committee. 2) To educate Karen Youth about politics, history and current affairs through organized meetings, field trips and trainings. This education will be presented inside communities and also through centralized training. 3) To continue the above educative activities to develop and extend awareness of: environmental issues, sustainable development, drug abuse, human trafficking, the prevention of HIV/AIDS, mental and physical health, communication and relationships. 4) To publicize the work of KYO by: Creating and maintaining a KYO website, producing regular publication like- newsletters, journals and/or magazines by using positive and evocative images. These publication will be distributed by communities and interested persons. KYO will continue to monitor and publish up-to-date information pertinent to KYO history and future expectations, all the while protecting the dignity and right of the individual. 5) To improve and develop all possibilities for training of youth as needs are indicated in all areas of development for good governance. 6) To strengthen every level of KYO to allow performance to its maximum potential and achievement of its aims and objects this will be partly achieved by maintaining accurate membership records. 7) To research feasible ways for the Karen youth to acquire higher level education. This will include vocational and apprenticeship training as well as professional and political administrative training. 8) To enhance cooperation with ethnic and international youth organizations in transforming Burma. 9) To collect and publish human rights violation abuses by SPDC. 10) To implement the third Karen Youth Conference. 11) To maintain traditional Karen Culture, including restoring and preserving Karen literature, music and traditional dance. This is important as it establishes and develops an understanding of the Karen people and their personal identification and will establish a personal celebration of the Karen Peoples differences. 12) To organize overseas Karen youth and officially appoint KYO representatives overseas.