Bicycles donated to ease long school commutes of some Arakan State students

23 Oct 2021

DMG Newsroom
22 October 2021, Sittwe 

We Love Rakhine, a nonprofit helping with health, social affairs and education in Arakan State, has donated 300 bicycles to students from Arakan State’s 17 townships who go to school on foot at distances of up to three miles. 

Students from Kalaka and Kin Seik villages in Mrauk-U Township and Sin Inn Kyin village in Ponnagyun Township are among the beneficiaries, said We Love Rakhine.   

“We donate bicycles to students who have to walk for two or three miles to go to school. We aim for the students from poor families to be able to go to school without difficulties. Some may be students from IDP camps,” said U Tin Nyein Oo, vice chair of We Love Rakhine. 

“Heads of villages and the EC [executive committee] of We Love Rakhine in relevant townships registered the students who really need bicycles,” he added. 

We Love Rakhine will donate a second batch of bicycles to more students from other townships, he added. 

The bicycles have been supplied to We Love Rakhine by a donor in Japan, with the local nonprofit group distributing them to the students in Arakan State. 

U Maung Hla, the father of a student beneficiary in Sin Inn Gyi village, said he was grateful for the donation.  

“[With the bicycles], our children do not need to take a long time to reach school. And, there is no more fatigue,” he said. 

We Love Rakhine said it occasionally provides donations for the education or healthcare sectors in the state.