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Introduction with the founders
U Tha Uke (Hta Oke)
Graduated from ‘Rangoon Art and Sciences University (RASU)’ majoring
in Botany and gained his B. Sc degree in 1981, gained a Diploma in
Physiotherapy from the ‘Institute of Para-medical Sciences, Rangoon’ in
1985. He worked for seven years as a physiotherapist under the Ministry
of Health from 1987 to 1994 at Pakokku and Falam Civil Hospital. He also
worked for the ‘Spastic Children Association of Peneng, Malaysia’ as a
Physiotherapist from July 1995 to June 1996 and during that time he
volunteered at the ‘Eden Handicapped Service Centre, Penang’ twice a
week, from that experience the sprit to serve disabled children in his
country was conceived. He moved to Singapore in July 1996 and work as a
Physiotherapist at ‘St. Luke’s Hospital for the Elderly’ until August
1998. During his stay in Singapore he became a member of ‘Singapore
Physiotherapy Association' (SPA) in 1997. Frustrated at the inherent
lack of disabled centres for the physically and intellectually disabled
in Myanmar, he returned to Yangon to set up his own centre, and has
remained since. Setting up the centre in April 2000, his hard work paid
off and after running the centre for more than four years he won a
‘British Schevening Scholarship’ in 2004. He studied a one year post
graduate course, ‘Disability Studies’ at the ‘University of Leeds' in
the United Kingdom and gained his Masters degree in December 2005.
Daw Lilian Gyi
She is the co-founder of Eden Handicapped Service Centre. She
graduated from ‘Rangoon Art and Sciences University (RASU)’ in 1961
majoring in Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology and earning her B.A
degree. She worked for four years as a High school teacher after earning
her teaching certificate and the gaining a scholarship for a ‘Special
Education’ course and studied in Germany for four years. She gained her
Masters degree in 'Special Education' from Humboldt University, Berlin,
Germany in 1970 and after returning to Burma she established the ‘School
for Disabled Children’ through the ‘Social Welfare Department’ in 1971
with 9 disabled children. She worked as a principal at that school until
she retired in September, 2000. While serving under the Ministry of
Social Welfare she attended many training courses on disability not only
in the local community but also aboard, such as ‘Group training course
for administrator in charge of disabled person’ in Tokyo, 1981, ‘Group
training course in CBR for the Intellectually Handicap’ in Bangkok,
2000. She willingly and actively contributes her experiences of the
disability field in Myanmar since the early days of the centre from the
beginning as a Chairman, Consultant and Director. |
