Kayah Language School

‘The parents of this community are very appreciative of what we do. Several more kids want to attend, but due to the limited space and resources, we can't accommodate everyone. It is a joy for parents to see their children reading and writing in their native language. Aside from that, we always encourage children to communicate in English during class. This is a very positive experience for parents to see.

Many Karenni children are raised in NZ society, and most of them speak English more than Kayah, which makes it difficult for their grandparents to understand them. Our young generation will benefit from the ability to read and write our native language, as it will facilitate communication with older generations and help preserve it for future generations.

In addition to learning how to speak our language, we also teach how to read and write it. One day our language will disappear if we don't teach it to our children. Our language is not only essential to our cultural identity but it also helps us to maintain a sense of belonging and connection to our past.’ Pray Meh and Moo Da - Karenni Community