Tazaungmone Festival is celebrated on the first month of the cold season in Myanmar. Its zodiacal sign coincides with scorpion. This represents and means illumination through oil lamp by Lord Buddha. During this season people in Myanmar make donations to monasteries for monks’ daily use. This is also called Kathein when people’s principle of contribution comes alive. A tree called Padathabin is usually placed for people to ‘hang’ their donations. When the ‘donation tree’ is fully decorated a ceremony is held to collect it from its original place to monasteries.

Horizon International Schools’ students, teachers, parents and staff, for this purpose, have contributed and decorated Padathabin tree with items for monks’ needs. The tree was collected by its sister school Natmauk Monsatery and its members. After the ceremony, Aboods (senior monk) of the monastery, a school in Thaketa township with more than 1000 students, thanked the principal and all the staff and received further money donations. Donations will be used for daily use and construction of a new building within the monastery. Aboods also mentioned about the importance of Kathein such as keeping people from harm. Pouring water performed during the ceremony represented wish for a longer life. The following words of Aboods were memorable: ‘This day marks the strengthening of friendship bonds between Horizon International School and Natmauk Monastery’.

As a small note, students and teachers of Horizon International School have been contributing to 6 different schools in Thaketa Township in terms of donations, teaching different subjects through fun and fun activities for more than 5 years.