Tedim is the administrative seat of Tedim Township. It is the second largest town in Chin State. The town’s four major wards (veng) are: Sakollam, Myoma, Lawibual and Leilum. The township borders with Falam Township in the south, Kalay Township in the east, Rih in the west, and Tonzang Township in the north. 85% of the residents live in rural areas and 15% are in urban areas. Tedim is one of the more populous regions in Chin State. It is well connected by road with the rest of Myanmar, though road conditions during the monsoon may vary.
The total land area of Tedim Township is 2410 km sq. The administrative structure includes 4 wards, 55 village tracts and 130 villages. It has a full government administrative structure up to the village level. There are 41 government departments in Tedim Township employing some 2648 staff members.
The total population in Tedim Township is 96,624.
Education
In Tedim township, it is compulsory to attend school up to grade 5. There are eight high schools, 15 middle schools, 126 primary schools and 1 pre-school run by Ministry of Education. In addition, there are two monastic schools run by monasteries as well as some private boarding schools.
Children who return to Chin State from countries outside Myanmar will be required to take placement test to determine your level of knowledge. You should inform the Township Education Department of your return and your desire to take the test. The test will likely be provided in May, so you should inform the Education Department of your return and your desire to take the test no later than the end of April. The State or District Education Department can provide more information on the placement tests and on the locations where you can take them. The Education Department has stated that it welcomes returned students/children to continue your studies.
Education is provided in Burmese language. Depending on your Burmese language ability, you may face some challenges in following the school instruction and may need some private teaching to assist in developing language skills.
Health
Tedim Township hosts one general hospital and a number of health centers and sub-health centers in the rural areas. All of these are managed by the Ministry of Sport and Health. In addition, there is one private hospital and two clinics in Tedim providing health care services to all. There is no discrimination reported in accessing health care services. However, facilities are limited in terms of staffing and equipment and are unable to provide specialized services, particularly to those with chronic illnesses, mental health concerns, and disabilities. A two year project, the Eden Center for Disabled Children, provides day care services, education, and livelihoods opportunities for children with disabilities in Tedim.
Marie Stopes International is present in Tedim where the organization is providing awareness raising on sexual and reproductive health and distributing contraception.
Remoteness, limited infrastructure, and a lack of transportation may cause challenges in accessing hospitals and clinics in emergency situations.
Water and Sanitation
Particularly in the summer, Tedim Township faces a scarcity in the water supply due to the hilly geography of the location.
Livelihoods
The unemployment rate in Tedim Township is high as employment and livelihoods opportunities are scarce. The most common sources of livelihoods in the township are in agriculture, livestock, fisheries, and shop keeping. Amongst the agricultural production, grapes, apples, oranges, pineapples, mangos, avocados, strawberries, lemons, tea, coffee, groundnuts, sesame, sunflowers, and maize are major crops.
There are several organizations working on agriculture-based livelihoods programs in Hakha, including Ar Yone Oo Social Development Association, Choklei Organization for Rural and Agricultural Development, World Vision, and Thitsar Ooyin Company (in partnership with GRET). Please see the complete list of service providers in Chin State for more information.
In addition to the above livelihoods opportunities, the Professional Training School of Domestic Science for Women is located in Tedim and run by the Education and Training Department under the Ministry of Border Affairs. The school provides training in sewing and handicrafts for women under 30-years-old in an effort to improve their ability to earn an income. The training (including training materials, lodging, food, fees etc.) is free of charge.
Land
A land management committee, led by the General Administrative Department (GAD), exists in Tedim. Compared to other townships in Chin State, however, there are fewer problems related to land in Tedim.
As is customary, upland plots for shifting cultivation system are communally managed by the village heads in rural areas.