Ann Collyer, of South Milton, writes:

I write in reply to the letter by Thiri Myat-Howard about the article on Felicity Goodall and her plans to spend some time teaching English to the street children of Yangon, Burma.

She seems to feel insulted that such a thing is deemed necessary and says it is 'rude' of Felicity to note their bad pronunciation. She says the majority of students learn English with extra tuition and Sky TV. Street children? I know that Felicity is anxious that the children can learn the lingua franca to aid social mobility.

Thiri denies vehemently the fact of child prostitution in Burma, saying locals would deal with it, if it were present. I've never been to Burma but it seems to me to be optimistic indeed to assume that children living on the streets are not vulnerable to every kind of abuse, including prostitution.

A quick 'google' produces many articles on children being trafficked to Thailand for just this purpose. It occurs to me also that if the locals could eradicate prostitution so easily, why don't they scoop up the street children?

I do think there is a tendency for travellers to visualise the whole of a country as being exactly like the area they visited. I remember a New Zealander being convinced Coronation Street mirrored the whole of England. Nothing I could say would convince her otherwise.

Your correspondent worries that Felicity's book, which she hasn't read, may be negative, predictable, simplified and judgemental.

I would like to assure her none of these adjectives apply to Felicity or her book, she being one of the most positive and non-judgemental people I know. She is also one of the few people who will see a need and do her best to meet it. I'm pleased to call Felicity a friend.

Those children are going to have a lot of fun and good teaching.