Building Hope in Burma
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Affiliate Information
Building Hope in Burma brings hope and dignity to the people of Burma who were devastated by Cyclone Nargis in 2008. The organization works not only to bring immediate relief in the form of food, medication and clothing, but also to bring long-term opportunities to affected villagers for the challenges of life itself in Burma. These challenges include the search for clean water, regular and plentiful food supplies, medical assistance, education, and most importantly, the ability to improve their standard of living while creating a sense of community in an oppressive country that promotes division among its people.
It is Building Hope in Burma’s goal to help villages devastated by the cyclone to improve their standard of living by giving them options they have never had, such as a boat for fishing or shrimping, seeds for farming, or with home-based industries such as sewing and raising livestock. The organization’s final goal is to keep all children in school so that their futures hold more promise than a life lived day-to-day. Building Hope in Burma runs programs that meet the immediate needs of those who lost everything to Cyclone Nargis, while also planning for long-term, sustainable development.
The organization’s programs are centered in the small village of Chaung Mya Gyi, which is located near the Burmese capital of Rangoon. What started with a one-time distribution of over 3,000 pounds of rice, beans, dried fish, and water purifiers has turned into a full-scale operation that continues to meet the day-to-day needs of local villagers while employing programs that are more forward-looking, focusing on long-term development.
Led by a council of twelve villagers – including two women, something virtually unheard of in Burma – Building Hope in Burma has purchased over 45 boats and shrimp nets for use by villagers in the now-revived fishing industry, provided school supplies necessary to reopen the local school after the cyclone, and is replacing a faulty bridge that is vital to the local economy. The organization has also donated a tractor for ploughing local fields and built a fresh-water well, a contribution widely credited for lowering the hepatitis and cholera rates in the village. Building Hope in Burma continues to support needy families with food and clothing, and runs programs that teach villagers useful skills that can be used to provide a livelihood.
Affiliate History
In May 2008, Cyclone Nargis devastated the Southeast nation of Burma. Many citizens of the already-poor country lost most, if not all, of their physical possessions. Building Hope in Burma was founded in June, 2008, by a U.S. Diplomat, Amy Johnson, who saw that even a little, by U.S. standards, could go an exceedingly long way in enhancing the quality of life for the afflicted Burmese.
Bountiful Harvest
Children in School
Villagers in a Fishing Boat
New well has reduced the incidence of cholera and hepatitis
Children in the Village
Rangoon
Fishing Boat Provided by WideAwake.org
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- Location: MYANMAR / Southeast Asia and Pacific Islands
- Language(s): Burmese, plus several minority languages
- Currency: Kyat
- Religion(s): Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Animism
- GDP per capita: USA: $47,400 | MYANMAR: $1,200
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