Myanmar Childrens Foundation

Myanmar is a truly mesmerizing emerging nation with so much potential to be unleashed. The children and youth of Myanmar play a significant role in building its future. I had an honor to travel to Myanmar recently and got to know the works of Myanmar Children's Foundation in the country. Truly a noble and impactful action in serving and ensuring children and youth pursue their goals in life.

Myanmar Children Foundation has been very impressive to me for what they have been doing for the future Children in Myanmar from disadvantaged or marginalized community due to hardship in their life for various reasons in Myanmar, also known as Burma. What impressed me the most about this Non-profit organization is how they implement their work depending on the needs of the community ( Children) by coordinating with local people. Personally, working in non-profit world, I have unfortunately encountered some non-profit organization working for people but without the participation of the community or real reflection of what they actually need. In this MCF organization, I am amazed with how they go to the different region to region, meeting local people, being with them and understanding them and starting with them about how they could build their life for bright future. Then, MCF has provided whatever the community needs in making sure that the future of children would be bright.

The other thing I like about MCF is listening local people about what they have to say and how things should be done in seeking help or support from them. Sometimes, a few organization implement the work for needy people or community with their own expertise but fail to take community participation. However, in MCF, they work together with the local community and make decision with bottom-up process in implementing required projects in education and building the future of Children in Myanmar.

The final thing I would like to say about this organization is having cultural proficiency or cultural competency in recognizing the existed culture of a region and appreciating it while implementing their work. Sometimes, some non-profit organizations either unconsciously or consciously make the mistake of understanding local culture while they conduct their work. In MCF, I am very fascinated with how MCF members acknowledged diversity and different culture and have others, including community members, that we are together ( no feeling of who is helping or who is taking help). Their work is very participatory and inclusive with the community. I believe that the is essence of successful humanitarian or non-profit work. I am very proud of knowing them and we, Myanmar people, will always be grateful for what they have been doing in our country.

My name is Sithu Tun.I am from Burma (Myanmar). I lived in Davis for 7 years and I know Susan and her (MFC) for 5 years. Her family is been helping Myanmar children in poor village who are in need a lot of supports. Before I write this I have been asking my self a lot of questions and answering my own. Here are the some questions that i wanted to share with you.

Q.1: What is the most important things for our future?
Ans.1: Future generations (children)

Q.2: What is the most need for those children?
Ans.2: Education, food, school supplies, clothes

Q.3: what is the most important thing for undeveloped country like Myanmar?
Ans.3: Education and someone who can help them and support them all the way to the end.

MFC is definitely answering and acting all the things that I can wish and dream of.

So I would like to appreciate everyone who is generously donated to MFC and everyone who is volunteer for MFC. Please help MFC and Children from Myanmar.

I've known about MCF since its creation in 2007 when I worked side by side with Max Harrington as a Burmese volunteer in Yangon, Myanmar. We hosted fund-fairs and children's theater
projects to start raising money to support monastic schools in the Mon State.
My friends and I also created bracelets to sell and volunteered to teach in a Doorway to English Program. Many Burmese/ Mon/ Karen/ Kachin/ Shan volunteers have been involved, both in Myanmar and in California. In the past years, MCF has built 5 school buildings and two water tanks. MCF is a truly a grass-roots organization that delivers school supplies, medicines, nutritional supplements to children in rural area to support their staying in school.

I have working in partnership with Myanmar Children Foundation since 2008. MCF help build school and make free education possible for Zabu Oak Shaung free school students which start by helping 100 students. Now, with continue support of MCF, Zabu Oak Shaung is able to help more than 500 student especially girl from different part of Myanmar (Burma) whom would not be able to attend school and be educated.

I truly believed that MCF very first support to Zabu Oak Shaung was the tipping point in making free education possible for the school.

I get to know Myanmar Children's Foundation in preparation of their fund raising event "From Yolo to Myanmar with love" with the mission to support the children's education in rural area of Myanmar. Co-founder and board member, Susan Steinbach fell in love with Myanmar since 2008 when they started their humanitarian assistance in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis and continued to fill the gap of the rural poor focusing on the community schools where the needs are immense.
I was impressed by its well organized event managed by the professionals of various fields and was moved by the most generous heart of the people of Davis, contributing for school infrastructure and sponsoring the girls education. Both organizers and the donors rejoiced over their merits and commitments to make a difference to the lives of children that they have never met.
A group of travelers including board members and donors went to Myanmar to personally handover the funds in the assisted schools and observe the situation. They experienced both the cultural richness of the country and the impoverished status of the rural community. They played a low key and reached the people in need effectively. Through the debriefing sessions and photo documentation, it is clearly observed that the travelers came back with delights and deep appreciations over the good deeds they have done and the sense of empathy for the reality on the ground.
In Myanmar, community schools play a vital role in ensuring access to education to the rural youth complementing the government's formal education, which is hardly in place in the rural area. Yet, there are a huge unmet needs across the country. MCF is bridging this gap through its voluntary fundings and commitments to lay the proper foundation to nurture the new generation of the country. Well done.

My husband and I were excited to join members of the Myanmar Childrens Foundation board on a trip this past November to see just what had been done with the funds we had helped to raise. We visited four of the five schools funded by the foundation.
What a joy to see children in rural and remote schools living and learning! As a retired teacher, I was impressed with the cheerfulness and friendliness of the children and their eagerness to learn.
It was wonderful to see the structures that the Foundation had built, the beginnings of a new library, a water tank for a school in a rice paddy, sewing machines for young girls to learn a trade, and living quarters for children who were far from their homes.
Even better was to hear that these investments had encouraged local people to add their support to the schools.

I became familiar with the Myanmar Children's Foundation several years ago, and have been very impressed from the start. They are fully volunteer-based and are committed to make a difference in providing education to underprivileged children and youth in Myanmar. They establish successful partnerships with local schools and grassroots organization in Myanmar that are reliable and make sure the funds are spent wisely. I have been happy to support the education of several children in their program.
Board members and volunteers of the Myanmar Children's Foundation also travel to the programs there to directly assist the activities and discuss further possibilities for growth and improvement. Locally, in the Davis area, they also promote education of the general public on many issues that affect developing countries, including the importance of educating and empowering girls and women in the socioeconomic development of these communities.
This is definitely an organization that deserves your support, so take some time to learn more about them and get involved. Thank you!

I love it when I know my donation is going straight to the causes it serves, with little or no overhead costs. Myanmar Children's Foundation directly supports education for children who otherwise would be unlikely to stay in school. MCF has built school buildings, dormitories, latrines and water tanks. It also has an ongoing program designed to connect donors with individual students over the course of years. It only costs $50 to pay for uniforms, books and supplies for one child for an entire year! This provides both a sense of personal connection for the donors, who will often 'adopt' several students; as well as gives a huge incentive to the parents, who would otherwise not be able to afford education for their children. I have seen first-hand how motivated and appreciative the students are to be getting an education.