We all know that Burma had a military coup at the beginning of February. But what is it like on the ground in Burma? Here is an account from a friend in Bagan:

"Now is very very difficult time for us.No job almost 2 years since covid-19 period.

Tourism stop, no income and saving for the foods now.



Political is worse day by day.

Peoples arrested by military solidiers.

Solidiers go around in my home town every night.

Sometime they came in the day time.

At that time, all villagers closed their houses and hide.

They [the soldiers] are foolish and cruel.



We pray to be peace"


How to help: The Generals severely limit NGOs and aid workers. They did this even during Nargis. So finding a way to get assistance to people on the ground in Burma is not easy.

I give money through the Pandaw Charity, as it is established in Burma. They are giving out food and they provide medical care in their clinics.

If you know someone in Burma, you can send them money via Western Union.

Oh God. Its hell. So sorry to hear this.

What is happening in Burma/Myanmar is tragic and heartbreaking.

I’m aware of Pandaw, though don’t know anything about their charity arm. Nothing is mentioned on their website about supporting people, so presumably they are being discreet about their charity work. Personally, I don’t feel comfortable sending money without some confirmation or identification of their plans on how it’s going to be used. I’ve given to Doctors Without Borders on their behalf. I also did a search on helping/supporting the country and found this article which lists several organizations:
https://www.insider.com/ways-help-an...ght-now-2021-4

The situation in Burma really is tragic. Thanks, progol, for additional suggestions on how to help.

Pandaw has a long history of providing medical care in Burma. They did this during Nargis, for instance. As the coup unfolded, they established clinics in monasteries and treated people for gunshot wounds. As my friend wrote "They open Pandaw Clinic in New Bagan monastery. But it closed meanwhile. Because military soldiers try to arrest doctors who make Civil disobedient moment. Almost all doctors are hiding." They have reopened as they are able. Pandaw is also distributing food to people. Here is the link: https://www.pandawclinics.com

We are also sending money to our friend in Bagan.

A well-known charity that has been successful in Burma is Save the Children. We met a woman (from the UK) in Bagan who had been supporting a child for a number of years. She was able to meet with the child and her mother when she visited Mandalay, and the child brought with her all of the things the woman had sent her (coloring books, markers, etc). The woman was amazed that the child had received all of the things she mailed. We also saw several schools that were supported by Save the Children.

Kathie,
Thank you for the Pandaw Clinics link. Now I see the amazing work they do. And how heartbreaking it is on the ground.

Good to know that Save the Children has had a positive impact in the country. I’ve always wondered about that organization.

My own experience of Save the Children was not as positive. When working for Voluntary Services Overseas for a women’s organisation in Sierra Leone. I had dealings with Save the Children who supported the organisation fro whom I was working. When I questioned why WE were paying THEM money, I was told that the payments were the "arrangement fees” ( aka bribes) which needed to be paid to secure delivery of office equipment and motorbikes. Most international aid organisations seems to operate locally on a similar basis, even the religious ones! Maybe it was just Sierra Leone, (it was then one of the most corrupt countries on the planet) and perhaps such things are more honest in Burma, but I do remain cynical about some of these aid/charitable organisations as I have experienced similar issues in Peru and Cambodia.

It is a tragedy what is happening in Burma, as it is in Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria etc etc. I don’t know what the answer is. Events in the run up to the current issues in Burma over the last few year and the last twenty in Afghanistan culminating in the shameful events this week, is that action by the governments of the west are not going to help one little bit.

Anyway - rant over! it will probably get removed by the moderators anyway

crellston, I have a great deal of respect for your experience working with various NGOs in Sierra Leone. Indeed, I wonder now whether Save the Children's success in Burma had to do with their willingness to pay bribes. The government in Burma is very corrupt, and that is why they have been unwilling to allow most NGOs into the country to help. I've not been a supporter of or contributor to Save the Children but was surprised to see their success in Burma. I offer my observations as simply that.

Pandaw, as a company established in Burma, has been able to avoid many of the pitfalls other charities have had to contend with. Pandaw employs many locals and has had some of their boats built in Burma, so it may well be viewed more as a local profit-producing company than as a charity. Of course, it is both, but it's greatest visibility to the government is as an employer and a profit-producing company.

Hi Kathie,

I am afraid I became very cynical about the operation of the aid and charitable sector after our time with VSO. SL was, back then , one of the most corrupt countries on the planet. It just seemed to me that there were an awful lot of people working in the charitable sector often directly or indirectly with large charities like STC but with very little governance and it didn’t seem like much of the funding was finding its way to where it should end up. Oh, the stories I could tell!! You know far more about Burma than do I, maybe the corruption is as bad, maybe not.

That said, there are some really great small NGOs out there doing fantastic work. We both know Ponheary Ly in Cambodia who does so much to bring education and employment to the children of Cambodia. We briefly worked with The Living Heart Foundation in Peru who did some amazing work with the remote villages in the Sacred Valley.

I appreciate your comments, Crellston. Yes, the Ponheary Ly Foundation is a favorite of mine, and I would put the Pandaw Charity in the category of small NGOs that do good work. Thanks for the recommendation of the Living Heart Foundation in Peru, I will look them up.

It’s so sad that Myanmar is in this situation. I’m in frequent contact with my teacher friends in Mandalay and was able to send money to a Burmese woman in Melbourne who I have met. She is employed as a consultant at a university in Yangon (even though resident in Melbourne) and elects to have her wages paid in USD to her brother in Myanmar. My small contribution bought food supplies for a week for 10 families.

Now that the delta variant of Covid-19 has entered the country I really fear for my friends.

You are welcome Kathie. I will check out the Pandaw charity though I think our volunteering days are now behind us . If ever you make it to Peru’s Sacred Valley do check out Hearts Cafe in Ollantaytambo. It is run by the Living Heart Foundation and is where we met Sonia Newhouse , the Englishwoman who set up the foundation and who persuaded us to stay for a couple of months to help with the foundation. No longer involved I think, but she was an incredible lady who gave up her life in England to devote herself to the foundation. She wrote a number of books on nutrition and was in her seventies when we met her so must be in her nineties now! Incredible drive and energy!

Sartoric, I was thinking of you when I posted this, as I know you have friends in Mandalay.

My friend in Bagan says the only vaccine available to them is the Chinese vaccine. Even though it is not as effective as the other vaccines, it is the only option, so they got vaccinated. The delta variant may just go through Burma like wildfire.

Crellston, I wish we had known about Sonia Newhouse when we went to Peru in 2014, as we stayed in Ollantaytambo for several nights.

Kathie, it’s rare that I visit Fodors these days. I don’t know what made me look a few days ago.

Since I posted my reply above, one of my friends has lost his mother. She was the family breadwinner, as his father is disabled. I was invited to a nats ceremony at her house on one of my solo trips. I remember it vividly. She was not an old woman, maybe 50. I don’t know for sure, but suspect covid. It certainly puts our privilege into perspective.

I hope you are well and making the best of this new world we inhabit.

SartorIc, I'm saddened to hear of the death of your friend's mother. Our friend tells us that his aunt has covid, and the government hospital in Bagan is filled with people who have covid. I expect that Myanmar will have many covid deaths.

I also haven't spent a lot of time on Fodors - it isn't like the old days. I'm glad you logged in.

"I also haven't spent a lot of time on Fodors - it isn't like the old days."

Got that right! I would say why but it would probably get deleted.

Had many good years but no more.

Me too Kathie, it�s nice to touch base again.

Hi Kathie, I was just thinking of you the other day, when i saw some beautiful peonies in an arrangement. Peonies and Japanese Maples always remind me of your amazing garden! Hope you are doing okay, and that the renovations on your home went well. My best to both of you.

Hi lcuy, How lovely to hear from you! Our Japanese maples are doing well, we had fine peonies this year, and the roses are still going strong. The remodel finally finished - it took a year and some of the things we ordered were unavailable. (Hint: don't do a major remodel during a pandemic! - of course, there was no pandemic when we started it.)

I hope you are well. Our best to you and your family.