Friends of Burma, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) non profit organization.

Naw Kyi Pya, one of the orphans from Hpu Saw Bu Orphanage, graduated from high school in June 2016, and prepares for the enrollment of University. Saw Michael and Saw Aung Phyo Min are in senior high school this year, and they try very hard studying. They also give their helping little hands by doing cleaning, painting, and other chores as needed at the shelter. But we are very sorry for Saw Lwe Htoo and Naw Blue May Paw, who left the shelter without finishing High School. Hpu Saw BU orphanage is organized by KBC and sponsored by FOB. It is located in Myaungmya, Delta. This year the center organized livestock breeding, raising some pigs and 500 chickens. They also plan to breed eels and now have started digging pond to put eel. Livestock breeding is not only earning some money to support some of their expense but also organizing orphans to participate work together and learn about teamwork. Saw Michael (Hpu Saw Bu Childcare Center) Chicken breeding (Hpu Saw Bu Childcare Ce...

We will move out! New Eden orphanage center plans to move from a rural area to an Urban area near Hinthada Association compound coming 2017. They are currently located in a small village near Kaw Thar Baptist Church, Mandalaygone. Lacking of transportation to and from school is making them move out to a better place for their  future education. Naw Htay Lar Saung, Care and Counselling director, said, "Children are organized under the leadership of their caregivers. They are doing well and also help in growing vegetables to save their kitchen expenses. Even though we have only 2 staff to take care of 18 children, we are blessed by members from Kaw Thar Baptist church who always help us by taking care of children." We will miss you Kaw Thar Baptist Church! Staff and kids from New Eden Child Care Center Maung San Ko Ko cutting dry wood Working on the weekends

FOB got a letter from Saw Lah Eh Shee, from Ko Tha Byu Baptist seminary, currently studying music at Silliman University in Philippines. He is sponsored by FOB. Saw expressed his heartfelt thanks to FOB for giving him a great opportunity to expand his knowledge abroad. He said, “Burma is in the dark age of Music and most people do not understand the value of Music.” He promised that he will try his best upgrading his knowledge and skills. After graduation he is going back to his country to distribute his musical knowledge to students from Ko Tha Byu, churches and christian community across the country. Let’s brighten our  our christian life through MUSIC!

KBC Hospital and Matthew 25 Love Hospital are famous hospitals under the umbrella of the Karen Baptist Convention. Matthew 25 Love Hospital, which is located in Pathein township, run by Pathein Myaungmya Sgaw Kayin Baptist Association. It serves people who need health care not only from Pathein township area but also people from Irrawaddy villages. The hospital and association would like to thank our generous donors for $1,500.00. It was a great support for the hospital. Matthew 25 has 5 doctors and 27 staff who dedicate themselves. It is not a big hospital, but within six months, they served 9,693 patients. They provide treatments such as surgery including C-section, appendicitis, cyst, Lipoma, hydrocele, hernia, phimosis, fibroids, and other services such as normal labour (viginal delivery) and ultrasound diagnosis. They also accept patients for dental care. They plan to extend the building because of the increasing number of patients who need health care. The hospital tries their ...

The library users of Dr. Chit Maung Library Dr. Chit Maung Library was established in July, 1997, supported by FOB. By the grace of God we will celebrate our 20th Anniversary next year 2017. It is located in Insein, a suburban area of Yangon. As a growing organization we can expand our programs not only for library services, but also other services such as English learning center for children, fitness center and internet service center. We provide free internet service but collect reasonable fees for English classes and fitness. The income from those services support our organization to be self sustainable. And the whole community gains from it. The English learning center is the most successful program of Dr. Chit Maung Library. We offer regular English classes and preparation classes for the international English test which is held by Cambridge University. English class Most of the library users are students and their parents  from Dr. Chit Maung Library English l...

After nine years, I received the opportunity to visit my family in Burma. My husband, Adam, and our kids, Zoe and Zachary, flew to Burma on June 11. The trip was sweet in that I got to see my relatives. I am taking two online summer classes and as a result was kept quite busy. Nevertheless, I was blessed with the opportunity to visit Karen Baptist (KBC) Hospital and Dr. Chit Maung Library a few times. KBC Hospital continues to strive in its healing ministries. The hospital is crowded and operating at greater than the maximum capacity. Patients near and far rely on the hospital for affordable care. Most notably, the new elevator stood tall transporting patients up and down comfortably and most important of all, safely.  The hospital repeated to me how thankful they are to the donors.  I was blessed with the opportunity to meet the new medical superintendent, Dr. Maureen, who is committed to the continuous improvement of the hospital care. Pregnant women waiting for cli...

My name is New Hser Hser Eh and I am 27 years old and single. My native village is Zee Pyu Gone in Ayeyarwaddy Division. I came to Yangon after I passed my matriculation and I served as a supporting staff at Lydia Mini Store at Zoe Center. After I had graduated from Yangon University, I wanted to apply job abroad. So I joined a training to be a waitress at hotel. As I am the youngest daughter among my siblings, my family did not agree with me on that job. When I shared my plan to teacher Paw Gaw and she asked me about my interest apart from being a waitress abroad. Then I replied that I wanted to learn the art of beauty salon such as hair and nail dressing, hair cutting and also make-up art. Then she sent me to one month training on hair cutting and dressing and second time a short course on hair dressing training at MBC Women Department. Moreover I’m also always finding out the information from internet and downloaded them and practiced them. Therefore I became more confidence in h...

Sometimes we stumble on to a meaningful program. A report from Neil: A person in our church at Fort Wayne gave the minister $400 with the instructions he was to give twenty dollars to twenty members with the instructions to keep $10 for themselves and give $10 to a person that $10 would encourage, make them feel good about receiving it, and feel someone cares about them. I thought it was a good idea. Most of the people I love do not need Christmas gifts but Christmas is the time of giving. So I decided to repeat the project in Burma. I gave out five gifts to five friends with the same instructions. Here is one report. Dear Neil & Diana, Thank you so much for receiving $20. As you want me to give $10 to those who are in need I've already given to them but I also want to participate in this contribution and I added my $10 to this contribution. The needy people are 3 Indian Christian orphans, and their mother recently died and their father died 10 years ago. They live in A...

Naw Paw Gaw works with the Yangon Karen Women’s Development Group and she sets up microcredit groups of six to twelve women who each develop a business plan to provide income for her family.  Projects include sewing, raising chickens or hogs, small retail shop, gardening, buying wholesale and selling retail, etc.  The group works together to help each develop her business. Here is a report from one of the groups. Ma Oo Bin Zone Women Micro Finance Group is composed of families headed by women. They had received a grant in 2014. This group has a leader, secretary and treasurer. They have organized the group as a church women’s group and gave initial loan to the members beginning from $50 to $70 for individual loans. The interest charge of loan is 5% per month while other money lenders is 10%-15% in the villages. The group started the capital amount from $300 and within two years they have received back more than $500. They contributed $45 to Yangon Kayin Baptist Women Assoc...

Back in January, 2016, Friends of Burma was approached by a dynamic, mission oriented, family in Tacoma, Washington. This family of mother, father, son, and daughter, were actively raising funds to allow those graduates of the Childcare Centers who had successfully matriculated (passed the final secondary school testing) to continue attending college or trade schools. This family has given concerts, run races, and solicited donations for these outstanding students. They call themselves Lightning for Learning. In April, Friends of Burma sent the first $4,500 for the further education of 10 of these young people. This is $450 per year for each student.  FOB is honored to be able to assist in this project, which will be continuing. Saw Si Lah His parents were lost in the Nargis cyclone which killed 134,000 people in May 2008. Pathein-Myaungmya Association leaders sent him to the Childcare Center with his brother Saw Ger Gler. He finished 11th grade in 2011-2012 academic year a...

Saw Jim Bard from Pu Saw Bu Child Care Center An email from a colleague in Burma: His regular donor is Janelle [last name withheld]. He grew up in Pu Saw Bu child care center. I talked to him when I was in Yangon. He is now a professional soccer player of the second team of the Irrawaddy football club. He is 18 years old and a striker. I introduced myself to him as one of the members of Friends of Burma (FOB). He knows FOB well. I told him that I wanted to let his donor know something about him and wanted his pictures. He sent his photos to me via his cellphone immediately. I don't know how much he got paid as a professional soccer player for a month, but I know whenever he plays a match, he gets more than one lakh (about $100). He is in touch with Pu Saw Bu child care center. To become a soccer star is one of the popular dreams among  the youngsters in Myanmar. I told him to try hard to become a first class team player. He is still young and has a great chance to become a st...

An email from one of our colleagues: I distributed 37 mosquito nets at Ywa Thit village in Twan Tay township. That is the place of mangoes and mosquitoes. We participated in their worship program. My cousin preached and I prayed for them. Each of 36 families received a mosquito net. They gave us 4 full bags of mangoes. It is impossible to eat them all. We distributed them in another village, Nyaung Ywa. They thanked Friends of Burma (FOB) so much. I also thank FOB for receiving mangoes from them. Some said they were using the old dirty nets, and kept the new ones for visitors. I would like to say thank you to FOB for protecting poor people from mosquito bites. Now, the time of mosquitoes is starting. I distributed some other mosquito nets to nearby villages. It is too hot here. The monsoon will be starting soon. There is a low pressure in the Bay of Bengal. We need rain. I have to spend one and a half hour for watering the plants everyday. But some plants still died...

The following is a letter from Naw Htoo Nay Paw. My name is Naw Htoo Nay Paw and now I am 23 years old. My native village is Tha Bye Kyine Village, Ayeyarweddy Division which was affected by Cyclone Nargis in 2008, May. I have 3 siblings, and during Cyclone Nargis I lost my youngest brother. My parents were daily wagers and they could not afford me to attend grade four. My father died when I was 13 years old. After Cyclone Nargis, my mother married a young man, and I had decided to leave my family and went to Zoe Center by the support of Thramu Daily Paw, assistant Secretary of Yangon Kayin Baptist Women association. In 2008 June, I became a supporting catering staff for the trainees at Zoe Center. From 2008 to 2014, I have attended different kinds of training such as teenage girl training, women development training, basic sewing class, embroidery training, making fancy training, sewing hymn book cover, cloth purse and door mat training. In 2014, we have organized a micro fin...