Article in Pattaya Newspapers - July 08

This past week WWM has been able to send food, clothing, medical supplies and funds into Burma and the Mae Sot area to help feed, clothe and educate the children of Burmese migrant workers and survivors of Cyclone Nagis.

The management of Regent Park, Naklua, provided a house to use as a collection point for all of the food and clothing items over a period of one month and DHL Logistics provided a truck and staff to load and deliver the items to Mae Sot.  

Arriving into Mae Sot around 7:30am on Sunday 13 July the truck was greeted by the children and director of Hsa Thoo Lei Orphanage and Learning Centre, home to 210 orphaned Burmese/Karen children and children of Internally Displaced People (IDP).  Within three hours the two truck drivers and children had unloaded the large truck and separated the items for ease of distribution.  Within an hour of the truck being unloaded, a local volunteer organisation was able to take the boxes of men’s, women’s and children’s clothing for distribution to survivors of Cyclone Nagis.   

The remainder of the food and clothing items were distributed between Hsa Thoo Lei and two orphanages inside Burma, who through their various channels help the survivors of Cyclone Nagis.  Due to the difficulties in transporting relief items into Burma, the orphanage house mother and her driver will make three trips in a small van over the next few weeks so as not to draw unnecessary attention to their activities.  WWM left additional funds to be used for transportation.

It has proven difficult to give assistance to the people in need inside Burma.  Many obstacles stand in the way of sending in large quantities of relief items and the high cost of fuel has prevented even small shipments going in, along with unrest at the border.  We have been able to direct funds collected (over half a million baht so far) to an organisation operating inside Burma.  They are utilising the funds to provide food and medical supplies, re-build homes and repair boats so the fishermen are able to start earning a living again.  Your donations of money, food and clothing have had, and continue to have, a positive effect on their recovery.

Women With a Mission will continue to assist the Burmese families inside Burma with funds to help rebuild their lives in addition to providing children living in refuges camps along the Thai/Burma border with daily meals, educational materials, uniforms and medicines.  

A big thank you goes out to so many people, but first of all Marjolijn for co-ordinating the food and clothing drive, along with her many friends.  We also thank the following people, schools and organisations for their generosity.

Management of Regent Park (Bangkok Sunday Co. Ltd) 

DHL Logistics

Thai Thani Management Co. Ltd

St Andrews International School

International School Eastern Seaboard (ISE) 

Montessori Children’s Centre International   

Neighbours of Regent’s Park

De Nederlandse Vereniging in Pattaya 

AGS Four Winds

Pattaya International Ladies Club  

Dana Spicer (Rayong) 

There were many individuals who helped in collecting the goods, sort and label boxes, produce packing lists and others who provided medical supplies.  Our thanks go out to you all for making this a successful collection.  

Help is still needed by the Burmese people.  Please contact WWM on how you can make a difference to the lives of those with so little.  We’d also like to hear from you if you wanted some more information or updates on our activities.  

Email – wwm.burma@gmail.com.

Rosanne, Bronwyn and Kylie

Dear Family and Friends

21 May 2008 

Dear Family and Friends 

 

Most of you will know that soon after the tsunami of December 2004, I joined with two of my friends to raise funds for the communities in southern Thailand.  Immediately after the tsunami and for the next three years, as Helping Hands Pattaya, we achieved many great things, including self- sustaining lunch farms in seven schools; daily school lunches for children in eight schools; child sponsorships and provision of milk for babies and children to the age of five years. 

 

Of the three of us, Rosanne is the only one still living in Thailand – Bronwyn has relocated to Melbourne, Australia and I am living in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.  Women with a Mission came about after we realised we needed a name that reflected our new locations, continued collaboration and our plans for the future! 

 

We are each devoted to being citizens of the global community, without cultural or religious boundaries.  As a private group, WWM is able to reach those that cannot be assisted by organisations with strict guidelines.  We are able to co-ordinate with a wide variety of organisations. 

 

We have had a commitment to the people of Burma for some time and in February of this year we visited the border town of Mae Sot in Northern Thailand.  Thailand is home to an estimated two million migrants escaping 50 years of internal conflict within their country and living in dire poverty in refugee camps throughout the border regions.  Many of them are orphaned children and teenagers sent by their parents from Burma in the hope they will live in safety and receive an education in the schools established by the Burmese community. 

 

The need for aid is great in Mae Sot.  Prior to Cyclone Nagis in Burma on May 2, we had committed to fundraising for a commercial photocopier, which would enable distribution of teaching materials to the schools and learning centres as part of our plan to establish a consistent curriculum.   

 

It is still our intention to provide the photocopier – the cost is THB224,700 (approximately AUD7,400).  We have chosen to purchase this machine as it can be purchased and serviced locally and will provide further financial support for the local community.   

 

We maintain our commitment to assist the people of Burma, especially in this great time of need.  We have contacts that have been able to enter Burma to distribute funds, clothing and basic food necessities, collected in the past two weeks.  Should you wish to contribute towards this immediate cause, we are able to assist. 

 

We are committed to being financially accountable and use the funds received only for the purpose requested.  We do not utilise any of the funds for our expenses, in fact donating these ourselves.  In places where we donate our time and resources, we respect the autonomy of local communities, encouraging people to develop their own development processes.   

 

Your support of our efforts to assist the people of Burma is greatly appreciated and donors will receive detailed information on the use of their funds if required.  I look forward to hearing from you individually – even if it’s just for more information or updates on our progress. 

 

Kindest regards, 

Kylie  

for Bronwyn, Rosanne and Kylie