UPDATE (June 17, 2011) – I’m thrilled to report that work has begun on projects in multiple Hill Tribe villages in the Eastern Shan region of Burma. Details below. Your donations are literally saving lives, combating one of the worst infant mortality rates in the world. Thank you for your continued support. Please email me with any questions.
YOUR $$ SAVING LIVES!
KYAINGTONG VILLAGE PROJECTS – PROGRESS REPORT
by Rick Heizman and Michael Straus
June 19, 2011
This report covers the on-going efforts to bring better health, sanitation, and education to villages around Kyaingtong, Eastern Shan State, Burma (Myanmar). Building clean water supply systems, making appropriate toilets and starting nutritious food production programs have many benefits, including dramatically lowering the high infant mortality rate.
About Us:
- Sai Lon (aka Paul) – born and raised in Kyaingtong region, Paul is the best and most experienced guide, do-er, and resource in the area.
- Rick Heizman – has visited Burma 22 times in 15 years, working on many projects in various parts of the country. Rick is an expert on many facets of Burma culture and current events.
- Michael Straus – visited Burma in 2010, was very moved by the people, the culture, and the needs, and started a fundraising drive in Nov 2010.
Rick and Sai Lon have an extensive track-record, working for many years in nearly a dozen villages, and helping hundreds of villagers by building desperately needed infrastructure and providing medical, school and food supplies. Their concurrent projects include assisting a huge Leper Colony which treats nearly 500 children, and helping victims and survivors of the devastating earthquake which struck near Kyaingtong March 24, 2011 (less than two weeks after Japan’s devastating tsunami). To see the separate report and film about earthquake relief efforts, click here.
Current projects:
- The Villages: We’ve ID’s an initial 10 Hill Tribe villages where simple, inexpensive infrastructure can literally save lives, dramatically improve the standard of living, and provide tools to assist villagers surviving under very difficult political and economic conditions.
- Water Systems: Getting cleaner water from higher-elevation springs or from deeper wells is very important for the health and well-being of the people. Until now, water has been collected by either fetching water by bucket from a muddy pool, or a system of bamboo tubes split lengthwise and haphazardly linked together, where Malaria-infected mosquitoes can breed, among other problems. By using the PVC pipe the water does not get further contaminated by bugs, birds, and dirt. Now people can wash themselves, their children, their clothes and their food more often, and with cleaner, safer water.
- Toilets: After water systems have been installed, we then build decent Asian-style squat toilets and septic system – where previously there were none – a major step for villages that were lacking even simple toilets. We also provide basic education about sanitation and hygiene. The health and the infant mortality rates - some of the highest in the world – will improve dramatically.
- Flexibility: Although we’ve developed plans for specific villages, things change. Occasionally villages relocate because of flood, mudslide, inauspicious death, poor water quality, etc. An offshoot village can spring up nearby for population or marriage reasons.
- How many people benefit: There are about 8 people in a family (average). The number of families in any given villages changes frequently due to marriage , death, squabbles, moving to town, etc. Each family uses one toilet.
Specific Projects in-progress:
- Phar Kyaw village – Water supply system has been completed previously. Construction of 21 toilets has begun; materials have already been purchased; construction slated for completion before October (labor currently in short supply due to rice planting)
Beneficiaries: 21 families, 168 people
- Kon Ken village – Water supply system completed with our funds. Now, construction of 16 toilets is in-progress; materials have already been purchased; construction slated for completion before October (labor currently in short supply due to rice planting
Beneficiaries: 16 families, 128 people
- Wan Lar village – Water supply system completed with our funds. Now, construction of 15-20 toilets is in-progress; materials have already been purchased; construction slated for completion before October (as above re: labor)
Beneficiaries: 15-20 families, 120-160 people
Next projects:
- Wan Soa village – This village was added as a priority, as their water supply system needs improvement (digging a deeper well, and installing a pump to get water to the adjacent Buddhist monastery. Also, we’ll replace the roof of their small school (the rest of the building is in good condition).
Budget & Accounting:
Donations collected by our recent drive were transmitted by Rick and his long-time colleagues in Burma. No fees were taken out by Michael, Rick or Ko Doo (Rick’s main partner). Roughly 90% of total funds were spent on construction materials and labor; and the remaining 10% spent on processing fees (seeAccounting spreadsheet below). Paul purchases construction supplies when they’re available and well-priced, often warehousing them for months until all supplies have been purchased, weather conditions allow and labor is available. Of about $4,700 transmitted to Burma, about one-half has been spent to-date.
Currency Exchange:
The Kyat is worthless anywhere outside of Burma. Inside Burma, you cannot use traveler checks or credit cards. While the ‘official’ exchange rate for U.S. dollar is 6 kyat = US $1, dollars are changed on a black market subject to tremendous fluctuations – from 1,000 per dollar when this fundraiser started, previously had peaked at 1,400 and now (June 2011) down to 750 - meaning the value of our donations has dropped approximately 25% since we started collecting funds. Initial labor and materials estimates are way off due to the currency crisis, which is effecting many Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) working in Burma, where donations saved for future usage are now worth much less.
Downloads:
SPREAD THE WORD: Email a few friends, send them a message via Facebook, mention it at your next social gathering.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
- Michael’s article about his Burma experience: Culinate.com, CivilEats.com, EcoCentricBlog.org andEcoBurma.org. It’s also archived here.
- Excellent photos, video, audio and more : www.TribalMusicAsia.com
HUGE THANKS TO OUR DONORS (Is your name here?)
Business Donors
3Degrees Renewable Energy (Dan Kalafatas) $50, Carmel Blue Pregnancy & Parenting (Sharone Mendes) $50, Culinate.com (Kim Carlson) $100, Equator Coffees & Teas (Brooke & Helen) $500, GreenTravelerGuides.com (Peggy & Gary Diedrichs) $50, GustOrganics Restaurant & Bar (Alberto Gonzalez) $100,HavenBMedia (Haven Bourque) $1,000, Irons Strategies (David Irons) $25, Joto Sake (Henry Sidel) $100, Organic Renaissance (Bruce Kirk) $50, Shoe Shine Wine(Eric Cohen) $50, The Browning Group (Will Mulcahy) $50, Tribal Music Asia(Victoria Vorreiter) $75, Yangshuo Mountain Retreat (Chris & Nam Barclay) $100, Wildlife Works (Gerald Prolman) $100
Individual Donors
U.S.A.: Bruno Allaire $25, Chris Bartle $10, Ken, Oren & Sienna Beckman$100, Alan Berkowitz $50, Alice Bourget $20, Dave Brast $36, Kris Castleman & kids $30, Lorraine Cleff $20, Catherine Cole $10, David D $25, Carol Devine $10, Rob & Bert Diedrichs $75, Lonnie Fogel$10, Dan Fost $50, Dan German $50, Sally Gibson $50, Yannai Mendes Golan $40, Leslie Goldberg $25, Judy Guerriero $20, Allyse Heartwell $10, Joanna Horowitz $10, Eduardo Hueso $10, Kristi Jacobson $50, Linda McAloon Judge$150, David Katz $125, Renee ReBell Kenney $25, David Kupfer$100, Michelle Lapinski $50, Sarah Laufer $20, Laura, Aaron & Ethan Leventhal $30, Joshua Levine$50, Patrick Lewis $10, Elaine Lipson $10, Martin Lowenstein $25, Stacey McCarthy $20, Robert McLaughlin $50, Erin Hunt Moore $25, Karen Olson $15, Regan & Kathleen Poston $100, Traci Prendergast $10, Audrey Prins $250, Gary Rand & Laure Levin $25, David & Kristie Raycroft $10, Elina Razdobarina $35, Mark Ritchie (Secretary of State, Minnesota!) $25, Marika Rosen $25, Lisa Russ $100, Linda Sawtelle $25, Colleen Schell $10, Karen Scheuner $10, DeniseShermer $20, Scott Silverman $50, Amanda Sonenberg $50, Lynne Sonenberg $25, Michael Straus $250, Miriam Straus $50, Vivien Straus $100, Robert & Barbara van Creveld $10, Carol Vesecky$15, Kristy Walker $10 Charlie Wallace $10, SusanWeeks $20, Kimberly Welsh $10, Amy Wertheimer $125, ScottWu $20, Stephen & Bonnie Yafa $50, Amy $50, Judie $20, Anonymous $30, Anonymous$20, Anonymous $10, Australia: Leah Anderson $20, Vladik Mizikov$10, Canada: Lauren Evans $10, Germany: Peter Barthel $25, Aline Wunderlich $25 Japan: Kako$25 Netherlands: Diane Blumenfeld$100, Jurgen & Sandra Van Dijk $25, Norway: Anonymous$100 Switzerland: Allison Quaid & Juergen Urbanski $10, In MemoriumLia Kantor in memory of Jordan McKay $15
DONATE:
- Credit card: at our secure donation website, or
- Check: Payable and mail to …
- Marc Gold/100 Friends, 2140 Shattuck Ave. #2050, Berkeley, CA 94704; Memo: Burma / Heizman / Straus
- If you send a check, please also send an email to Michael@StrausCom.com with the $$ amount, so that I can update this webpage more quickly.
- Note: We receive 100% of donations by Check, and about 90% of donations by credit card, due to online processing fees. All donations are tax-deductible.
