Kevin Ryan in Tokyo

Category: Volunteer

  • Frank in Myanmar

    FrankKevin201408 On this most momentous day the first real democratic elections in Myanmar are happening. Frank Berberich, sends a message:

    Yes, I’m very glad to be here now. The run-up over the last few months has been noisy and intense. The “Reds” (NLD) supporters seem to vastly outnumber the government “Greens”.

    Today, it’s quiet on the streets, though, so a very easy trip to AA (six members!). Many shops closed, but lots of people lined up at schools for voting. One of our two Burmese members proudly showed us the ink on his little finger–the badge of a voter having done the citizen’s duty.

    Many people on the street, shopping, drinking tea, talking, taxis and buses mostly, but not nearly so noisy. If only this were normal…. Some fears about possible problems as the results start coming out, but no bulletins from the Embassy so far.

    I sent Wunna a note of congratulations on this historic day. Whatever the outcome, I hope it is “free and fair”, and I feel privileged to be here as this wonderful, but so long abused, place struggles to find its way into democracy.

  • Kevin and Frank need your help

    Indiegogo search results
    If you search for Myanmar at Indiegogo, this is what you get.

    Kevin and his good friend of many years are returning to Myanmar (Burma) to train English teachers. This time they are going under the auspices of the NLD (National League for Democracy), the party founded by Nobel winner Aung San Suu Kyi. She also founded the Education Network, to promote education, in a remarkably prescient move while still under military rule. The huge need for English as the country opens up to both tourism and business needs to be met.

    Kevin and Frank went with a group of volunteers in January, for a week, and it was, in Frank’s words, “A life-changing event.” I concur.

    Kevin and Frank will go for a month this time, in the rainy hot month of September. The NLD/EN will provide accommodations. What we need now is to cover transportation costs, mostly airfare from Tokyo to Yangon.

    See our Indiegogo campaign to make a small donation to become part of this project. If we go over our goal, we will use any additional donations to buy textbooks and educational materials to distribute to the teachers there. If you are a publisher or distributor of books, contact me to get books into the hands of teachers there. If you have a large donation (wink, wink, nudge, nudge), contact us directly so we can eliminate the middleman at indiegogo.