Food for Nuns in Yangon, Myanmar

Markus Baude is organizing this fundraiser.

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Due to the recent pandemic many monastics in Myanmar who depend largely on daily offerings from locals are now faced with a stark reality: shortage of food and lack of other basic life necessities. This project's aim is to counter this lack of supplies by providing food to monastics living in Mingaladon, a township located in the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar. We especially wish to help those most in need, in this case, local nunneries and monasteries with children because they are the most affected by this situation.

Under normal circumstances the nuns, monks and novices collect food within the neighborhood going for alms round (pindapata) but due to Covid19 they are staying indoors.

We selected 23* nunneries with a total number of 227* nuns, many of them young nuns who are dedicated to complete their formal and religious education. Additionally there is a monastery with 250 monks and novices we are planning to reach out to depending on funds available.
(*numbers updated, Nov. 13th)

We plan the food supply for a period of 3-4 months hoping the situation will have improved by then.

The target is to raise 10.000 Euros, but we will start distributing food as soon as we received a practicable amount of funds (it takes less than 1€ per day to feed one person).

Who are we?

We are a small group of locals and foreigners who have been living in monastic communities in Myanmar for many years. We have long standing relationships with monastic communities in this village and have a well established network to acquire and distribute food. Having this close connection with the monastic communities will also enable us to assess the needs with precision and tailor the offerings accordingly.

The team consists of Ven. U Viveka, Ven. U Kumara, Daw Thet Thet Aung (Noe Noe), Daw Yamin Nwe, María Amaya (all in Myanmar) and Markus Baude (Germany) plus many volunteers who are going to support us.

Inspiration

One of the most striking qualities amongst Myanmar people and that most visitors encounter when coming to learn meditation here is the overflowing and boundless generosity that they offer with such joy and delight. Equally inspiring, is to witness their strong social network of family, friends which extends to monks, nuns, novices and meditators who receive daily support from them.
We who are initiating this fund-raising are very much part of this social network and have benefited from it immensely. It is only natural in these difficult times to want to offer any support we can in return and with gratitude.

We hope that you will feel inspired by this project and compelled to help.
No donation is too small. Every donation will help feed a nun, monk or novice, and we can rest with the satisfaction that we have contributed to someone’s life for the better. This is no small thing.

Thank you for caring!
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The Team:

U Viveka, U Kumara, Daw Thet Thet Aung (Noe Noe), Daw Yamin Nwe and María Amaya (Myanmar)

Markus (Germany)

Here the team from left to right: Maria, Markus, Ven. U Viveka, Daw Yamin, Ven. U Kumara and Daw Thet Thet Aung (Noe Noe) - here a screen shot taken at our first zoom-meeting: