Help Nyi Nyi Save Myanmar Climbing

In the midst of violence, instability, and a global pandemic, help us keep Myanmar's only climbing gym open for the next year.

We've all heard that COVID has been wreaking havoc on small businesses globally and climbing gyms are no exception. But for the founder of Myanmar's only climbing gym, COVID was only the beginning of the struggle.

Nyi Nyi Aung is Myanmar's climbing pioneer. In 2017 he opened Myanmar's first climbing gym. Besides running his gym, Nyi Nyi has also been active in negotiating with land managers and community leaders to open up access to climbing areas for bolting sport climbs and developing boulder fields. He has also been on the forefront of training the first generation of young Myanmar crushers. In other words, he has been doing all of the thankless work that brings the joy of climbing to thousands of people that otherwise would never have experienced it, while simultaneously receiving very little compensation or credit. Nyi Nyi is also actively involved in the Karst and Caves Conservancy of Myanmar, surveying caves with international speleology organizations and local universities, and Climb O’Clock is not only the heart of Yangon climbing, but also a resource center for caving, hiking, mountaineering, and slacklining in Myanmar.

In 2019, Nyi Nyi decided to expand his small bouldering gym to a much larger facility that would include roped climbing. He built and opened his new gym just as COVID-19 became a global pandemic. By the end of 2020 things were looking a bit brighter. In Myanmar's elections that November, Myanmar's democratic political party had once again defeated the military-backed party in a landslide. Globally, vaccination programs were rolling out slowly in Western countries and optimism was growing.

But in February of 2021, without warning, the military arrested the leaders of the democratic party and took control of the country. Massive protests broke out throughout the country and were met with crushing violence from the military. Protesters were shot in the streets, or arrested and tortured in a campaign of violence that continues to this day. Citizens of Myanmar responded with a strong civil disobedience movement that has brought Myanmar's economy to a standstill.

As COVID and the coup have unfolded in Myanmar, many of the expatriate climbers that frequented Climb O'Clock have returned to their home countries, leaving a small, committed group of local climbers to keep Myanmar's climbing scene alive. While many might ask why climbing is important in the midst of so much violence and instability, Nyi Nyi sees a crucial role for Climb O'Clock as a mainstay of stability during these times. The gym gives people consistent coping skills, while also providing a safe space for Myanmar youth and students to learn, be empowered, participate in physical exercise, and cultivate their sense of conservation and love for their natural environment. The gym also serves as a social center to gather, exchange ideas, and discuss experiences with people from different ethnic and education backgrounds.

This bring us to the purpose of this campaign, we are trying to raise the funds to cover the rent costs for Climb O'Clock for the next year. $9600 covers the $800 per month rent for the next 12 months. Simultaneously, donations will be used to open up climbing to youth from Myanmar communities that normally would not be able to participate, these include many ethnic minorities like Kachin, Mon, Kayin, Rakhine, Rohingya, and Hindu kids. Every donation will not only help to keep the gym open, but will pay for a local climber's membership, or their participation in youth empowerment programs.

$50 donation pays for 10 students to visit the gym through our school program

$80 pays for a 10 visit pass for a local climber

$180 pays for a 3 month membership for a local climber

$350 pays for a 6 month membership for a local climber.

We'll be keeping you updated with photos and videos from the gym as we move forward with the campaign.