Light Up a Village with Stars Do Shine

Organizers: Students from the Pitt-SDS Education Initiative

Goal: Provide 200 solar charging kits for an earthquake-devasted village in Myanmar

Student Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOM_VxQW2Z0

On March 28, a major earthquake devastated the communities and lives of the SDS students, particularly in the region around Inle Lake in the Shan State of Myanmar. Some villages are built on water and some on land; both communities are struggling to survive. After the recent earthquake, many families now live on boats in villages on water. Families from villages on land sleep in open grounds under makeshift tents, cobbled together from cloths and plastics, without proper materials for shelter or safety.

This fundraiser has been created by the students of the Pitt-SDS Education Initiative, which connects student mentors from the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) with students from Stars Do Shine (SDS), an education foundation in Myanmar. Through weekly virtual meetings and collaborative educational activities, the Initiative supports SDS students who are preparing for high school equivalency and English language proficiency exams.

Your donation will help us to purchase and distribute solar charging kits ($25 each) to one of the villages of Inle Lake that has been destroyed. The kits (pictured below) will provide 200 families with critically needed light and vital access to emergency services through re-charged phones.

Many thanks for your donation,

The Pitt-SDS Education Initiative (Aditi, AJ, Aon Khay, Anushka, Avni, David, Ellie, Ju Ju, Leo, Livia, Max, May, Taylor, Vicky, Vior, and Zeus)