Fundraiser gives Myanmar communities hope

A California Burmese Community fundraiser, sponsored by Giving Children Hope, raised money for the victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar (formerly Burma) at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center on Saturday.

“We send medical supplies and medical equipment. When people are suffering…we are there to cover it,” said Anatoliy Andreyev, international director of operations of Giving Children Hope.

Giving Children Hope also is equipped to respond to emergencies immediately with food, medicine, clothing and transportation without cumbersome bureaucracy that larger organizations sometimes deal with.

The show began with a slide show of monuments in Myanmar, such as temples and big statues of Buddha. The slide show also displayed pictures of the Burmese people after the cyclone hit their homes, followed by performances from local Burmese dancers and the Shweman New York Dance Troupe.

The dancers performed a variety of folk and ethnic dances.

Shwe Man U Win Maung, the leader of the Shweman New York Dance Troupe, was grateful to dance and sing for the fundraiser.

“We only had about two weeks to rehearse, but we are very grateful to be here, and we really appreciate your support for Burma,” Win Maung said.

According to Jenise Steverding, the director of advancement for Giving Children Hope, the Burmese community contacted them to hold the fundraiser. May, a Cal State Fullerton student from Myanmar, helped jumpstart proceeds for the victims.

“She got involved in one of our local programs in the student government there,” Steverding said. “It’s called ‘We’ve got your back.’ When the disaster happened, she saw in the paper that we were willing to help with Burma. She called me and said, ‘I really want to connect you with some folks who are willing to help with Burma.’ They came up with what they wanted to do for the fundraiser.” 

One of the organizers of the show, Dolly Co Lay, knew members of the Shweman Thabin New York Dance Troupe, so she invited them to perform various dances at the fundraiser.

“Since [the troupe and I] knew each other, we knew what we were expecting [from the dancers],” Co Lay said.

Andreyev also said that Giving Children Hope sends basic medical supplies, water purification tablets, blankets, tents and pharmaceuticals to countries impacted by disasters.