Solar Power and Regenerative Agriculture in Burma

Alumni and Earthquake

In March, I returned to Burma for the first time in nearly 6 years – and what momentous trip it was! My goals were to visit old friends, check in on former projects and look to see if there were possibilities for returning to do Solar Roots work in the future.

First, I spent a few days in Yangon, walking down memory lane in the decaying city center, which still contains many relics of the colonial era and the bustling Scott Market. I met my old collaborator, Aung. He is still endless working to support the families who fled to Yangon following the devastating Cyclone Nargis in 2008. In the wake of the recent disastrous earthquake, it’s discouraging to find out that thousands of people are still displaced and apparently forgotten from the last traumatic event, which happened 17 years ago!

Next I spent a week in Kalaw, the ex-hill station where my friend John lives. He has been able to stay in Burma, despite all the recent upheavals, that include Covid, flooding, and military takeover. In these times of restricted travel and political instability John continues to support local teacher training and to develop his permaculture demonstration farm for the benefit of all communities in Burma. While in Kalaw, I met with Aye, an activist who attended an important training of mine back in 2012. She is still working to support local teachers and communities, although she had to evacuate from her home town in the north due to political instability.

Then I traveled back to my “home town” of Pyin Oo Lwin. However, because of the night-time curfew, I had to break my journey in Mandalay, where I stayed overnight in a modern 9-story hotel. I had a room on the first floor. This was the night of March 12^th. On March 28^th, a devastating 7.7 earthquake happened near Sagaing town, a mere 10 miles from Mandalay. It is said that all buildings over 2-stories were destroyed in this quake, which was the largest in over 100 years They say that timing is everything. I feel like I live a charmed life with a guardian angel for back-up, as I was in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, one month before the massive quake there, in 2010. Luckily, Solar Roots has some funds in our account and we were able to donate $8,500 to NGOs who have a presence in Burma and local employees or affiliates. Unfortunately, there later surfaced many stories concerning restricted access and diversion of funds and aid to only military government controlled areas. Knowing that this would happen, I was personally able to make a similar donation through my informal network that arrived and was distributed to quake victims, within days.

In Pyin Oo Lwin I met with several of my old alumni and long-time friends. There was Htin who runs the ecology campus for a local seminary and Seya Myint, who is a leading light in the organic movement, as well as a talented farmer, a nationally known instructor and now, a published author! Thura, my translator for many trainings was there too. He is back teaching in the Blind School, as his town is also very unstable.Surprisingly, they all appear to be thriving despite the present political instability. But to a degree, that is just how it appears on the outside. The Burmese people are long experienced in getting by in the most adverse conditions through natural resilience and inventiveness. One of the major challenges to parents at the moment is the conscription law that is being used to take young men and women away from their homes for military service.

I have posted photos below, but left them without names. I think that it could be fun to post more photos from earlier (and happier) times in the next report. Then let’s see if you can pick out the participants in the before and after shots.

Now that a few weeks have passed since the earthquake and the news cycle has moved on, Burma has slipped off the international radar again. But the need is still enormous and I encourage everyone to donate to small, locally focused NGOs as well as the large international groups. My list of worthy organizations include: Partners Asia, Community Partners International, and the Mae Tao Clinic.

Thank you,

Bruce

Please note that real names are not used in this report.