Fundraising in Exile for Myanmar with Dr Kyaw Moe Tun | Ep 6

Season 1
Written By Pam Cheney

Today's conversation is with Dr Kyaw Moe Tun, the president of Parami University, Myanmar's first and only Liberal Arts And Sciences University in Myanmar. Kyaw Moe Tun raised $5,000,000 to make Parami a reality almost entirely from donors within Myanmar. This is a masterclass in how to raise funding wherever you are and what it takes to turn your vision into reality even when the odds are completely stacked against you.  

I want to also give you some context on Kyaw Moe Tun's situation. In April 2021, during the coup in Myanmar, and soon after losing his father to COVID, Dr Kyaw Moe Tun was denounced by the military government on national TV, with a full 45 seconds dedicated just to him, alongside, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and many others. Imagine that for a moment. In one minute, having everyone and everything you care about being publicly threatened by the government of your nation and faced with arrest in the notorious insane prison on the outskirts of Yangon. So for his own safety, for the safety of his family and to preserve Parami University, Kyaw Moe Tun left his home, trekked through the jungle, was smuggled across borders and eventually gained asylum in the US where he is continuing his work in exile. 

Some conversations just stand by themselves and really don't need me to add anything else to them. This puts my own existence and effort into stark relief. I know that my fundraising will always be relatively easy. But this also gives me hope, that there are thousands of people like Kyaw Moe Tun all over the world dedicating their lives to causes that really deeply matter, even in the face of an overwhelming personal cost. 

I hope you enjoy meeting the brilliant, incredible Dr Kyaw Moe Tun in this conversation.

Note: You’ll hear Myanmar and Burma being used throughout this episode - they are both names of the country being used interchangeably. 

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

Important Request:

If you are an experienced fundraiser based in North America or Europe and have a deep connection or deep interest in Myanmar or Liberal Arts And Sciences education and if you've been inspired by the vision and determination, and if you want to volunteer your time and fundraising skills, for free, to help make this happen for Parami University, please do get in touch with me at [email protected]. and we will share your details with the Parami team. 

I hope you've enjoyed listening to this episode of the Fundraising Radicals podcast and that this conversation has challenged, informed, and maybe even inspired you and your fundraising leadership practice. 

Please do subscribe to the podcast on the platform of your choice. 

New episodes drop on the 1st and 15th of each month, so make sure to tune in to get more global perspectives on fundraising and leadership in the non-profit sector. 

More about Fundraising Radicals:

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Pam Cheney

Graphic Designer and traveller

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Authenticity, Values, and Social Impact with Ezra Hirawani | Ep 5