Who we are and what we do

We are a team of 35 Burmese masons and carpenters led by a Canadian (John D. Stevens) and a Burmese project manager (Maung Maung Gyi). Since 1996, we have been working to improve the economic, health and educational conditions in the villages of Myanmar (Burma).

The villagers of Myanmar are very special. Their lives are not easy. Crop failures and high inflation are a regular part of their daily lives and trying to make ends meet is a constant struggle. Regardless, they continue to maintain their warmth, friendliness and purity. Over the years we have been fortunate enough to have worked here along side them and have continued to help them out in whatever way we can.

Before we began building schools we were making donations of generators, water pumps and water wells to the village farmers. These pumps and wells have made it possible for the farmers to irrigate their fields and grow crops during the dry season as well as the rainy season. This allows them to have two harvests a year instead of one (have a look at photos of irrigation the old way, and the new way). In 2005, a village asked us if we could build them a primary school. After raising the money and getting this first school up and running, we decided that building schools in the villages would be our main priority.

Myanmar is the size of France and England put together and is divided into territories comprised of 7 divisions and 7 states. So far we’ve built the villagers 41 schools in 4 of these regions, each one certified and registered with the Myanmar government. Our aim is to be building them schools in all 14 areas.

It’s obviously not going to happen overnight, but with financial support coming from outside the country and the efforts of local volunteers continuing to come from within, it is entirely possible that one day down the road, every child in Myanmar will be getting a decent education.