Free funeral co-founder wins Citizen of Burma prize

Free funeral co-founder wins Citizen of Burma prize

By Cherry Thein   |   Thursday, 05 June 2014

"True spirit" – that's what Daw Than Myint Aung says compelled her to get involved with Yangon's free funeral service society, before starting a HIV centre for children and a home for the aged.

"A human being who doesn't have sympathy and empathy, and doesn't work for the benefit of society is little more than an animal," said the humanitarian activist, who is also a writer.

"We faced many challenges, including government restrictions, in past years ... but we always tried to see through our work with true spirit."

 

Daw Than Myint Aung, who is a vice chairman of the Free Funeral Service Society (Yangon), was recognised for her charity work with the United States-based Citizen of Burma award for 2014 on June 1. Handed out by the Citizen of Burma Award Organisation, the prize comes with a US$10,000 grant that she will use to further her humanitarian projects.

"I feel honoured to be named as Citizen of Burma, and happy to see my friends and colleagues were even happier than me," said Daw Than Myint Aung.

She was honoured for her dedication to the free funeral society, where she has helped provide more than 100,000 services since co-founding it with former actor U Kyaw Thu in 2000.

She is also co-founder of Thuka Yeik Myone in East Dagon township. Described as a sanctuary for children living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), it grew out of the Happy Haven Humanitarian Project, which was established in 2005 to assist children infected with HIV. Nine children were initially accepted into the program and it has since grown to 116. She also founded See Sar Yeik, home for the aged near the HIV sanctuary.

While Daw Than Myint Aung was the fifth winner of the prize, she was the first to receive it at an awards ceremony inside the country. It was handed out at Royal Rose restaurant in Bahan township on June 1 in front of more than 100 people.

The organisation also provided special awards of $1000 to a number of organisations, including the anti-hate speech movement Pansagar; fundraising group One More; and Tako Taw, which carries out aid work in mountainous regions.

Citizen of Burma Award Organisation member U Wai La Win said the group hoped the awards would inspire others to emulate this year's winners.

"Wherever you are, whatever your race is, if you are Myanmar then you are obliged to contribute whatever you can for the country's development. We have been working with this spirit for the past five years," he said.

U Wai La Win said the organisation plans to hand out the award annually. The organization was formed in 2010 by Myanmar expatriates in the United States, Europe, South Korea, Japan and Singapore to honour Myanmar's public heroes.

Anyone can nominate a person or institution for consideration through the organisation's website, www.citizenofburma.org, after which the organisation's board members select the winner based on voting.

U Kyaw Thu, the chairman of the Free Funeral Service Society (Yangon), won the first award in 2010.

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2014/06/06/free-funeral-co-founder-wins-citizen-of-burma-prize-2/