CORPORATE NEWS – Mary K Yap Foundation

Category: CORPORATE NEWS

March 10, 2024

BOD Business Trip to Myanmar

My first visit to Myanmar surpassed all expectations. The warm hospitality, rich culture, and natural beauty left a lasting impression. Excited for its bright future!

In a recent corporate news update, we are excited to share insights into the business trip undertaken by our distinguished Board Member, Dr. Jean Luc, to Myanmar, also known as the Golden Land. This trip marked a significant milestone as Dr. Jean Luc explored Yangon for the first time, adding to his extensive travel experience across more than 50 countries.

The journey commenced from the scenic city of Boudreaux, France, where Dr. Jean Luc embarked on a flight that connected him to Singapore before reaching the vibrant city of Yangon. The purpose of his three-day visit was multifaceted, with a primary focus on attending the private screener of “Unbroken Ties,” also known as “Myittar.” This collaborative charity film project between the Mary K. Yap Foundation and Mandalay Productions aims to channel its net proceeds towards benefiting underserved and vulnerable children, especially those in orphanage communities.

Dr. Jean Luc was joined by more than 60 friends and family members, including the Myittar Cast and Crew, led by our Unit Director of Myittar, Legendary Myanmar Academy Winner Actress Grace Swe Zin Htaik, Academy Award Actress Htun Eaindra Bo, Academy Award Winner Director U Soe Moe, Academy Award Winner Director Zaw, along with Chairman, U Kyi Soe Htun of the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization (MMPO), and popular local social media influencers and audience members from ages of eighteen to twenty-four years who joined on an exclusive private screener in Yangon at the Mingalar Gold Class venue hosted by Mingalar Group’s Founder and CEO, U Zaw Min.

The itinerary was meticulously planned, featuring strategic meetings with stakeholders such as Legendary Myanmar Academy Winner Actress Grace Swe Zin Htaik, the Unit Director for the Charity Film, the Foundation’s Executive Director, Peter K Yap, and the Program Manager, Meme Lwin to discuss upcoming festival participation in the USA and Europe, and what is needed to amplify the film’s charitable impact further. Other discussions were held in parallel about the prospects of establishing the first union association, the Myanmar Orphan Association (MOA), to unite all the supporters, NGOs, and INGOs under one umbrella to bring awareness to the needs of vulnerable children and communities living under orphanage care.

1 (1)

1 (2)

1 (3)

1 (4)

1 (5)

1 (6)

1 (7)

1 (8)

1 (9)

1 (10)

1 (11)

1 (12)

1 (13)

1 (14)

Dr. Jean Luc’s engagements extended beyond the boardroom to meaningful interactions with local communities during his stay. A notable highlight was his visit to a local Twantay orphanage, where he had the opportunity to connect with over 45 orphaned children. This experience underscored the Foundation’s commitment to making a tangible difference in the lives of vulnerable populations. Furthermore, Dr. Jean Luc actively participated in the launch of the H20Hope Campaign, an initiative championed by the Foundation to promote clean water initiatives. The campaign aligns seamlessly with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, reflecting the Foundation’s dedication to sustainable and impactful philanthropy.

On the last night of Dr. Jean Luc’s stay in Yangon, the atmosphere was filled with camaraderie and celebration as he graciously joined the Foundation team for a memorable evening. The setting was delightful, with the aroma of sizzling meats and savory spices filling the air as everyone gathered for an all-you-can-eat Burmese barbecue feast. Dr. Jean Luc, known for his affable nature and genuine interest in fostering connections, engaged with team members, exchanging insights and stories from their respective experiences during the trip.

Dr. Jean Luc’s business trip to Yangon showcased his global engagement and highlighted the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to meaningful projects that create positive change. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue our mission to make a difference in the orphanage communities we serve.

By admin

CORPORATE NEWS

April 25, 2023

Sponsor a Child Program

Have you ever thought of doing something enriching, never done before that is exceptionally gratifying? It’s about changing a person’s life forever with one single step.

Have you ever thought of doing something enriching, never done before that is exceptionally gratifying? It’s about changing a person’s life forever with one single step.

You can now be part of that life experience by becoming an exclusive ambassador club of the “Sponsor an Orphanage” program.

Orphaned children are most vulnerable. They need your help the most. They are small children as young as one year old and sometimes even younger than one, who have lost one or both parents. These youths hope that their lives will be better one day. You can be part of the special club to bring life-impacting differences!

Orphan children need heroes, champions, someone who will regularly help them, support them, and love them in a way they can. Regular contribution of little as US$1 a day brings these orphans constant hope that their lives will be better and successful one day.

Mary K. Yap Foundation organizes the “Sponsor an Orphanage” program in which your sponsorship funds can either be singled out to support an individual orphan child or allocate it into a general fund that supports specific empowerment programs for an orphanage. Once signed up, our team will share orphans’ life stories profile to those who enroll in the “Sponsor an Orphanage” program. In addition, you will be updated on the progress made at the end of the year by directly receiving a letter from the orphaned child or from the headmaster of orphanage who received your donation support.

Sponsoring and building a relationship with an orphanage brings satisfaction, real hope, and a life-affirming experience. It gives the orphaned children life-changing basics like food, clean water, healthcare, and education. These orphaned children need a hero and someone to lean on.

Be that person to bring that change forever.

9(1)

1(1)

10(1)

11(1)

By admin

CORPORATE NEWS

April 25, 2023

Lending a Hand

The “Lending a Hand” program is about making a difference for inspired young adults, university students, and citizens from all corners of the world to participate in the life-enriching volunteer opportunities sponsored and organized by the Mary K. Yap Foundation.

The program brings enthusiastic volunteers on short-term 3 to 6-month assignments covering work relating to Event Support, Donor Relations, Office and Admin tasks, and Virtual Support. The selected volunteer will work with our Management and Ambassadors to conduct and implement innovative development programs for the orphanage communities throughout Myanmar. Among other uplifting engagements, our team of volunteers worked to develop a plan for nutrition, diet, agricultural techniques, livestock growing, and water treatment to promote sustainability for orphan organizations. The team will be assigned to orphanages throughout Myanmar for a fixed period according to our project requirements. In addition, there will be many engaging field activities that include educational and health development programs for helping and inspiring underserved youths.

The mission of the Mary K. Yap Foundation and our volunteers is to develop and build these orphanages so that they have the necessary tools to support the needs of vulnerable children. We collaborate with exceptional individuals with a profound sense of social responsibility who are passionate about volunteering to empower children. Volunteers will gain a sense of pride by engaging with and advancing children who rely heavily on these orphaned centers for their day-to-day needs. Every minute of your time with us supports the everyday needs of neglected orphan communities in Myanmar.

At the end of their assignment, the participating volunteers will receive a special award of gratitude from the Mary K. Yap Foundation as a token of appreciation for bringing that extra care to orphans.

In addition, the Foundation will honor these exceptional individuals at one of our fundraising dinner events as a recipient of the Mary K. Yap Foundation’s global citizen award for their generous efforts.

Enter here to sign up on your interest.

By admin

April 25, 2023

Sharing our hearts

The Orphanage Ambassador Program is all about making a difference by supporting the worldwide orphan community, empowering them, and bringing a positive difference in every possible way we can.

Everyone can make a difference by contributing their time and supporting vulnerable orphaned children.

Some may think such children have little hope of becoming independent or reliable citizens. However, after spending time with them, we realize how positive and supportive interactions influence them and how these quality contacts bring so much value to these disadvantaged youth.

“Orphanage Ambassadors” hold the highest responsibility for the advancement of orphans at the Mary K. Yap Foundation. An orphanage ambassador acts as a representative and a promoter of the Mary K. Yap Foundation. In addition, they commit some of their time to helping and empowering orphans by directly assisting in the orphanages. In this way, they hope orphans prosper and grow like ordinary children raised with love and care.

This program requires the ambassador to appear at least 3 Foundation-sponsored charity events per year whenever and wherever possible. Orphanage Ambassadors engage with the public and the orphans & orphanages to form closer bonds between them. They should also be someone the children can rely on and trust in their learning development. In addition, when our ambassadors visit orphanages to entertain the children, give empowerment talks, and strengthen the children by feeling guarded and protected, the children are bestowed with the confidence to plan and achieve their life goals.

The Orphanage Ambassador Program is all about making a difference by supporting the global orphan community, empowering them, and bringing a positive difference in every possible way we can.

By admin

CORPORATE NEWS

September 5, 2021

A Tribute to Mr. Edward

The Board of Directors of the Mary K Yap Foundation would like to extend our tribute to our beloved Board member, Edward Thaung, who passed away at the age of 73 on August 7, 2021, in Yangon, Myanmar.

Edward Thaung was a devoted Roman Catholic who stood by his religious convictions in supporting those in need. He was always available to lend his ears and share his valuable insights and experience with anyone who asked for help. As a faithful husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and mentor to many start-up companies, Edward Thaung touched many people with his candid personality, storytelling talents, and five decades of knowledge of the country’s regulatory and commerical affairs.

During his professional career, Edward Thaung counseled and advised many local and foreign companies on such diverse matters as company formation, taxation, investment proposals, criminal law, family law, international contracts, and dispute resolutions. His early years of legal work included serving as a Town Law Officer, Grade (4) Public prosecutor, and Pre-trial Legal Advisor to the police department, revenue, customs department, immigration, and other government departments. Among his notable contributions was his time as Senior Law Officer at the Attorney General’s Office (1989-1993) in coordination with other government bodies to successfully host the Rights of the Child Seminar in cooperation with UNICEF in Yangon. He redrafted new laws in coordination with the relevant Government departmental personnel and translated Myanmar legal statutes into English.

From 1993 to 1995, he was the Assistant Director for Environmental Affairs ‘Office’ and attended the United Nations Environmental Program UNEP Seminar as National Ozone Officer for Myanmar. For ten years, he held the Secretary to the Board of Directors position at Air Mandalay Limited from 1996 to 2006. He was responsible for company compliance with the relevant laws of Myanmar as the chief legal consultant to Petronas, World Trade Center Yangon, Awba Group, and Mandalay Productions, to name a few. In addition, he was appointed as visiting university law lecturer in 1996 to teach commercial law subjects in Master of Business Administration (MBA) classes in Yangon sponsored by the Institute of Economics, Yangon. For the past three years before his death, he served as the Chief Regulatory Officer for the KMA Group of Companies.

The work contributed by Edward Thaung was done with the utmost integrity and professionalism on behalf of the public and private organizations he served. Despite his busy schedule, he always found the time to give a hand to worthy organizations and individuals. Over the three years that Edward Thaung represented our Foundation board, we benefited from his legal advice and developed our sponsored programs in Myanmar in full legal compliance.

Our goal has always been to become a trusted partner to our donor community so that charitable funds make it to the orphanages that need the most help. With the help of Edward Thaung, we have become a trusted partner with local communities, positioning our organization to serve all orphanages in the country. So much of the success of our empowerment programs working with Myanmar orphans would not have been possible without the dedicated and faithful help of Edward Thaung. His passing represents a great loss to our organization and Myanmar.

By admin

CORPORATE NEWS

January 8, 2021

Chairman’s Gratitude

January 8, 2021

Happy New Year!

Mary K. Yap Foundation continues collaboration with our charity film partner, Mandalay Productions, at the beginning of the year for the post-production process for the upcoming film “Myittar.” The final mixing for the feature in Thailand was initially held last February 2020 but halted due to the Pandemic. The team also started scouting for a location in early March to shoot another music video to support the upcoming charity movie if COVID-19 comes to closure by year-end 2020.Covid strikes from the beginning of April until the last days of 2020. During these times, we planned and organized the Marketing strategies for the future release of “Myittar.”

Although traveling was impossible, we retooled and redesigned our outreach programs, anticipating that traveling and fundraising would be limited. By August 2020, the editing adjustments were successfully submitted to the Censorship board. Due to the continuous Covid Outbreak, we did not have the chance to celebrate Christmas with the orphans since social distancing was strictly observed in Myanmar.

Please join me in extending our warm hearts and prayers to the orphanages during this difficult time. Our rice donation program will continue with selected orphanages where we can travel freely using domestic routes.

Should your have any extra attention, our Yangon offices is always opened for assistance.

Yours Sincerely,

Dr. John Palmer

By admin

Top_Banner_Aungty-Mary_with_kid-1170×725(1)

CORPORATE NEWS

January 8, 2020

Founder’s Gratitude

January 8, 2020

Dear Friends,

Happy New Year to everyone, and I hope that 2020 is off to a great start for you.

Earlier last year, I am pleased to inform you of our foundation’s milestones, results, and achievements in which the Mary K. Yap Foundation entered a Memorandum of Understanding in the filmmaking process with Mandalay Productions LLC (MP) for their first-ever movie entitled “Myittar,” a charity film to combat the plight of orphan communities in Myanmar.

Our organization has worked closely with Mandalay Productions for the shooting process over the past two years. We sincerely appreciate our dear friends, Edward Thaung, George Rush, and Gabrial Jack, for providing valuable legal guidance to successfully bring foreign artists from Myanmar to the US on a 0-1 Visa. After nearly three years of planning and preproduction, our film team commenced principal photography on February 17, 2019. Having a huge cast and production team in the United States is challenging. Multiple shooting sites brought Myanmar talents Htun Eindra Bo and Lumin to the United States for the first time on American soil. Our US team, led by our Director, Graham Streeter, together with Alex Lebosq, Producer and AD, and camera team, Nicholas Burress visited Yangon to complete the Myanmar production in June 2019.

We thanked Skyline College in San Bruno, California, which permitted us to the theater shooting sites. Thank you for the celebration at Skyline College and for believing in our charity film project. Additionally, we could not have completed the second half of the production in Myanmar without the unwavering support of our Unit Director, Grace Swe Zin Htike. We are extremely grateful for Grace who facilitated site permit arrangements of B-Roll Myanmar’s culture at the Film Development Center studio in collaborations with the Myanmar Motional Picture Development Office.

We wrap up the year at three orphanages by sponsoring luncheons, desserts, and activity games with orphan children. Our ambassador volunteers presented the children with one stuffed toy for each child as a present to hold on to at night, especially during the holiday.In the coming year, 2020, together with our partners and church communities, we are looking toward a more exciting year when we have completed our post-production of Myittar, slated at the beginning of 2nd half of 2021.

Yours Sincerely,

Mary K. Yap

By admin

CORPORATE NEWS

March 5, 2019

Movie for Charity

The program “Movie for Charity” net proceeds will benefit the Myanmar orphan community’s advancement.

As part of the Mary K. Yap Foundations’ extended effort to produce new and vibrant fundraising activities, Mary K. Yap Foundation is working on the “Movie for Charity” program, which is in partnership with Mandalay Productions LLC for the first-ever feature film.

It gives our Board a tremendous appreciation to work closely with a creative film and video production company based in the US and Myanmar to deliver and produce unrivaled films based on their commitment to maintaining and providing the best international filmmaking practices.

The “Myittar” film will blend well-known artists from Myanmar and individual Burmese American acting community stars. Mandalay productions are the sole financial partner and the producer of the First Burmese and American feature film ever to be filmed in the United States and Myanmar (Burma). Our Foundation takes enormous pride in promoting our worldwide non-profit initiative to promote the “Movie-for-Charity” project affiliated with Mandalay Productions LLC.

By admin

CORPORATE NEWS

March 2, 2019

Music for Charity

As part of the foundation’s ongoing efforts to transform the lives of Myanmar Orphans, Mary K. Yap Foundation organized and launched a “Music for Charity” fundraising campaign from 2001 until this day (pre-2020 pandemic), where the foundation offers a free show for everyone to enjoy. Mary K. Yap Foundation rents a theater and convention room yearly for the “Music for Charity” campaign.

The community of passionate volunteers and multiple entertainment contributors sing their favorite traditional Myanmar songs and dance along with them.

To collect charitable funds for the Myanmar orphans, Mary K. Yap Foundation distributes coupons wherein that friends and families from the community will sell to their networks which they can use to purchase traditional Burmese foods prepared and sold by some contributors. In addition, some donors donate food at the event. Financial support and donations are also generously welcome at the Music for Charity event.

The Guests, donors, partners, volunteers, and family members enjoy the performances each year. These are all the efforts made by the staff, volunteers, and the community to help and transform the lives of Myanmar orphans. To show transparency in the donation amount collected, Mary K. Yap Foundation published a financial clearance containing the previous year’s money for everyone to know how much money had been collected and how much money had been donated to Myanmar Orphans.

The foundation desires to make awareness of the everyday need of Orphaned Children. As more people become aware of the event, more donors and funds are available to achieve the foundation’s mission to empower Orphaned children throughout Myanmar. Mary K. Yap Foundation believes that a bit of effort goes a long way; thus, they encourage everybody to donate or volunteer their time to support the future generation of needy children.

By admin

CORPORATE NEWS

February 5, 2018

Our Aspiring Mission

Mary K. Yap Foundation operates by its core mission to transform the lives of Myanmar orphans to become independent and productive members of the community. The Foundation believes these orphaned children can prosper when given proper guidance and support. They deserve the undivided love and care from the people who believe in them and provide hope. We are humble to serve the interest of these disadvantageous children during the past twenty years.

Our aspiring organizational mission is to provide every orphan with the enduring hope that they, too, have equal access to quality educational programs and sufficient facilities and tools to aid them in a brighter future.

The Foundation engages in socially impacting activities that would help these orphaned children develop their skills in communicating and interacting with others and building their self-confidence. Thus, the Foundation ensures these orphaned children will be empowered and become reliable community citizens.

By admin

Contacts

Category: CORPORATE NEWS

BOD Business Trip to Myanmar

Sponsor a Child Program

Lending a Hand

The “Lending a Hand” program is about making a difference for inspired young adults, university students, and citizens from all corners of the world to participate in the life-enriching volunteer opportunities sponsored and organized by the Mary K. Yap Foundation.

Sharing our hearts

The Orphanage Ambassador Program is all about making a difference by supporting the worldwide orphan community, empowering them, and bringing a positive difference in every possible way we can.

A Tribute to Mr. Edward

Chairman’s Gratitude

Founder’s Gratitude

Movie for Charity

Music for Charity

Our Aspiring Mission

HEAD OFFICE:

PROJECT OFFICE:

PROGRAMS

GET INVOLVED

SEAL OF TRANSPARENCY