As I promised at the January 2008 MEHS Reunion in Bangkok, here is the first Annual Report of the MEHS Memorial Foundation, covering the period up to 31st December 2008.

Immediately following their return to Rangoon, after the reunion held in Bangkok on 12th January 2008, the three Trustees in Burma, Clement Tin Tut, Alan Kyaw Maung (also known as Alan Khin Maung Gale) and Cyril Ba Than, established a sub-committee, including other alumni in Burma. This sub-committee was charged with developing ideas for attracting applications for scholarships, and for recommending how much each student should be given. With the agreement of the overseas Trustees, it was decided that the availability of scholarships should be advertised in the local newspapers, and also that the scholarship students should be given Kyats 30,000 a month for ten months each year.

Much of the sub-committee’s work was disrupted by the need to address the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis in May 2008, but it is to their credit that they were able to attract applications, and scholarships were duly awarded to Mg Lin Zu Tint, son of Daw Ohn Mar (Class of 1972) and Ma Pwint Phyu Wynn, daughter of Marcus Bo (Class of 1961). Both students are seeking professional qualifications, the first as an engineer and the second as an accountant. The scholarships were awarded in accordance with the principles of the Foundation, and photographs of these students at the award ceremony are attached. Our best wishes go with them.

While the sub-committee in Burma were carrying out their local responsibilities, the President of the Foundation, Harry Taw, at substantial personal cost, took steps to register the Foundation as a non-profit organisation under the laws of California. As part of this process, Harry was also required to re-draft the Articles of Association in order that they complied with California law. The fundamental principles that we had earlier developed were, however, retained, as were the by-laws. The new wording is available on the MEHSA website to anyone interested, and readers will note that Harry is the Foundation’s “Chief Operating Officer” and Edwin Tin Tut is the “Chief Financial Officer”. These formal titles and responsibilities are a legal requirement.

The Foundation’s finances are in a healthy state. Individual donations, including the extremely generous 150,000 Thai Baht (about $ 4600) given by one anonymous donor at the Bangkok Reunion, are listed on the web-site, and as at 31st December 2008 totalled US $9818, the 150,000 Thai Baht mentioned, and Australian $500. The Burma Trustees have also raised Kyats 150,000 from the sale of calendars, as well as US $40 (included in the overall $ amount mentioned). Disbursements in 2008 for scholarships, starting from October to the end of the year, totalled Kyats 90,000 to each of the scholarship students, and there was an additional cost of K 69,000 for the award ceremony.

Although we presently have a substantial surplus, it will be used over the years for scholarships, as we take on more new students each year, and existing scholarships are maintained. So we need continuing donations, and the Trustees propose, and ask, that all MEHS alumni who support the principles of the Foundation commit to a minimum donation of US $10 a year. This is not a large amount, and can be given by check, sent to Harry Taw, or in cash whenever donors meet one of the Trustees. At the same time, we consider that this will not be sufficient to cover all annual costs of scholarships over time, and we appeal also for larger amounts from those who can afford to give more. We appreciate, of course, that the world is going through a global financial crisis, and that many alumni could be adversely affected for years to come. But when conditions improve, as we hope they will, please give what you can.

I should also mention that the Foundation’s main avenue of communication with alumni is through the MEHSA website. For years, this has been maintained at his own cost by Kenny Teoh, in honour of the memory of his late sister, Juliet, who was instrumental in getting us all together at the first Reunion, and who has remained a guiding light. Kenny has very generously confirmed his continued willingness to maintain the website at no charge to any of us.

I end this Report with the hope that we will see many hundreds of you at the next Reunion, scheduled for 9th January 2010 in Pattaya, Thailand. For those who have not yet been there, I can confirm from my own visits that it’s a fun place, and I’m sure that Edwin and his team, who worked so hard to make the 2008 Reunion a success, will once again make it another very, very enjoyable and memorable occasion.

Marina Gaudoin

Posted: March 21, 2007