ActionAid UK
Actress and ActionAid ambassador Emma Thompson, visits the work of ActionAid in Burma (Myanmar)
Emma lights incense sticks at Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon on the Buddhist full moon festival of Thadingyut.
On her visit to Myanmar, Emma Thompson met with Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and a range of community and political leaders against a backdrop of increasing change in the country. Along with her adopted son Tindy and ActionAid International Chief Executive Joanna Kerr, she was in Myanmar to see ActionAid’s innovative development work with young people and to learn about the current political and economic reforms.
Commenting on her visit Emma Thompson said: “There are difficulties and a large number of challenges. A tiny percentage of government spending has been spent on health and education for example. There are also ethnic divisions that exacerbate problems. I saw deep, wrenching poverty but felt that there is a genuine dialogue beginning to start between the people and the government. The trip left me feeling hopeful."
ActionAid has worked in Myanmar for eleven years supporting local initiatives concentrating on helping women and young people. The anti-poverty agency specifically trains young volunteers to work with some of the poorest communities. The volunteers help people identify their priorities such as new schools, water sources, health services or peace processes and then network with local government and others to help achieve this.
In the changing political context of Myanmar, ActionAid has worked hard to encourage investment in education, health, agricultural services and social cohesion that benefits ordinary people and to address the social and economic differences that exist in the country.
ActionAid believes that change is coming in Myanmar and that there are strong indications that it is real.
PHOTO: Christopher Davy/ActionAid
Actress and ActionAid ambassador Emma Thompson, visits the work of ActionAid in Burma (Myanmar)
Emma lights incense sticks at Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon on the Buddhist full moon festival of Thadingyut.
On her visit to Myanmar, Emma Thompson met with Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and a range of community and political leaders against a backdrop of increasing change in the country. Along with her adopted son Tindy and ActionAid International Chief Executive Joanna Kerr, she was in Myanmar to see ActionAid’s innovative development work with young people and to learn about the current political and economic reforms.
Commenting on her visit Emma Thompson said: “There are difficulties and a large number of challenges. A tiny percentage of government spending has been spent on health and education for example. There are also ethnic divisions that exacerbate problems. I saw deep, wrenching poverty but felt that there is a genuine dialogue beginning to start between the people and the government. The trip left me feeling hopeful."
ActionAid has worked in Myanmar for eleven years supporting local initiatives concentrating on helping women and young people. The anti-poverty agency specifically trains young volunteers to work with some of the poorest communities. The volunteers help people identify their priorities such as new schools, water sources, health services or peace processes and then network with local government and others to help achieve this.
In the changing political context of Myanmar, ActionAid has worked hard to encourage investment in education, health, agricultural services and social cohesion that benefits ordinary people and to address the social and economic differences that exist in the country.
ActionAid believes that change is coming in Myanmar and that there are strong indications that it is real.
PHOTO: Christopher Davy/ActionAid