Fondacio

In Myanmar

Fondacio in Myanmar

Fondacio has been present in Myanmar since 2000, serving the Church, young people and the poor, consistent with Fondacio’s objective of “going out to the peripheries”. Fondacio’s mission in Myanmar began when the Catholic Bishops’ Conference invited a member of Fondacio to help some dioceses with their pastoral planning and later establish the national Karuna (Caritas) office.
The organization has since run several types of programs in Myanmar, including:

Young Lives in Yangon training young leaders and church volunteers from different dioceses and parishes; and also the YLDC training center for marginalized youth and church youth
The CLUB in Yangon has been running since 2012. Thus, they organize monthly outreach initiatives inviting young people of different faiths to take part.
Green Pastures, a community empowerment project in Tyegi village in Shwebo. The project is currently on hold due to the coup.
Youn Sone, a social enterprise in Yangon who sells local products such as clothes, cushions, etc.
Youth camps and retreats for youth and church workers organized and implemented by community members in collaboration with different church ministries, parishes and also other organizations

Our programs in Myanmar

The program aims to develop young adults and empower them to navigate challenges faced in their daily lives. It will allow them to be aware of the importance of service and participation in their churches and communities.

CLUB organizes interfaith events in Myanmar to encourage youth from different religions to live in harmony in the country. Each month, they join in an outside action for the benefit of the most vulnerable people in society.

YounSone seeks to preserve the Burmese tradition and culture by transforming traditional fabrics into contemporary clothing and decorative items.

Green Pastures Project consisted providing education for the village children and today it has evolved to become a model project for organic farming for the villagers to learn from.

The beginning of Young Lives in Myanmar

At the beginning, the Young Lives Myanmar is built on the success of the former Youth Leadership Program (YLP) which ran from 2005 to early 2016. In 2005, at the request of Cardinal Bo, Fondacio began YLP in and for Yangon Archdiocese. The purpose was to form integrated young leaders, equip them with skills, and deepen their faith. Furthermore, they could be at the service of their families and communities.

Therefore, the program in Yangon started in July 2017 and a parallel pilot program in Myitkyina from August 2017.

In Yangon, the formation will be offered to the young and poor who are out of work and out of school.
In Myitkyina, the program will welcome some young people from the Drug Rehabilitation Centre and the Socio-Pastoral Centre, both Diocesan initiatives. It will also welcome some local ‘out-of-work’ and out of school youth.

Fondacio in Myanmar - Our Christian Community

Additionally, the formation program and activities are carried with monthly times of prayer and reflection to which staff, alumni and others are invited. As we open the door to those of all faiths and none, we will do this sensitively and according to the mix of young people. Nevertheless, the team of staff strive to witness to their Christian values in their activities. A regular spiritual direction will be requested of Bishop John or his appointee. Two yearly gatherings cum retreats are also planned for all alumni, CLUB Core Teams, and committed persons.