Ms Sa Nawn, the 55 year old mother of a son and two daughters, lives with her family in a small rural community in Myanmar. Previously, she had to go 22 miles from her village to a town to buy supplies. After she participated in a Pangea-supported project that gave her the needed skills and knowledge, she opened a small shop. Sa Nawn now provides herself and others in her village such essentials as cooking oil, candles, coffee, soap, shampoo and snacks. She can sell her soap and shampoo for less because they are made locally. Furthermore, the soap and...[ Read More ]

This April 3-5, Pangea was happy to host Dedo Baranshamaje of the Segal Family Foundation. The SFF is a private foundation, funded by American Barry Segal to work in Sub Saharan Africa since 2004. Pangea first learned of the SFF after Africa pod member Darrell Johnson’s 2013 volunteer experience in Burundi, and Pangea is currently funding two organizations in Burundi on their recommendation: SaCoDe and UCBUM. Burundi has been a troubled region in particular since their presidential elections last summer, causing operational and communication issues with our partners in that country. Dedo’s visit gave us insights into funding in fragile...[ Read More ]

Through the generous support of our Members and Circle of Friends, Pangea has awarded $128,500 to our community partners in SE Asia, East Africa and Latin America. Grants range from $4,000 to $10,000. Responding to locally-identified needs, our grants support organizations that are addressing critical needs in their communities such as girls’ access to education, agricultural degradation and herbicide awareness, family planning and reproductive health education. Highlights of this year’s awards: A total of 18 partners - including 15 project grants and 3 general operating grants New partner in Guatemala – AC Esperanza, a secondary school servicing Chimaltenango youth ages...[ Read More ]

Since 2004, Meikswe Myanmar, located in Lasio in Northern Shan State, has provided comprehensive services to promote health, early childhood education and community development. The following stories profile two of the beneficiaries of Pangea Giving's  support to this NGO. U Hae Sar's family has lived in San Laung (Lisu) village for 14 years. A farmer, he earns his livelihood from growing rice and soybeans. The seed is grown during the rainy season but previously they didn't have a buffalo for ploughing and hauling soil amendments; the work had to be done either manually or by hiring a buffalo, thus adding...[ Read More ]

The story of Pangea’s partnership with ECCSD (Employing Community Capacity for Sustainable Development) profiles the kind of impact that we hope to achieve with our funding. The story begins with the formation of the SE Asia Pod in 2007-2008. At that time, despite the group’s interest in Myanmar/Burma, the political environment prevented either traveling or funding there. Therefore, the pod decided to assist Burmese migrant workers along the Thai-Burmese border. It was a time when many Burmese were escaping the military regime in Burma and crossing the border into Thailand to find work and a better life for their families. For...[ Read More ]

In one village of Snoul district, Kratie province, called Krosiang, there was a school which had only two wooden classrooms with leaking walls, serving more than a  hundred students.  For many years, the school had a poor infrastructure, lacked water and sanitation facilities and didn’t have the most basic classroom and learning materials. Ms. Tien Socheat, 23, the only female teacher at Krosang School, shares the experiences and challenges she’s faced since 2013. “There were not enough classrooms for students, so I had to teach two different grades at the same time. Water leaked from the walls and roof onto...[ Read More ]

Esperanza, is a 49-year-old single mother of 4 adult children who has been involved with the Pangea Giving partner, Flor y Canto, since 2012. She is an example of a leader who has emerged through the persistent organizing efforts of Flor y Canto. In August of 2014 she became the President of COPUDA, a group that represents camposinos in 15 different villages in defense of water rights in the region. Esperanza has dedicated herself to understanding and educating others in her community about their rights according to the prior consent law. She has become a powerful spokesperson, has the ear...[ Read More ]

Women’s Justice Initiative, WJI, in Guatemala provides extensive training in rights education and leadership skills. WJI’s Program Coordinator, Elvia,  joined the organization at its inception in September 2011. She has played a key role in the organization’s development and success. Elvia joined WJI after working for a number of nonprofit organizations, including the Population Council, an international organization that works in Guatemala to empower rural Mayan girls. Elvia’s personal story illustrates many of the challenges facing young Mayan girls and women in Guatemala.“I am the oldest of five siblings, two sisters and two brothers. My father is a field laborer...[ Read More ]

ASOGEN provides human rights support to women in Guatemala around issues of domestic violence and sexual predation. That their work involves risk was brought home when their office was firebombed in 2015. That their work is crucial is evidenced by Marta Julia's story, a victim of incest. Marta Julia’s history of incest began when she was raped by her father as a child of six. She told her mother because she was uncertain about what had happened to her; her mother didn’t believe her, and the abuse continued. When she reached adolescence Marta Julia learned that her little sister, Rosa...[ Read More ]

Three Pangea members visited our grant partners in Guatemala in November 2015. Following is an account written by Audrey Shiffman, who went on the trip. After an amazing eight days I returned home from Guatemala—exhausted both physically and emotionally—and began to wonder how to convey the depth and richness of our experience and the lasting power it holds for me. The trip was extraordinary. There were memories I will cherish and never forget. And, as I’ve written before: You can’t return from a Pangea site visit without personal change. One theme that pervaded our trip was a connection and affinity...[ Read More ]