The HTBD team

May Tha-Hla and Jon Wilkinson

Founder May Tha-Hla was born and brought up in Rangoon, and is bi-lingual and bi-cultural. Her father, Dr Tha Hla, was himself born in one of these far away delta villages, but through support was enabled to be educated and eventually become Rector of Rangoon University. May works together with her co-founder and husband Jon Wilkinson.

The founders’ contributions cover all the charity’s expenses, 100% of all donations go straight to Burma.

May and Jon visit Burma regularly to set up new projects and monitor progress on existing ones – every project is inspected at least once a year.

There are many volunteers who have helped with different activities, from organising food fairs to taking part in a sponsored Iron Man. A number of people have devoted much time to HTBD: Roger Banks, our third Trustee who has given much help with marketing, Ma Aye Mon Thu and Ko Khin Maung Htay with our fundraising fairs, Nyein Torley with marketing and fundraising, and Ingrid Gipson who creates our graphics.

In Burma/Myanmar

A Searchers Team

Whatever we have been able to achieve is largely due to the extraordinary help we have received from our colleagues in Burma.  Our main partners are Searchers Myanmar, a group of young, committed, volunteers who include many doctors and nurses.  They were founded in 2006 to provide aid for the poor, and since then have regularly carried out free weekend medical clinics in delta villages within one day’s drive of Rangoon.  Searchers are responsible with us for carrying out our projects on the ground. They are really admirable people who deliver excellent quality work, on time, and to budget.

Our business affairs are looked after by Daw Tin Ohnmar Tun, a senior international maritime lawyer.  She has been an invaluable source of help, encouragement, and advice.

Our grateful thanks to all.