Our people

The spirit of people helping people, whether that is the donors & partners, team members, trustees or the villagers in the Delta themselves, is central to what we do.

Founders

May Tha-Hla, Founder HTBD

May Tha-Hla was born in Yangon where she attended school until the age of 14, when her family left for the UK. She has a degree in Psychology from Warwick University, and her career has been in market research, founding her own companies in the UK and Myanmar. She is bi-lingual and has a deep understanding of Myanmar culture.

Jon Wilkinson, Founder HTBD

Jon Wilkinson is May’s husband, and together with her manages the charity. He has a BA and D.Phil. in Chemistry from Oxford University, and pursued a marketing and then marketing research career, with Unilever and WPP. He has visited Myanmar over 30 times.

Our Myanmar Team

A local NGO, Pyin Nyar Tha Hla, is responsible for the execution of our projects, which they do with great energy, skill, and commitment. PNTH has its own Board, and employs our Country Director, and our Project Director Healthcare.

Trustees

Together with the Founders, we have two Trustees.

Jeremy Ogden, Trustee HTBD

Jeremy Ogden has had a long and successful legal career, mainly in banking and financial services. He was a partner at Wilde Sapte, working in commercial litigation, before joining Barclays Bank in a succession of senior posts, culminating as General Counsel for Global Retail and Commercial Banking. He now runs his own consultancy, is Vice Chair of the Tourism Advisory Board and Chair of the Hoteliers Association. Jeremy and his wife Sharon are members of a group of friends who have sponsored two primary schools for HTBD.

Nyein Torley, Trustee HTBD

Nyein was born to Burmese parents, and moved to the UK in her teens. She is bi-lingual in Burmese and English.

She is the Managing Director of a marketing and merchandising company.

Nyein has a Degree in Law (LLB) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice. She volunteered as a Legal Advisor for several years at the CAB, and in Early Years Education in Milton Keynes.

HTBD Partners, Supporters & Volunteers

“I have visited more than 85 countries during more than 40 years as a journalist, but my trip to the Burmese Delta was certainly one of the most memorable. To see at first hand what having a school means to villages which have so little was deeply moving — I have rarely come across a charity which can use relatively small sums of money to make such a huge difference.”
Robin Lustig

“We support you because we think it’s a great project, the people really need help, and we can see that a lot can be achieved in Burma with little money. Education is a great investment for the long term.”
David Rendel

“When I have visited HTBD’s schools, it is clear that the difference they make to the future of the people of the delta is enormous. On a recent visit, I met children whose ambitions are to be teachers, doctors and even a lawyer. This is the way to rebuild a country after a natural disaster.”
Sally Macdonald

“I was so happy to have the opportunity to join a group visit to the Delta. This trip provided a chance to see the work of Helping The Burmese Delta on the spot. With absolute confidence I could report back to my donors (big and small) that their contributions are being truly well spent. What a great team May and Jon Wilkinson have created in the Delta, their results are incredible!”
Francis Geldart

“So often in the past I have looked and investigated potential opportunities to get involved with charities, and there is the pattern of hope and expectation that progressively gets dashed the more you find out. Conversely, with Helping The Burmese Delta, the more I have found out about your work, the more excited I have got…I really have to congratulate you on creating such a wonderful organisation that undertakes these very important projects – you both should be incredibly proud of what you have achieved.”
Alan Francis

Donors

Partners

Volunteers

Daw Aye Mon Thu, and her husband U Khin Maung Htay, have helped both on the ground in the delta, and in the UK with events and fundraising. Ingrid Gipson has designed all our graphics, including our logo. We’re also grateful to 34SP.com for hosting our website at no cost, while providing great support.