Program: Burma Humanitarian Mission

Mission: In the face of political instability, human rights violations, and poverty, Burma Humanitarian Mission trains local backpack medics to bring healing, hope, and a new future to the Burmese people.

Region:
Burma

Leader:
Michael Isherwood

Cause:
Medical

Description: The Burma Humanitarian Mission (BHM), a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit organization, advocates for a democratic Burma where equality and the rights of the Burmese are protected. They aim to improve the lives of those living in the conflict zones of Burma, such as the Karen State, by providing health care services in the form of backpack medics and supporting community-based education and medical projects. Today, BHM serves the medical needs of over 50,000 villagers and supports education efforts that touch over 500,000 lives annually. To learn more, visit their website: www.burmamission.org.

Year Founded: 1999
TFish Member Since: 2012

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The TFish Fund will match your online donations to this organization dollar-for-dollar in the year 2013 (up to $12,000). 100% of your donation will reach its intended recipient. No Transaction or Overhead fees are ever deducted. Check out BHM's needs below!

Backpack Medicine Support

BHM provides medical supplies for backpack medics throughout eastern Burma. Each medic team needs 45,000 doses of medicine to treat 2,000 patients for one year. Each dollar donated secures 40 doses of medicine; $5 will secure treatments needed to cure a pregnant woman with malaria, saving two lives; $25 will provide penicillin to 9-12 villages for one year.

Burma Backpack Medic Training

BHM also supports the training of new backpack medics who are committed to serving their villages for the next two years. BHM supplies mobile medic teams and fixed clinics within Burma that serve over 50,000 villagers. BHM provides additional support for building facilities and for larger items needed by the Backpack Health Worker Teams.

Field Updates 2012

The ethnic minorities in eastern and northern Burma suffer significant health problems due to austere conditions and lack of available medicines. As a result, health challenges, such as malaria, dysentery, and complications from child birth, have dramatically high mortality rates.

To combat this troubling situation, BHM assists and empowers the Burmese people as they develop their own solutions. They respond to the people's initiatives, doing their best to provide support whenever it is required. Today, BHM partners with the Backpack Medic Teams to train medics in eastern Burma, reaching tens of thousands of villagers.

In 2012, BHM provied 1 million doses of medicine, which the medics used with tremendous results. In areas where the backpack medics operated, deaths from malaria decreased by 48% and deaths from dysentery declined by 51%.

In addition, child mortality rates reduced from 20 deaths to 14 deaths per 100 children - a 30% reduction. Maternal mortality rates fell four-fold compared to historical averages for those in eastern Burma lacking backpack medics.