In 2010 we were in Kalaw for the 1st time.

We came into contact with the Rural Development Society (RDS) in their Fair Trade Shop.

Recently, our 3th visit to Burma ended. The country and its inhabitants are, however facing many difficulties in fast changing circumstances, very impressive….

RDS was founded and is guided by mr. Tommy Aung Ezdani.

It raises projects to improve the living conditions for rural villagers in the Shan state.

During our stays in the Kalaw- area we visited many of these projects, for example;

• The children’s home in Kalaw

• Libraries in several rural villages

• Water capture, storage and distribution around Kalaw area

• Reforestation

• Accessibility of rural villages by infrastructure (as bridges)

• Selling local products in RDS Fair Trade Shop, West market side, Kalaw

Besides some small donations, we mainly supported RDS by means of all kind of physical work in the children’s house during the last 3 years.

We learned to know Tommy more intense and pay respect for his initiatives and way of working.

So we warmly recommend everybody to bring a visit to RDS in Kalaw and support them !

Find more info via the Swiss representatives:

https://sites.google.com/site/rdsswitzerland/home

Anna and Alex van Gelder

The Netherlands.

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Additional RDS-information:

RDS was founded in 1992 together with 13 different ethnic leaders ie Danu, Tero or Taung Yo, Palaung, Pao, Shan, Intha and Tanau nationalities. They are highly respected elders, elected by their community, who participate in microfinance projects.

Priority of projects as water supply, schools, libraries, bridges, access roads are implemented according to urgency. The request for the need has to come from the villagers themselves…!

Selected projects are forwarded to the engineering team who survey and evaluate the cost.

The Executive Co-ordinaries try to find donors.

When the funds are procured, a village Committee is formed consisting of women who have a say in forums (such as tap-locations for example).

RDS is well aware of environmental problems and has afforested and protected many areas of forests in the Shan State with full community participation.

The desperate need is:

- regular funding to realize goals towards

- social change through implementing of basic social needs.