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The foundation’s programs include running a GED testing center, running an online program aimed at teaching the English language, and offering resources to post-secondary students and teachers to combine community development with education. 2
Background
The Thabyay Education Foundation is an education focused foundation based in Myanmar, also known as Burma. The foundation was established in 1996 and claims that its mission is to “educate to liberate.” 2
The Thabyay Education Foundation offers educational services to disadvantaged communities in Myanmar. These services include a GED testing center, which the group claims is particularly aimed at providing students with testing services who live in rural areas or in refugee camps. 3
The foundation also runs a “Teaching and eLearning Platform,” which is aimed at teaching the English language. It claims that “every year hundreds of students are able to gain the skills and qualifications they need to apply for university entrance and increase access to professional opportunities.” 4
The Thabyay Education Foundation also runs a Curriculum and Scholarship Resources unit. The foundation claims that the goal of this unit is to support post-secondary teachers and students with resources geared towards facilitating community development via “context-appropriate curricula.” 5
Funding
The group has received funding from the philanthropic network of George Soros. In 2011, the Open Society Institute gave $300,000 to the Thabyay Education Foundation, as well as $142,550 in 2012 for general support. 6 In 2020, the Foundation to Promote Open Society gave $29,820 to the Thabyay Education Foundation. 7 In 2015, the Open Society Foundations named Saw Myo Min Thu of the Thabyay Education Foundation as a grantee of its New Executives Fund. The Open Society Foundations describes this fund as “grants ranging from $25,000 to $250,000 in discretionary support to assist in the implementation of their visions for their organizations.” 8
In 2016, the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust gave $340,049 to the Thabyay Education Foundation; the grant’s description was for providing a “high quality education to Myanmar youth in order to train future civic leaders and environmental professionals.” 9
People
Somboon Panyakom is a member of the board of the Thabyay Education Foundation. Previously, he was the Dean of International College at Payap University in Thailand. 10
Suwichan Phatthanaphraiwan is a member of the board of the Thabyay Education Foundation. He is an assistant professor in Geo Cultural Management at Bodhivijjalya College of Srinakharinwirot University in Thailand. Previously, he was a project coordinator of the WISE Community Music Program and Watershed Recovery Project through Thailand’s Health Fund Office. 10
Harry Wathittayakul is a member of the board of the Thabyay Education Foundation. Wathittayakul works at Compassion International as the national director for Thailand. Previously he worked as a Program Coordinator for the International Rescue Committee‘s Local Empowerment Project in Myanmar. 10
In 2015, Saw Myo Min Thu of the Thabyay Education Foundation was named a recipient of a grant from the Open Society Foundation’s New Executives Fund. According to the grant description, Saw Myo Min Thu had previously worked as the director of admissions and records at California State University, Bakersfield. 11