I am delighted to report that the new Mission centre and families’ project in Yangon, Myanmar, was formally launched on Sunday 28 February 2016. The Yangon Mission will be managed by Chairman and co-ordinator Mr George Ko Ko Gyi who holds a master mariner’s license and started life at sea as a deck cadet in 1994. He will be assisted by Mr. Mya Min Tun who will arrange a 3 day ship-visiting programme, administer the main centre and provide day to day support and advice for seafarers and their families.
The new Mission Centre is located close to the Department of Marine Administration in Yangon, which will enable Myanmar’s seafarers to access it easily. The Mission in Yangon also plans to develop a drop-in centre close to Hutchinson Ports’ Myanmar International Terminals Thilawa (MITT) which is the deep water port 16 miles south of Yangon later on this year.
On our launch day we held a dedication service at the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral in Yangon which was attended by over 200 supporters and friends. It was fantastic to see so many people come out to celebrate our work.
Projects like these enable us to take a holistic approach to seafarer welfare. Family issues raised with Mission support teams in ports and on-board ship around the world are able to be followed up locally, as well as many Myanmarese families being able to approach us directly.
The launch of the project in Myanmar is a further significant milestone as the Mission expands its presence in south east Asia. Many seafarers come from Myanmar and they will be delighted to know that this centre will provide a new kind of support for their loved ones at home. See regular updates about The East Asia region by checking out our new Twitter Page.
Written by: Stephen Miller
