Burma Lifeline Home Page

Dear Friends of Burma Lifeline,

This Newsletter, from me to you, is different from those of the past eleven years. It’s not that the situation in Burma has improved - it has not as far as the ethnic people living in the countryside and in the mountains are concerned. There are more refugees than ever fleeing from human rights abuses. But we at Burma Lifeline (BL) have reached an important decision: we have turned over the administration of our funds to Partners Asia formerly Foundation for the People of Burma (FPB) and you are the first to know. President Hal Nathan and the Executive Director Therese Caouette of Partners Asia will make every effort to see that our Burma Lifeline programs will be maintained for years to come and that our commitments will be honored. My husband and I started making personal contributions to refugee projects years before we founded Burma Lifeline twelve years ago, to increase our support. We are confident that the future of these programs is now assured.

I, and our Directors, still have the passion for, and the commitment to, the refugees from Burma who are escaping from a brutal government; even as the rulers have changed their uniforms for civilian clothes. We continue to support our projects for the refugees on Burma’s borders. However, I am getting too old (I’ll be turning 80 early next year) to bear the responsibilities for our charitable organization. My husband, Tad Sargent, who has handled the daily operations of BL as our Executive Director, is also not getting any younger. And, we have known and trusted the President of Partners Asia of San Francisco for many years. Partners Asia, at one time or another, has supported many of the same projects which BL has funded. The Board and officers of Partners Asia have the same commitment to the people of Burma that we have. However, Partners Asia has staff in the U.S. and in Asia; unlike Burma Lifeline, which depended only on volunteers.

Long ago, I promised you that I wouldn't give, or sell, BL's mailing list to anyone and I am keeping this promise. However, if you wish to continue helping the refugees - and I hope you do - Partners Asia has set up a special account for Burma Lifeline. Burma Lifeline has transferred its remaining funds to this account. This account will be used to fund the educational, medical and emergency projects which BL has previously supported. If you make a donation to Partners Asia's Burma Lifeline account (see instructions) then you'll be on Partner's Asia's mailing list. If you would like more information about Partners Asia, go to their website at: www.partnersasia.org.

(Please note that Partners Asia's vital work with refugees — including Burma Lifeline projects — was last year part of Community Partners International. That important refugee work is no longer part of CPI. It is with Partners Asia, a nonprofit led by President Hal Nathan, founder of Foundation for the People of Burma, who I have known for years, admire and trust. This letter from December 2011 has been edited to reflect the recent name change)

Though I’m giving up the wonderful (but increasingly overwhelming) task of writing personal thank-you notes to everyone, Partners Asia has promised to keep me informed of every single donation to the Burma Lifeline account and you will, as always, have my heartfelt gratitude.

Burma Lifeline is 'not' abandoning the many refugees from Burma. On the contrary, we have made sure that aid to them will continue. Since our 2010 Newsletter was published, BL, with your generous donations, was able to send $178,506 to Thailand to help support clinics, schools, orphans, emergency supplies, and granting the Sao Thusandi Leadership Award to Nang Moan Kaein, the first woman to receive it. Although we were able to do all that without having to pay administrative expenses, Partners Asia will have to charge a fee of 4%, which is extremely low for any charitable organization. My niece and our Thai doctor friend will continue to play a major role in distributing BL funds to the refugees whom we help. I believe that the solution I just presented to you is the best possible one for the desperate refugees who cannot survive without your help. It is my fervent hope that you will remember those who are suffering and continue your generosity to the Burma Lifeline account at Partners Asia. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your interest and support over all these years!

Most sincerely,
Inge Sargent