Three Arakan State philanthropists receive awards

12 Jan 2023

DMG Newsroom
12 January 2023, Sittwe
 
An event to honour three Arakan State philanthropists was held at New World Hall in the state capital Sittwe on Thursday.

The three honourees are U Maung Tha Ni, a resident of Kalarthein Village on Hsandawshin Island in Pauktaw Township, who has been building an inter-village road for 10 years; U Khin Maung, a local man from Mrauk-U who has been undertaking cleanup activities at Latsay Lake every day for more than three years; and U Soe Myint, a resident of Taungup Township who has been doing cleanup around Kaing Shay Bridge for 13 years.

“I want the role of philanthropy to develop widely in Arakan State,” said writer Wai Hun Aung, an organiser of the event. “Young people are encouraged by these people and, so that more philanthropists appear, I think that these people should be recognised.”

U Maung Tha Ni was awarded K1.8 million, and U Khin Maung and U Soe Myint were presented K1.5 million each at Thursday’s ceremony.

“I am extremely happy to receive this award,” said U Maung Tha Ni.

Of the three honourees, U Soe Myint was unable to attend the award ceremony.

“I am very happy and honoured to receive this award,” said U Khin Maung. “I would like to thank all the organisers of the event. I am not doing charity work with the aim of winning such an award.

“I am happy to honour such honourable people, who are doing charity motivated by their own conscience,” said Ko Byar La of the Shwe Yaung Myitta Foundation.

DMG reported on U Maung Tha Ni’s decade-long effort to build an inter-village road in a Burmese-language video published last month, which can be viewed here. U Maung Tha Ni was also presented with the DMG IDOL Award on the 11th anniversary of DMG’s founding, on January 9 of this year.