In 2021, the year that the armed forces of Myanmar — the Tatmadaw — deposed the country’s elected government in a coup, a group of NUS alumni went ahead with plans to donate food and COVID-19 medical supplies to about 200 people at a monastery.
Despite ongoing civil unrest, the NUS Alumni Network Yangon have continued with yearly plans to help communities in Myanmar, including orphans, the elderly, nuns and monks, as well as fund-raising initiatives for hospitals and schools. Most recently, in the wake of the earthquake which struck the country in March this year, they joined in the Myanmar Earthquake Relief effort to provide essential supplies and support.
“Due to the ongoing political instability and security concerns in Yangon, we have faced limitations in organising networking events, professional dialogues and cultural gatherings that traditionally play a key role in strengthening alumni engagement,” said Mr Win Bo (Engineering MSc ’02), who chairs the network. “But community work is deeply meaningful for overseas alumni as it allows us to remain connected to the core values of service, leadership and global citizenship that NUS promotes, while providing a purposeful way for us to give back to our local communities.”
A ONE-MAN START
It was Mr Win Bo’s experiences while at university which drove him to start the network. “I firmly believe that who I am today is largely because of the opportunities and foundation provided by NUS,” he shared. “With deep gratitude, I have always felt a strong desire to give back and contribute to the University in a meaningful way.”
When he returned home to Myanmar in 2016 after studying at and then working at NUS for 11 years as a Safety and Health Manager, Mr Win Bo missed the University and its community so much that he decided to gather all the NUS alumni there to meet several times a year to give back.
At the time, NUS did not have a formal alumni group in Myanmar. Once formalised, these groups — called NUS Alumni Networks — are provided with resources to organise alumni events. Currently NUS has over 20 such overseas alumni networks, many of which are involved in community work. Without one in Myanmar, Mr Win Bo took the initiative and approached the NUS Office of Alumni Relations (OAR) with a proposal to set up the NUS Alumni Network Yangon. As the chair of the group, his job is to strengthen alumni connections, organise meaningful events and champion community-driven projects.
ESSENTIAL AID TO DIVERSE GROUPS
Since the formation of the group in 2018, its work has benefitted more than 1,000 people, mainly through food and monetary donations. The group takes its lead from NUS Cares — a university-wide movement for the NUS community of students, staff and alumni to champion and volunteer in meaningful initiatives for society. NUS Cares was previously known as the Day of Service.
One of Mr Win Bo’s most memorable projects was their very first one in 2018 — when the network donated food and essential supplies to elderly from the See Sar Yeik Old Age Centre in Yangon. It was a relatively high-profile event as they managed to invite a representative from the Singapore Embassy there, Mr Chee Chian Koh, Deputy Chief of Mission, to join in. “He spent meaningful time with the elderly residents, and also actively participated in cleanup efforts, personally helping to tidy and improve the premises,” Mr Win Bo recalled. “His involvement added significant meaning to the event, symbolising the strong collaboration between the Singapore diplomatic mission and the NUS alumni community in Myanmar.”
Another highlight was a NUS alumni travel programme in 2019, where 22 alumni and their friends journeyed as a group through Yangon and Bagan. During the trip, they attended a dinner hosted by the NUS Office of Alumni Relations, that was graced by Ms Vanessa Chan, Singapore’s then-ambassador Myanmar, and officials from the Singapore Embassy. “The event provided a warm and memorable platform to strengthen diplomatic, institutional and personal ties within the NUS alumni community,” said Mr Win Bo.
While events are more challenging to organise these days, Mr Win Bo is gearing up for their 2025 effort, which is still being put together. “These projects serve as a testament to the University’s far-reaching impact beyond academia,” he said. “They reflect the enduring influence of NUS values and education, and showcase how alumni continue to uphold and extend the university’s legacy of excellence and community service, even while living abroad.”
