On July 27th, the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation’s (CFPA) office in Myanmar was certified as an international organization by the local Myanmar government. This represents a significant new step in the internationalization of the foundation. The application process started in October 2014, and it took about a year for the foundation to finally receive approval from the local government.
Since 2012, CFPA has been to Myanmar three times to carry out surveys on the needs of local communities and feasibility studies of future projects. In January of this year, the foundation launched a pilot project – the Bao Bo Student Aid Program (胞波助学金项目). The program has helped 50 first year students from local colleges since its establishment by providing financial aid and carrying out capacity building training. Since the CFPA first started its going-out strategy in 2005, it has participated in disaster relief in many countries, including Indonesia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Haiti, Japan, and Nepal. Recently, it has also been carrying out philanthropic projects in Sudan and Ethiopia. Up until the end of 2014, the foundation had invested more than 76 million yuan in international projects.
