27 July 2009

Philanthropy seminar goes to Bangladesh and Myanmar

Held at the headquarters of the church in Bangladesh (BAUM), Mr Joel Habaradas, SSD philanthropic services director, and Ms Glenda Antonio, chief executive officer and president of Spring Rain Global Consultancy, Inc., were the main presenters. Attended by the BAUM officers and department directors, field presidents, school principals, college officers and department heads, and officers of the Adventist Development Relief Agency (ADRA), the seminar dealt with Fundraising as Friend-raising endeavor.

“Learning the trade is a good way to participate in changing lives by giving and caring,” said Habaradas. In this regard, the leaders of the Bangladesh Adventist College and Seminary, headed by Dr Myun Ju Lee, president and also BAUM philanthropic director, recommended that a subject on philanthropy can be a part of the college curriculum.

In Myanmar (MYUM), the seminar was also held at the church headquarters (MYUM) on August 10-12 and conducted by the same presenters.

“We were extremely blessed by the presentations,” said the participants at this venue. “Many subjects we learned were eye-openers and are very useful as we expand the Lord’s work in our country,” said Pastor Muller Kyaw, MYUM president.
Specific courses at both venues included workshops on managing organizations during challenging times, writing effective fundraising letters, and preparing successful grant proposals. These topics were presented by Habaradas, while Ms Antonio presented institutional sustainability, institutional financing and planning, and other related topics. [Milton Das/Myo Chan]