MoeMaKa Report 2006

MoeMaKa Report 2006

Name:             MoeMaKa Radio & Multimedia Group

Subject:          Narative Report 2006

Atten:             OSI Burma Project, All Individual Contributors

Type:              Final

Date:               04/23/07

Table of Content

1. Looking Back 2006 – Initial steps and Achievements
2. Plan Ahead Year 2007 – Building up capacity and beyond
3. Major setback and boundary MoeMaKa facing
4. MoeMaKa Still Looking Forward

Current Situation

            MoeMaKa has established and maintained as one and only community based station providing Burmese literature and audio/video archives run by Burmese volunteers and professionals among other Burmese Internet portals.

            That is why within the year 2006, MoeMaKa has reached 1,600 subscriptions of its online free newsletter service. It is now reaching a bandwidth of 80 GB a month from 8000 over unique Internet service provider (ISP) servers. Despite blocking from the Burmese military regime's Internet censorship authority, we can see increasing numbers of Burmese Internet users from inside Burma visiting MoeMaKa through free proxy servers too. And after launching monthly newsletter publication, it has growing number of print subscription up to 500 orders.

            It is not only running with the individual volunteers but also with groups and organization from different location across the globe as to prove the positive effort of the strong networking function of MoeMaKa's teamwork.

How's self-funding used and affected for MoeMaKa

With self-funding, we are doing our basic services operational in the year 2006. They are itemized as follows;

1.      Bi-Weekly Radio Program Production

2.      Daily Online Publication and Updates (electronic news & literary journal)

3.      Archiving and Cataloging of digital and multimedia materials (books, CD, periodicals) for Online Library

4.      Presenting, Shipping and Posting of materials distributed from Online Catalog Ordering System

5.      General Office and Communication Cost (Internet, phone, periodicals, books, CDs, DVDs, hardware and software upgrades, postal charge and such general expenses.)

6.      Monthly Newsletter Publication (both PDF free download and subscription based print version)

7.      Awarding royalty fees to 10 writers who are mostly elderly and in need of health and medical care. (US $ 1000.00)

Production Highlights

We have produced and distributed following audio CD/DVD programs.

"Aung San Suu Kyi – Letter from Burma", the representation of    articles by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in audio CDs read and compiled by MoeMaKa's radio team.

"Khaing Mar Kyaw Zaw – Budding Flowers on the Borders", the representation of    articles by Khaing Mar Kyaw Zaw on the lives of displaced children at the Thai-Burma border in audio CDs read and compiled by MoeMaKa's radio team.

           

"Ludu Daw Ahmar – The Lives of Burmese in Upper Burma", the representation of    articles by Ludu Daw Ahmar on the rich and well-kept tradition of Burmese everyday life in audio CDs read and compiled by MoeMaKa's radio team.

"Zarganar - Four Fruits and The Colorful Burmese Anyeint", the DVD on the Burmese traditional and cultural show which was banned together with Zarganar, a well-known  Burmese artist and comedian who openly criticized the ruling military junta.

           

            Presentation Highlights        

We have reached significant recognition among the Burmese media professionals, Burmese artists and audience and following is the list that we considered ourselves some milestones;

MoeMaKa's Special Edition (Presentation) on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's 61^th Birthday (19^th June 2006)

MoeMaKa's Special Edition (Presentation) on 18^th Anniversary of 8888 Burmese Democracy Uprising (8^th August 2006)

MoeMaka's Special Edition (Presentation) on 91t^h birthday of Ludu Daw AhMar – Burmese literary icon representing freedom of expression and struggle for democracy in Burma (29^th Nov 2006)

MoeMaKa in-house serials programs and articles by following Burmese artists in exile such as Tin Moe, Maung Swan Yi, Mar Mar Aye, Po Than (Ludu), Kye Mon U Thaung and Win Pe.

MoeMaKa's regular programs and articles on contemporary issues of Burma written by some artists and writers who are still inside Burma with hidden pen names ( It is considered most significant because MoeMaKa became trusted and credible by the Burmese audience and also by the artists and writers who are under the heavy censorship of military junta)

MoeMaKa's Special Program -  Letters from the Readers – which is sorely contributed by the Burmese audience inside Burma and overseas, expressing of their opinions and thoughts.

Grants Received

MoeMaKa has received the grant approval from OSI-Burma Project of 15,000 US$ for general fund and 5,000.00 for audio/video archive Separate Project. We do not receive further fund/grant from Prince Claus Fund, which we have expected 10,000 US$. However we still can manage to run our operation and production with the contribution from volunteer team members and from the Burmese community.

How grants used for MoeMaKa for the year 2006

1.      We have decided to maintain our basic operation within our budget managed from our own self-funding for this year 2006.

2.      Awarding advisory fees to our advisors and contributors. (US $ 5500.00)

3.      Providing material support for distributing 3 audio CDs mentioned above. (US $ 3000.00)

4.      Providing equipment storage and studio space rental. (US $ 4800.00)

5.      Purchasing 2 Notebook PCs and Upgrades. (US $ 1700.00)

6.      Traveling and Equipment Purchases related to Audio/Video Archive Separate Project. (US S 5000.00)

How the sponsorship of the granters be credited

1.      All the Granter's representing link are now displayed at the front page of our MoeMaKa website as "Friends of MoeMaKa".

2.      At least 10 copies of publication and production materials will be sent to all Granters' organization address and if possible, more copies could be able to obtain upon request.

3.      All the materials produced from MoeMaKa with the fund from granters shall be copy right free to all the Granters i.e they are free to present or represent in their works or reports or publications.

Other Achievements

           

            Workload

Other Departments supporting MoeMaKa's main operation have done following tasks;

Online Catalog Ordering System – http://shop.moemaka.net. Present and help distribute 100 over books, audio and video products. Almost 50% of the catalogs offer free download or free distribution.

Online Library – http://moemaka.net/library List and archive most of all the books, digital materials and references purchased with MoeMaKa's fund and it is now reaching almost 1000 records.

IT/IS Team – Setup and maintain daily operation of web hosting and content updating and also provide the back-end electronic documentation of MoeMaKa's operation with – http://moemaka.net/old-project. Provide hosting service to the following websites for the Burmese community; http://aappb.org (Assistance Association for Political Prisoners – Burma), http://mywebdigest.net (Myanmar Burmese Web Directory and Magazine Digest), http://mingalaronline.com (Myanmar Business and Community Directory) and  palaungwomen.org/ (Palaung Women Organization based in Thai-Burma border)

Production & Publication Team has coordinated works with other media group to share resources and assist on each other operation when requested such as – BIT Team (India) (Burmese Information Technology Team) on Burmese font and Burmese content archival support, - Radio Lovers Group (Australia) on sharing radio and audio program for weekly radio presentation.

In October 2006, MoeMaKa team had managed to host 3^rd Year Anniversary Mate Son Pwe (Gathering/Reunion) and Workshop with all interested advisors, team members, writers and audience from inside and outside Burma. We have established better understanding and interrelationship with the team members, contributors and audience.

 

            Manpower

Due to financial difficulty, some team members left MoeMaKa voluntarily letting other committed volunteer to step in to run the operation. However we have more recruitment of volunteers in the team, advisors and contributors.

The departed team members –

            Aung Din (Director)

            Khun Myo Nge (Officer, Production)

The existing team members –

Maung Yit (Director, IT/IS, Editors, Production, Operation)

Htain Linn (Officer, Editors, Production)

Zarny Win (Officer, Editors)

Chan Myay Ain (Officer, Operation)

                        The newly added team members –

Maung Maung Oo (Production)

Ottara Moon (Operation)

                        The existing advisors –

                                    Tin Moe (Poet in Exile)

                                    Maung Swan Yi (Critic in Exile)

                                    Mar Mar Aye (Artiste in Exile)

                                    Win Pe (Film Director, Writer and Artist in Exile)

                        Total Number of Contributors (Artist, Professionals and Donors)

                                    50 persons (estimate)

2.   Plan Ahead Year 2007 – Building up capacity and beyond

We are also planning to prepare and present "MoeMaKa in English" as MoeMaKa is to gain more audience not only with Burmese speakers but also with non-Burmese speakers to raise more awareness on building democratic civil society in Burma.

We have estimated self-funding and general fund of US$ 50,000.00 to run our basic day to day operation of MoeMaKa.

We have plan to setup new server and site design running with UTF-8 compliance web code which will house both English and Burmese character content in single web application. It will enable the Burmese audience inside Burma to browse our website seamlessly without any band width or technical delay.

As we have provided more detailed explanation in separate "Audio/ Visual Archive Project", our advisors, U Win Pe and Maung Swan Yi will be leading the project to collect more in-depth interview with senior Burmese intellectuals and artists abroad.

3.  Major setback and boundary MoeMaKa facing

1.      Up until now, MoeMaKa could not still be able to compensate the volunteer staffs for their valuable time and service. We still could not even employ a part time staff yet. Still, we have encouraged and requested them to continue their volunteer service and fund contribution to make our operation running so that the grant money could be able to spend on the more production of our works and on the royalty fees to the more needy Burmese writers and artists.

2.      In the long run, we have to prove that we can raise more funds from donor organizations to expand our operation, services and facility. We have to come up with more organized documentation and management order.

4.  MoeMaKa Still Looking Forward

We are deeply appreciated and obliged for the grant received. We would like to commit ourselves on making of MoeMaKa as a practical ground for building democratic civil society for the near future of Burma. We also would like to welcome more volunteers and support to make this institution a success as an example of Burmese communities inside and outside Burma to be more willing and daring to contribute towards democratic struggle of Burma independently.

Best Regards

Maung Maung Win

(Maung Yit)

On behalf of MoeMaKa Team

PO Bx 320207, San Francisco, CA 94132-0207, US. Phone – 415-595-1485

Attached:

Financial Report (Overall Cost and Expenses)

The List of MoeMaKa Award to 10 senior Burmese Writers inside Burma

MoeMaKa 3 Years Anniversary – Reunion Event & Workshop - Report