SERVICE PROJECT · 2026
Helping children in Myanmar see clearly.
We raised funds to pay for conjunctivitis surgeries for 12 children whose families could not afford them, in partnership with Yangon Children's Eye Hospital.
Yangon, Myanmar 21 July 2026
What happened
Many children at Yangon Children's Eye Hospital needed surgery, but their families could not pay for it. Our project raised the money to cover their treatment.
Partnered
Worked with the hospital to identify children in need.
Raised
Collected funds through donations and connecting with possible donors.
Treated
Covered surgery costs for 12 children.
Contributors
This project was made possible by the people and organizations below.
Project Lead
Jaehoon Chu
Organized the project: communicated with the hospital, secured funding and ran the fundraising events.
Student Team · Donor
Lin Htet Ko
Helped build this website and donated funds to the project.
DONOR
Blue Ocean Agency
Their generous donations paid for every child's surgery.
Hospital Partner
Yangon Children's Eye Hospital
Identified the children in need and provided their surgeries and care.
Stories & thank-yous
Reflections from the people behind the project.
“No child should be denied the gift of sight because of the circumstances they were born into.”
“Every surgery funded gave a child the chance to see, learn, and grow. We are grateful for this support.”
Gallery
Videos
Reflection
Looking back
Why I started
Having grown up in Myanmar, I came to see it as home, and I wanted to give back to the community that shaped me. When I learned that many children at Yangon Children’s Eye Hospital were going without surgery only because their families couldn’t afford it, I couldn’t accept that something so treatable was being left untreated. Starting this project was my way of turning that frustration into something that could change a child’s life.
Challenges
Coordinating the project from Thailand was its greatest challenge: without the ability to meet in person, every exchange with the hospital in Yangon and with donors had to be managed remotely. I constantly mediated between donors who expected transparency and evidence of impact, and a hospital bound by its own clinical timelines and procedures. Bridging that gap taught me that the success of a project rests on careful, deliberate communication.
What I learned
This project taught me that meaningful service begins with listening: understanding the real barrier these families faced, the cost of surgery, shaped every decision I made, from fundraising events to how I approached donors. Taking responsibility for hospital communication, fundraising, and event planning showed me how much leadership depends on reliability, since each person involved was trusting me to follow through. Most of all, knowing that our efforts could restore a child’s sight showed me that even a small, determined group can create change that lasts far beyond the project itself.