About U R Building Knowledge
U R Building Knowledge (URBK) is a not-for-profit that raises money to help build schools in Myanmar.
In 2005 on a trip to Myanmar, Gilly met the individual who is responsible for the building of schools. It was a chance meeting over breakfast and she was inspired by his work. A bright young girl in Yangoon highlighed the desire for education in the Burmese people.
In May 2008 Cyclone Nargis hit which brought Sandra into the mix, due to her involvement for international disaster relief work. This spurred their connection and inspired them to contribute to the country through education.
Both founders of URBK have connections to Myanmar. Gilly's mother was born in Myanmar and Sandra's connection was through her disaster relief volunteer work.
They decided to use their local contacts to help raise funds to build schools within the country. The vision of building schools was already being actively pursued by their friends within Myanmar and together Gilly and Sandra realized that they could be the link to obtain funds to build more schools.
Why Myanmar?
The people of Myanmar are eager for education, so it is easy to support an initiative like this. The schools that have been built are used for children during the day and adults in the evening. Myanmar is known as one of the poorest countries in the world. If you teach someone how to fish then they can feed themselves. When people are educated, they can find solutions that work for them.
U R Building Knowledge has the unique connection with a wonderful Burmese team who find the villages that want schools. The villages provide what they can in terms of labor and materials. They help to build the schools and they maintain them.
Our last visit was in 2013. We were visiting schools that were built and up and coming locations. One village was going to be ready to start within the next month. Gilly arrived with John and Maung Maung Gyi and we were completely surprised to see all of the villagers out – the men with pickaxes and shovels piling earth into buckets that the women and children took to the school field. The villagers were preparing the foundation.
