One Week Prior to the Earthquake

One week before the earthquake, the Nak Muay Foundation was already in Myanmar, working alongside our local representative, Wai Yan Htet—affectionately known as Tim by his students. This was our second time in Myanmar, following our initial reconnaissance mission six months earlier. This time, we had a point of contact, gear to donate, and promising leads to support the local Burmese boxing community in any way we could.

Figure 1

Young girl skipping rope in MK1 Lethwei gym, Yangon, Myanmar

Figure 2

Young Girl Kicks the punching bag at MK1 Lethwei Gym, Yangon, Myanmar

Figure 3

Class underway at MK1 Lethwei gym, Yangon, Myanmar

Figure 4

Coach Richard holding pads for student

figure 5

Coach Richards daughter helping one of the students with his initial stretches.

Figure 6

Nak Muay Foundation Representative Tim, helping one of the students stretch. Tim will help at Coach Richards gym when coach has to travel to with one or more of the fighters to a Lethwei event

Figure 7

Maha Bandula Park, Yangon Myanmar

Prior to the Earthquake

Power blackouts were already a routine part of life in Yangon. Every business that could afford a generator had one. When the power goes out—which happens frequently—generators usually kick on within five seconds. However, most people don’t have access to generators or air conditioning. None of the individuals pictured above have air conditioners. Our representative, Tim, lives with a family of four: his father and two younger sisters.

The earthquake severely damaged the power grid. Full restoration could take weeks or even months. This disaster hit during the hottest month of the year, making the situation even more difficult.

Figure 8

Temperature April 4-11 2025, Yangon Myanmar. With humidity That high, the temperature remains high throughout the night.

Speaking to Taxi Drivers

Many taxi drivers shared that they hadn’t been able to shower for days. Power was only available for four hours a day—and even during those windows, outages were still common. The extreme heat combined with a lack of running water created incredibly difficult living conditions. It’s a struggle that is impossible to ignore.

At Nak Muay Foundation, we don’t have unlimited resources to help everyone—but we do our best to support our small community of athletes and coaches.

After considering the best way to help, we decided to invest in a power station for Tim’s family. This would allow them to run a fan through the night, helping them sleep better. With power outages lasting most of the night, and the heat being relentless, it’s nearly impossible to get proper rest. A battery-powered station can charge during the day and power essential electronics—like a fan—during blackouts.

The better we support our coaches, the better they can serve the community.

Join Us

Help us support a family affected by this devastating earthquake and improve their quality of life. The power station costs $455 USD, or approximately 950,000 MMK (Myanmar Kyat). It can power a fan and other essential electronics during blackouts—providing much-needed relief and comfort. This single investment in technology can make a meaningful difference.