Policy Workshop at UE

MBCA is an independent, licensed, national non-profit organization, enjoying tax-exempt status granted by the Government of the Union of Myanmar. Official registration of MBCA was completed in 2002, with guidance from the Thailand Business Coalition on AIDS and generous assistance from AusAID. Martin Pun was the Founding Chair and continues as the Current Chairperson of MBCA. Additional information on MBCA can be found at: http://mbconaid.org/. MBCA is a non-profit organization organized and managed entirely differently to other NGOs. Its administrative expenses are funded independently of projects and project-related funding. In short, MBCA’s main administrative expenses are sponsored by supportive private enterprises coming together in local “business coalitions”. Programs are funded by other donors on a case-by-case basis. However, when a program comes to an end, the organization, both overall and locally, continues to possess the financial support for its basic operating costs, thus ensuring sustainability and enabling it to move onto other programs society needs - a rarity for an NGO. Crucially, this also keeps to a minimum the administrative costs charged to programs.

Demonstrating the HIV Transmission Game

MBCA’s main function is to be community need-sensitive. Nationwide, MBCA currently has 5 well-established, independent business coalition offices in operation in the cities of Yangon, Pyay, Pakkoku, Lashio and Muse. Originally founded to support and sustain the HIV/AIDS programs, the business coalitions are broadening their endeavors to work alongside businesses in meeting their social responsibility to the local community. The various local business coalitions maintain MBCA’s local offices, which report to independent boards of directors, drawn from the local business communities. In addition, MBCA is providing HIV prevention, care and support services to road transport workers in the Lashio area in partnership with UNODC’s Harm Reduction Project. Since Cyclone Nargis, MBCA has been running HIV/AIDS programs in the Ayeyarwaddy Delta, paying specific attention to workers concerned with relief and recovery, in particular, in the West Ayeyarwaddy Delta, where it is running a project in Thingangone, Labutta Township.

Selection for private sector reprensentation at MCCM

MBCA Pyay serves as a model for other business coalitions to follow in establishing a township business coalition to fill gaps and provide for the community’s social needs. It was established in 2004 with 6 core members. It followed the national business coalition (Yangon based) model of establishing an annual sponsorship program to ensure sustainability of programs and launched the local sponsorship program in 2007. To-day MBCA Pyay has grown to 20 sponsoring members. Since 2005, when core members responded to community needs and started a care and support fund to take care of healthcare costs of infected workers and families, MBCA Pyay has worked closely with a local community based organization providing free medical care and has established a volunteer network of young graduates and entrepreneurs of small and medium businesses. MBCA Pyay marked another MBCA milestone in establishing a care and support program, beginning an ARV program in 2009. MBCA Pyay works closely with the STI team of the national AIDS Program and local business coalition members have built up trust and good relations with the local authorities. MBCA Pyay model is a model private - public partnership and for the value of a co-ordinated response by the township’s stakeholders, including other NGOs and CBOs. Another important role of the committee members has been in opening the doors of their businesses to enable MBCA to implement education programs.

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