AbOUT US
PARTNERING WITH LOCAL PEOPLE TO PROTECT WILDLIFE
OUR VISION is that Myanmar wildlife are protected through community-based biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management.
OUR MISSION is to work with local communities, government, non-governmental organizations, and universities to protect Myanmar wildlife and their habitat.
OUR STORY
FRIENDS OF WILDLIFE was established in 2007 by a passionate group of people committed to wildlife conservation in partnership with local communities. Our first field site was Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary, where our founder, U Myint Aung, served as the sanctuary warden. Chatthin is a haven for the endangered Eld’s Deer in the central dry zone of Myanmar, and U Myint Aung had a special interest in linking scientific research, protected area management, and community relations for the conservation of this majestic species.
In 2005, he left the Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division of the government in order to found Friends of Wildlife as a non-profit, non-governmental organization. Originally working in conjunction with the U.K. charity Indo-Myanmar Conservation, Friends of Wildlife was officially recognized by Myanmar's Ministry of Home Affairs in 2012 (registration #1968) and is a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
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Friends of Wildlife has experience implementing conservation projects across Myanmar, and has contributed to the protection of many globally threatened and endangered species such as Asian elephant, gaur, star tortoise, and Eld's deer. A cornerstone of this work has been collaboration with local communities through programs that support livelihood diversification, community forest establishment, increased land tenure security, and improved relations between communities and local government.
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We aim to achieve our mission through approaches that include livelihood diversification, environmental education, community participation, research and monitoring of species for conservation, and public outreach.
Our Staff
U Myint Aung - Senior Adviser
Before founding Friends of Wildlife in 2007, U Myint Aung worked for the Myanmar Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division for 25 years, where he was warden of Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary. He has a BS in Zoology from Yangon University, Dip in Wildlife Management from India and MS in Wildlife Ecology from Forestry University, Myanmar.
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Daw Khine Khine Swe - Executive Director
Daw Khine Khine Swe has worked for Friends of Wildlife since its inception and previously worked as a high school teacher for 15 years with the Education Department. She has a BA in geography from Mandalay University and an MA in geography from Yadanabon University.
Project Management Team
Thet Hnin Oo
Finance Officer
Kaung Htet Paing
Administration Officer
Khine Khine Swe
Executive Director
Win Ko Ko Naing Tun
Deputy Executive Director
Zayar Soe
Project Officer
Aung Nain Linn
Project Officer
Dr. Aung Myint Tun
Project Manager/Veterinarian
Friends of Wildlife staff and board members at governance training in July 2017
Our Board of Governors
Dr. Thein Aung
Chair
Chairman, Myanmar Bird and Nature Society
Retired Warden, Forest Department
Dr. Nay Myo Shwe
Secretary
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Manager, Tanintharyi Conservation Programme, Fauna & Flora International (FFI) Myanmar.
Daw Khine Nyein Aye Treasurer
CFO First Ocean Breeze Group of Companies
CFO (Part-time), Myanmar Business Coalition on AID
Katie LaJeunesse Connette
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International Program Manager, Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
Mai Kaythi Min Din
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Associate General Secretary and focal person for Child Protection and Gender Equality, Myanmar Council of Churches
Transparency
Friends of Wildlife is a registered non-governmental organization in Myanmar, committed to effective and transparent work. Click the links below to learn more about our organization's governance, activities, and finances:
We rely on the support of a phenomenal group of funders who are dedicated to furthering our mission. Friends of Wildlife has received funding from: