This project began in 2013 when Brenda and Nola first arrived in Yangon and read an article in The Myanmar Times about s*x trafficking in Myanmar. There have been lots of twists and turns, but R.A.T. Race MMR (Run Against Trafficking in Myanmar) is now becoming a reality and we want to share the excitement and get everyone involved. As you have seen from the R.A.T. Race AZ page, with an army of vo
lunteers and collaborators, we were able to do the Run Against Trafficking in Arizona in October of 2014 very successfully. Our personal and Facebook posts were followed by a number of our friends in Myanmar. In April 2014, Brenda was busy planning and implementing the 2014 Arizona event, Nola was invited to Myanmar for the wedding of a friend. While she was back, it was suggested that we have a R.A.T Race in Myanmar. So, in December 2014 Brenda and Nola came back to Myanmar to explore the possibility of a R.A.T. We have been greeted with encouragement and enthusiasm from all of those we have been introduced to, now in the hundreds, including a senior UN adviser, a Burmese Ph.D., who is actively involved in anti-trafficking, the community relations director for Coca Cola, an adviser in the US Embassy, and too many others to mention. The s*x trafficking problem is huge in Myanmar partly because it shares a long border with China. The "one child" policy in China has created a huge deficit of wives for their men, estimates say that around 32 million Chinese men do not have wives, so they are buying and stealing young girls from their neighboring countries. The impact of poverty, ignorance and disaster only make the problem worse. We are a group of committed volunteers organizing R.A.T. Race MMR to raise awareness of the problem and promote education, prevention and rescue. Myanmar is learning about runs and there have been two which were enthusiastically received, but they were both sponsored by banks and were not for a "cause" so R.A.T. Race MMR will be the first run for a cause .....an amazing cause. This event will host a 5k race on December 12, 2015. For those outside of Myanmar, especially in America, who would like to support this cause, please go to RAT Race AZ webpage find the Myanmar drop down and you will see where to click to donate (Brenda Gifford - Myanmar Rescue). Thank you!
