Two years ago Ma Wang Jing Jing, 34, fell ill and was admitted for 10 days to Yangon Central Women's Hospital, where she underwent surgery for a ruptured cyst.
Matching the scare to her health was her sheer shock at the state of Myanmar’s biggest hospital for women. Though it remains one of the country’s most reputable public facilities, the colonial-era building is overcrowded and under-resourced; staff pushing chairs together to create more beds is not an unusual sight.
During her convalescence Ma Wang Jing Jing, a charity worker from Bago region’s Yedashe township, thought of how she could help Yangon’s public hospitals, and on her discharge she began planning a garage sale.
She put out the call on social media for donations of books, clothes, electronic gadgets, furniture—anything really, as long as it was in good condition—and then organized a sale at the Yangon shopping centre Myanmar Culture Valley last June.
The profit was set for the cancer ward at Yangon Children’s Hospital, which needed infusion pumps that cost US$1,500 each.
“We didn’t expect much, but we received over 20 million kyats ($13,000) in sales and cash donations,” said Ma Wang Jing Jing.
With such an encouraging result, the charity worker has resurrected the sale for a second year. This time it will raise funds for North Okkalapa, Hlaingtharyar and Insein general hospitals.
Set again in Myanmar Culture Valley, prices start from 50 kyats and anything that isn’t sold will be donated to “places in need” such as orphanages, says Ma Wang Jing Jing.
The sale, which also features food stalls and live music, welcomes donations, or if your item is too large to bring, contact Chit Thaw Myanmar Charity Group’s Facebook page to arrange for collection.
So if you want to boost Yangon’s public hospitals, head to the sale this week—you might even pick up yourself a bargain in the process.
The charity sale takes place at Myanmar Culture Valley in Yangon until May 19 from 12pm-8pm during weekdays and 9am-8pm on the weekend.
