The Zee Tha Min School

Who We Are

 We are college students, faculty, and friends committed to bringing education to the children of Burma (Myanmar).  We work with Cal Poly organizations Beyond Borders and Omega Xi Delta as well as Old Burma Tours and many other volunteers to raise funds to rebuild and supply the Zee Tha Min school.

 

Meet Our Star Players:

 

Thomas Connelly 
Managing Director
Old Burma/ Old Bagan Tours
 
    After a long career in executive recruiting, Tom found the true meaning of life during a visit to Burma, now known as Myanamr. He fell in love with the people and culture of this mystical land awash in beauty and struggle. Together with his Burmese partner, San Myint Zaw, Old Burma/ Old Bagan Tours was formed to bring those interested to Myanmar to explore, learn about and experience this ancient Buddhist culture and the complex problems it faces in joining the modern world. 
 

San Myint Zaw
Managing Director
Old Bagan Travels and Tours Ltd.
 
Zaw manages our operating company in Myanmar. Together with a wonderful and hardworking staff he delivers the authentic "cultural immersion" travel experience that sophisticated travelers expect.  It is Zaw's long friendship with U Zaw that has made the Zee Tha Min school project possible.

 

U Zaw
Businessman, Bagan Expert, and local dignitary
 
"U" in the Burmese language denotes a man worthy of great honor and respect. This so defines our friend U Zaw.  Without his constant help and support We could not be successful. When we indicated our desire to "adopt" a school as our special gift to the people of Myanmar, it was U Zaw who found the right candidate and laid the groundwork for this project to happen. 
 
 

Dr. Barbara Mori 

Barbara Lynne Rowland Mori is a Professor of Sociology and has served as Chair of the Social Sciences Department at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo.  She has done research on the Koreans in Japan, Korean guest workers in the Middle East and the Japanese tea ceremony. She is currently doing research on women’s higher education in China, Korea and Japan. She collects artifacts from travelers from China to India in the 7th century as told in the story Journey to the West. Recently she has become interested in education in Burma and has begun to collaborate with Old Bagan/Burma Tours to help a village improve its school. 

  

Emily Block

Emily learned of the project from Dr. Mori during her Sophomore year at Cal Poly and was very excited to help out.  Due to some health problems, going to school is a challenge and sometimes impossible for her.  She knows that education is very important and should never be taken for granted.  She believes that every child should have access to a good education and is happy to help provide this for the children of the Zee Tha Min village.


Austin Alberto

Austin is the president of Omega Xi Delta, an Asian interest fraternity at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.  He is leading his fraternity in their efforts to raise money for the Zee Tha Min Village.