Highlights

HIGHLIGHTS

Success stories from the Avaaz movement worldwide

Solidarity and Strategy

Burma Uprising

map

When monks and pro-democracy protesters filled the streets of Burma, Avaaz members rose in support of them worldwide.

More than 800,000 members from every country on earth signed a petition urging China and the UN Security Council to oppose the violent crackdown by the Burmese Junta and support genuine dialogue and reconciliation. Avaaz publicly delivered the message to UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and sent it to Chinese officials through diplomatic channels as well as via newspaper ads.

Targeting the Burmese military junta, thousands of Avaaz members in Europe successfully pressed for stronger EU sanctions. Over 2000 members in Singapore sent messages to their foreign minister urging a stronger stance, and 50,000 pledged to boycott Chevron and Total Oil for doing business with the regime.

Then, when the junta banned cameras, cell phones, and internet access as part of blackout to stop the democracy movement, Avaaz members donated the equivalent of US$320,000 to provide technical support and training to Burmese activists. The funds were quickly and safely distributed within the country by Avaaz partners at the Open Society Institute -- and Avaaz sent a delegation to the Thai-Burma border to meet with key democratic leaders and ensure member support was utilized responsibly and effectively.

IN THIS SECTION:

Avaaz is closing the gap between the world we have and the world we want, one campaign at a time

People to people

Burma cyclone relief

map

May 2009
US$2 million raised

When Cyclone Nargis struck in May 2008, killing as many as 200,000 people, Avaaz contacted its friends in monk networks to see how best to help.

The head of the International Burmese Monk Organization recorded a video appeal to Avaaz members. In just ten days, more than 25,000 people from 125 countries donated US$ 2 million to support the monks' relief efforts -- bypassing the junta's blockade on international aid workers and getting medicine, food, and other emergency supplies for distribution by civil society to those who needed it most.

As Slate.com later wrote, "while the world was focused on the military junta's reluctance to allow foreign aid, Burmese citizens and monks were busy carrying out relief efforts that many now credit with preventing mass starvation."

By giving directly to these existing networks in the country, Avaaz members, who donated more than most world governments in the critical period immediately following the cyclone, played a crucial role in supporting these activities.

Join Avaaz!

Welcome to Avaaz!