Who We Are

At first glance, there is not much that connects a German-Canadian couple with a Karen couple from Myanmar. Our families and histories, the traditions of our countries of origin, the climate we grew up in, the meals we prefer to eat and the challenges we face in life could hardly be more different. 

Nevertheless, it was friendship at first sight for the four of us. At our first meeting in a café in the heart of Yangon, four people from three different countries with similar hearts came together with the desire to bring a little more beauty, light, and love into the region that is particularly close to our hearts: Myanmar. 

The country we live in is full of opportunities, full of potential, full of resources. It breaks our hearts that most people are denied access to these opportunities, that their potential cannot be realized and that resources only fill the pockets of those who seize power by force. After only a few years of increasing freedom and openness, a new wave of conflict has erruped in an already decades long civil conflict. This has once again destroyed any potential future for this multi-ethnic state and its inhabitants. It is not easy to see the beauty, believe in the light and spread love in the midst of ever increasing bad news and  hopelessness. But 'together' or as they say in Burmese  'Atutu' (အတူတူ) it is easier. And so we started dreaming together. We dreamed of young people who were not just sitting at home full of fear, with no prospects for the future, but who were being trained with practical skills, had the opportunity to learn English and new strategies that would open doors for their futures. We dreamed of beautiful products that give people a feeling of home, just as we would like for the people here. We dreamed of a workplace where people feel comfortable, enjoy working and have a sense of security and stability. 

At first, they were just that: dreams. After all, there are reasons why no one in Myanmar wants to start a business. There are reasons why hardly any goods are coming into or leaving the country. There are reasons why foreigners do not move to this country. But after much deliberation and many phone calls, we dared to turn these dreams into plans. Because there is also a reason to establish a business and a training center right now. There are ways for the beautiful products, which have been handcrafted in this country for generations, to reach other countries. There are reasons why people should move to Myanmar even now. Today, we are able to share friendship and business in Yangon and provide others with an income. Our first two trainees have already graduated from our program and are now working in higher capacity at Atutu, while a third trainee is still in training. When asked in English class what makes him happy, he replied, “Working here!” Thank you for supporting our work through your purchases. A project like this can only be achieved together. That’s what Atutu is all about.