Free Funeral Service Society

The Free Funeral Service Society (Yangon) (Burmese: နာရေးကူညီမှုအသင်း, abbreviated FFSS), a civil society organisation based on Yangon, Myanmar, founded by Burmese film director Thukha, provides free funeral services to people from any religion, race and socioeconomic status at no cost in Yangon Region. It was founded on 1 January 2001 by film director Thukha and is headed by many prominent persons in the entertainment industry, including actor Kyaw Thu.[1][2] FFSS has helped fund around 200,000 funerals since it first started.[3]

Free Funeral Service Society (Yangon)
နာရေးကူညီမှုအသင်း
Founded1 January 2001 (2001-01-01)
FounderThukha
Location
Area served
Yangon Region
Key people
Kyaw Thu (Chief)
Than Myint Aung (Vice Chief)
Thukha (founder)
Websitewww.ffssyangon.org

In 2006, FFSS opened a free health care clinic called Thukha Clinic.[4] In 2009, its free clinic was ordered by a local court to be closed, after being forcibly relocated from Thingangyun Township to North Dagon Township in Yangon's outlying suburbs.[5] In September 2010, FFSS opened Thukha Ahara (သုခအဟာရ), a low cost restaurant in Yangon's North Dagon Township.[6] In 2011, it opened another clinic in Bago Region's Pyay Township.[7]

It applied for government registration in 2008 but has yet to be approved, as of November 2012.[8]

FFSS has expanded its humanitarian services by operating free Ambulance and Fire Brigade services, providing humanitarian assistance to victims of war and natural disasters, opening Thukha Alin Charity Education centre which runs free vocational classes, computer, sports, arts, English and more classes.

On 8 January 2017, FFSS marked its 16th anniversary by opening a low-cost dialysis centre. Because of the cost of dialysis, FFSS will not be able to extend the services for free, but they will offer them at a much-reduced cost. "Thanks to our donors, we were able to buy new equipment and medicine for dialysis. But the course of treatment is very expensive, so we cannot offer services free of charge. A private clinic would charge K80,000, and we will offer the treatment for K25,000," said U Kyaw Thu.[9]

As part of the response to the 1 February military coup,emergency response teams from the FFSS helped treat injured protesters in attacks by police and military. On the night of 3 March 2021, soldiers and police raided the office of the Free FFSS in Yangon's North Okkalapa Township on Wednesday night. They seized computers, phones, computers and documents from the office and destroyed the rest of the property on the premises. Staff were beaten and injured by the soldiers and police.[10] U Kyaw Thu was not in the offices at the time and has gone into hiding.

See also

References
  1. Thein, Cherry (2 May 2011). "FFSS marks 10th anniversary". The Myanmar Times. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  2. Moe Aye (11 October 2007). "Film star Kyaw Thu Arrested". Democratic Voice of Burma. Archived from the original on 13 October 2007.
  3. "Aiding the final journey". Democratic Voice of Burma. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  4. May Sandy (11 July 2011). "Celebrities make charity a new tradition". The Myanmar Times. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  5. "FFSS Founder Defies Court Summons". The Irrawaddy. 30 October 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  6. Cherry Thein (13 September 2010). "Free Funeral Service Society opens low-price restaurant". The Myanmar Times. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  7. Cherry Thein (16 May 2011). "Thukha to open Pyay branch". The Myanmar Times. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  8. Cherry Thein (26 November 2012). "Free Funeral Service Society Overcomes Stigma". The Myanmar Times. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  9. Htike Nanda Win (10 January 2017). "FFSS opens low-cost dialysis centre". The Myanmar Times. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  10. "Security forces raid Free Funeral Service Society office in Yangon". Myanmar NOW. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
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