We are committed to pursuing our commercial goals in a way that is socially and environmentally sustainable. We know that with success comes great responsibility and in everything we do we look to contribute in a positive way to local communities and the natural environment.
Uniteam Marine’s philanthropic work in Myanmar dates back to 1999. Uniteam Marine’s founder, Mr. Gerhard Ruether and our management team in Yangon began providing coordinated support for local orphanages. Around this time, Uniteam Marine also started organising medical trips to remote villages. These trips involved buying medical supplies with donations received from Uniteam Marine colleagues and seafarers, and enlisting the help of local doctors to bring treatment to people who had no access to medical care. Uniteam Marine coordinates and supports medical trips in Myanmar to this date.
In Cyprus, Uniteam Marine employees regularly participate in blood donations and on the 5 and 10 km charity races organised during the Limassol marathon. We also support local charity organisations through donations.
Keen to formalise our involvement in Myanmar, in 2008 Mr. Gerhard Ruether founded the non-profit organisation Myanmar Development Aid e.V. (MDA). Based in Hamburg, Germany, MDA provides assistance to vulnerable children in Myanmar, working to ensure they have decent living conditions, proper care, well-balanced diets and good standards of education.
Through the work with MDA, and in accordance with the wish of our founder’s late wife, we have also built and continue to support two private orphanages in Thanlyin, southeast of Yangon. The orphanages offer a home and a brighter future for 150 vulnerable children.
All MDA members and helpers in Myanmar, including many Uniteam Marine employees, are volunteers. The whole administration of the MDA is also carried out by volunteers. As a result, 100% of the donations received by MDA reach their intended destination and are spent for the purpose for which were collected.