The MettaDana Project is located in the Sagaing Hills of Burma. The Hills lie on the western bank of the Ayeyarwadi (Irrawaddy) River, opposite the city of Mandalay. The Sagaing area has been a center of Buddhist practice for over a millennium, and is now filled with hundreds of pagodas, monasteries, and nunneries housing thousands of monks, nuns, and novices. Many pagodas date back to the 14^th century when Sagaing was the capital of Burma, and it has remained one of the most important practice centers of Theravadan Buddhism since that time.

Our Mission

The goal of this project is to help the people of the Sagaing Hills face the challenges and opportunities of the 21^st century, while maintaining its role as an ancient center of wisdom and nurturing the relationship between lay community, monasteries, and nunneries that has been its strength for centuries. The pressures are many, including poverty, disease, and the changes wrought by increasing contact with other societies. A guiding principle of MettaDana's involvement is to establish long-term working relationships and foster a learning environment. As much as possible, help is offered in such a way that the community can take responsibility for setting objectives and can maintain projects independently. MettaDana currently focuses on education, public health, and support for Burmese Buddhist culture. Although most of our effort is focused on the Sagaing Hills, some projects are located elsewhere in Burma and occasionally Thailand, depending on the wishes of donors and opportunities for effective action.

The members of the MettaDana Project have worked for ten years to establish strong relationships and trust in the Sagaing Hills. Donors and recipients benefit from MettaDana's established contacts and our extensive experience in Burma. Our name comes from the Pali language of the Theravadan texts: Metta (lovingkindness) and Dana (generous giving). The MettaDana Project is part of Vipassana Hawaii.