Donation Fatigue

"Why are you asking me for donations?"

"You can just donate to me, I don’t have any cause."

This exchange highlights the frustration that many ordinary Burmese citizens and those in the diaspora feel as they face endless requests for donations. These individuals have been the financial backbone of the resistance against the military junta, but the constant pressure is taking its toll.

The humor in suggesting donations be made without any specific cause reflects the deep exhaustion people are experiencing. It conveys the feeling of being bombarded by so many fundraising requests that giving money has become almost routine, divorced from any specific cause or mission. The exaggerated suggestion that one might as well donate to anyone, even without a reason, is a sarcastic way of highlighting just how overwhelming and seemingly endless these appeals have become. 

The cartoon also underscores the unsustainable burden being placed on individuals who are often struggling themselves. Many Burmese citizens and members of the diaspora are not wealthy; they are ordinary people dealing with the challenges of everyday life, including economic hardships, rising costs, and instability. Despite these challenges, they have given tirelessly to support the resistance against the military junta. However, as time goes on, the emotional and financial strain of continually being asked to give more is becoming too much to bear. The cartoon exposes this growing tension, revealing that the very people the resistance relies on are reaching a breaking point. It also emphasizes the hardship that they are really all alone in resisting oppression in this way, without broader institutional support, which deepens the sense of isolation and fatigue.

As time goes on, donation fatigue is settling in, and it is evident that the constant appeals are straining the well-being of those who want to help. Even the most dedicated supporters are feeling burned out, and this sense of burnout risks weakening the overall support network for the resistance. The cartoon communicates a stark reality: while the resistance cause is crucial, the relentless demand for funds is leading to exhaustion and disillusionment among even the most loyal supporters. If the current trend continues, there is a real danger that the financial lifeline sustaining the resistance could start to erode as more people become too fatigued to continue giving.