The mission of theBurmaStore is to provide an income-generation channel for the displaced people of Burma and to help fund the development of further, sustainable, community-based, income-generating projects.

There are over 150,000 officially recognized refugees and up to 500,000 "stateless" Burmese people living on the Thai-Burma border as a result of the Burmese military regime's ongoing actions. The civil war in Burma is the world's longest. For decades, ordinary Burmese people have faced forced labour, forced relocation, rape and the prospect of being used as a human minesweeper.

For the people who have fled this persecution, the prospects for income generation are minimal. Many will work illegally, being exploited on building sites or in sweatshop factory environments, often without being paid. A small number make a barely sustainable living from the production of traditional arts and crafts, but the revenue avenues available to them are limited. theBurmaStore provides a route to market not previously available and, financial support for the development of further income generating activities.