Myanmar: Development begins at home
Source: United Nations Volunteers (UNV)
Date: 10 Nov 2009
Date: 10 Nov 2009
Mawlamyine, Myanmar: UNV volunteers serving in their own countries offer the UN skills and access to communities that international staff often cannot. The sheer variety of work performed in Myanmar is just one example.
There are currently nine national UNV volunteers supporting the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Myanmar. Their roles range from community field monitoring to technical assistance and community social services. Some are fielded in western Myanmar and others in the south-east.
These national UNV volunteers exemplify the commitment of the UN system in Myanmar to mobilize national experts, says Khin Pwint Oo, one of the national UNV volunteers assigned to UNHCR as a Community Social Services Specialist.
"We assist in humanitarian measures in our home country, and also in long-term development initiatives," she says. "Among the national UNV volunteers in Myanmar the women are just as involved in social fields and activities and have the same rights and opportunities as the men do."
The national UNV volunteers with UNHCR Myanmar come from a variety of professional fields. For example, some have experience in civil engineering and public health services, and their academic backgrounds cover social sciences, economics and development studies.
"A wide range of this experience directly supports the efforts of UNHCR," explains Ma Pwint. "It is invaluable for UNHCR to have national UNV volunteers-cum-civil engineers to monitor engineering work for UNHCR's infrastructure development component."
"This was particularly important after Cyclone Nargis," she adds, "when UNV volunteers assisted affected communities in the delta and Yangon areas. They provided shelter materials, and helped out in the building of low-cost shelters for vulnerable communities in one of the townships in Tanintharyi Division, for example."
The public health specialists "provide their hands" in support of community based health initiatives, continues Ma Pwint. For instance, national UNV volunteers are engaged in the distribution and demonstration of modern child-delivery medical equipments and offer guidance on health needs.
Myanmar's national UNV volunteers also have scope to support activities at the grassroots level in efforts to improve living conditions and to assist in caring for 'Extremely Vulnerable Individuals' (EVIs).
And, of course, they assist communities in traditional development initiatives. One example is their work on a pilot livelihood programme which provides income generation opportunities for vulnerable communities,
"On-the-job training on organic fertilizer production and use was successfully carried out in one community affected by population movement in Thandaung Township, Kayin State," says Ma Pwint. "Thereby, UNV volunteers and UNHCR enabled local people to make use of organic fertilizer on their own. Assessment on raising pigs and discussions with vulnerable women in the Mon region were also conducted. It is hoped that this can be continued in upcoming years."
Khin Pwint Oo and her national UNV volunteer colleagues are clearly very proud of the work they do, a pride matched by their commitment to peace and development in their own country. Ma Pwint concludes: "I would like to say on behalf of all the Myanmar national UNV volunteers – of diverse ethnicity, different cultural and regional backgrounds, and varied perspectives – that Myanmar national UNV volunteers are actively involved in the promotion of volunteerism for development."
There are currently nine national UNV volunteers supporting the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Myanmar. Their roles range from community field monitoring to technical assistance and community social services. Some are fielded in western Myanmar and others in the south-east.
These national UNV volunteers exemplify the commitment of the UN system in Myanmar to mobilize national experts, says Khin Pwint Oo, one of the national UNV volunteers assigned to UNHCR as a Community Social Services Specialist.
"We assist in humanitarian measures in our home country, and also in long-term development initiatives," she says. "Among the national UNV volunteers in Myanmar the women are just as involved in social fields and activities and have the same rights and opportunities as the men do."
The national UNV volunteers with UNHCR Myanmar come from a variety of professional fields. For example, some have experience in civil engineering and public health services, and their academic backgrounds cover social sciences, economics and development studies.
"A wide range of this experience directly supports the efforts of UNHCR," explains Ma Pwint. "It is invaluable for UNHCR to have national UNV volunteers-cum-civil engineers to monitor engineering work for UNHCR's infrastructure development component."
"This was particularly important after Cyclone Nargis," she adds, "when UNV volunteers assisted affected communities in the delta and Yangon areas. They provided shelter materials, and helped out in the building of low-cost shelters for vulnerable communities in one of the townships in Tanintharyi Division, for example."
The public health specialists "provide their hands" in support of community based health initiatives, continues Ma Pwint. For instance, national UNV volunteers are engaged in the distribution and demonstration of modern child-delivery medical equipments and offer guidance on health needs.
Myanmar's national UNV volunteers also have scope to support activities at the grassroots level in efforts to improve living conditions and to assist in caring for 'Extremely Vulnerable Individuals' (EVIs).
And, of course, they assist communities in traditional development initiatives. One example is their work on a pilot livelihood programme which provides income generation opportunities for vulnerable communities,
"On-the-job training on organic fertilizer production and use was successfully carried out in one community affected by population movement in Thandaung Township, Kayin State," says Ma Pwint. "Thereby, UNV volunteers and UNHCR enabled local people to make use of organic fertilizer on their own. Assessment on raising pigs and discussions with vulnerable women in the Mon region were also conducted. It is hoped that this can be continued in upcoming years."
Khin Pwint Oo and her national UNV volunteer colleagues are clearly very proud of the work they do, a pride matched by their commitment to peace and development in their own country. Ma Pwint concludes: "I would like to say on behalf of all the Myanmar national UNV volunteers – of diverse ethnicity, different cultural and regional backgrounds, and varied perspectives – that Myanmar national UNV volunteers are actively involved in the promotion of volunteerism for development."
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