Image: May (left), a widow in Rakhine State, Myanmar, has learned sandal-making skills that help her to earn income and support her daughter (right). (Lwin Phyu Phyu Kyaw/CPI)
In Rakhine State on Myanmar (Burma)’s western coast, Ngapali Beach is one of the country’s foremost tourist destinations. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and the turmoil following the February 2021 coup have crippled Myanmar’s tourism industry. With visitor numbers plummeting, many of Ngapali’s businesses have closed, cut hours and laid off staff. Women, who are employed widely in the tourism industry, have been severely affected. Community Partners International (CPI) is helping local organization Precious Lady train women in artisan skills and develop new sources of income.
May, 32, is the sole breadwinner in her family since the death of her husband 11 years ago. She lives with her 12-year-old daughter, father and aunt. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, she earned money through odd jobs as a cook, market seller and seamstress but then work began to dry up.
“We all are struggling for income now because prices are rising,” she reveals.” During COVID-19, I faced challenges and it was very difficult for me. There were no jobs and no income for my family. I had to borrow money with high interest.”
In 2022, May joined a Precious Lady sandal-making course. “I was really interested in this course because I already had tailoring experience,” she explains. “I thought I could make dresses with matching sandals.”
“The course taught me the basic techniques of sandal making,” explains May. “I also learned how to market and sell my products. Now I make two kinds of sandals: formal ones and beach ones. I can make about 10 pairs of sandals a day and earn 350,000 Kyats (about $166 at the time of writing) a month.”
This opportunity has given May renewed hope. “It really helps me to earn more income. Now I am confident that I can support my daughter and build our future.”
Founded in 2016, Precious Lady is a social enterprise focused on women’s empowerment across Myanmar.
“We support women to stand independently, earn regular income, expand their knowledge, network with each other, and access the support and opportunities they need,” explains Precious Lady’s founder and Managing Director Dr. Hnin Aye Ko. “We adapt our strategy depending on the needs of each community, the economic situation, and the local availability of raw materials and products.”
Precious Lady has had to adapt to Myanmar’s worsening economic situation. “We are all facing many challenges but I also think that challenges are opportunities,” says Dr. Hnin Aye Ko. “The market is changing because there are fewer international tourists, so we are changing the kinds of products we make and sell. For example, we trained women to produce high-end bags before, but now we have shifted to making essential items affordable to local customers, such as sandals and soap.”
Shwe Yi, 20, lives with her parents and three siblings in Ngapali. “Our family’s situation is not good,” she explains. “We earn just enough to survive.”
Shwe Yi’s father is the family’s main breadwinner. He works as a shrimp fisherman and her mother runs a small shop at home where she sells rice, cooking oil and snacks. “Many people in our village are facing financial problems,” she says. “I work as a cleaner in hotels and earn 5,000 Kyat (about $2.4 at the time of writing) for a day’s work. But it’s day labor, not permanent, and I can only sometimes find work.”
“I graduated high school in 2020 but I couldn’t join university because of COVID-19 and my family’s financial situation,” Shwe Yi explains. “I decided to find ways to earn income so as not to be a burden on my parents. I know they can’t afford to support me at this time.”
Shwe Yi heard about Precious Lady’s soap-making training program from a woman in her village and decided to apply. “I am interested in making soap because there are so many hotels and resorts in Ngapali and it’s an essential product,” she says. “I learned how to make soap bars and liquid soap, calculate product costs, and find markets and expand. It was very interesting and useful.”
Shwe Yi is already seeing the benefits of the training program. “I now produce soap and sell it at my mother’s shop. I’m also visiting hotels to persuade them to use my products. I am earning enough money to attend university. I will be joining this year and I’m really excited. My dream is to work in hotels and tourism.”
With more than half of Myanmar’s women over the age of 15 out of the workforce, initiatives like this provide a vital pathway for empowerment. “It’s a very good feeling when I see the positive impacts that we achieve for women, helping them to grow their income,” reveals Dr. Hnin Aye Ko. “It gives me the strength to do more. We have to support women’s futures in the long term.”
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