Myanmar turns a corner

The changes in Myanmar since the 2010 elections have been dramatic. The military-turned-civilian government that came to power then has defied sceptics and confounded critics with the breadth and pace of reform in the country. While it is still relatively early days with some serious issues yet to be resolved, Myanmar's citizens are enjoying freedoms they have been denied for the last quarter of a century.

The World of Work magazine of the ILO travelled to the “Golden Land” for a first-hand account of the progress so far – and the challenges that remain – as Myanmar turns a corner on the road towards democratization.

Text by Marcia Poole
Photos by Marcel Crozet

A new path out of adversity

When cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar in May 2008, causing more than 130,000 deaths and ravaging the Irrawaddy delta region in what has reportedly been the country’s worst natural disaster, two small, isolated fishing villages, Maeikthalinkune and Myatthaywawa, were among the worst hit.

The ILO’s infrastructure project on the Irrawaddy delta in Myanmar, not only re-established access to villages devastated by the cyclone but also gave rise to a bustling community life.

Vividly-colored ice-creams are one of the goods now available in several villages thanks to travelling vendors and growing trade.

Ko Hla Htay, the ice-cream vendor, took his business onto the road thanks to ILO-built footpaths that connect the villages which were devastated by cyclone Nargis in 2008.

In 2009, a year after Nargis's passage, ILO built over 80 kilometres of footpaths that replaced muddy forest tracks.

“Next thing we knew, people were buying bicycles – and falling off them as they did not know how to ride them. They had never had any use for them until then.

With the bikes came the trade between the villages, shops were opened, they built a bigger school to cater for children from other areas.

50 foot bridges now link Maeikthalinkune, Myatthaywawa and other nearby villages, forming part of an extended network of footpaths linking villages of the Irrawaddy delta in an effort to make the accessible and create jobs.

The footpaths and jetties made the villages accessible again and allowed the trade to flourish. This shop in Maeikthalinkune has grown and now draws in clients from other villages, too.

Before Nargis struck, people used to have to travel by boat, which took time, now they can just walk. With closer ties between them, villagers get together to discuss common issues, and in the process, they‘re learning to negotiate and reach consensus.

By developing interaction between the villages, the footpaths and bridges also gave people better access to healthcare and education.

The local community is even growing bigger: the villagers trained by the ILO to work on the project are now building footpaths linking other villages.
And When asked what other improvements they’d want to see that would make their lives better, the villagers reply: “A wider footpath”.

Read the full story on reconstructing infrastructure on the Irrawaddy delta

Helping women to help themselves escape poverty

As often happens in such tragedies, the poor and vulnerable were the worst hit. Among the victims, many women who survived the cyclone suddenly found themselves as the head of their household, and needing to work.

"Business Kind", a non-profit organization set up in response to the devastation caused by cyclone Nargis, employs women to run small businesses that benefit poor communities.