“I am deeply grateful to the doctor for warmly treating and caring for me as if I were his child”

Daw Khin Pyone Oo,63, lives in Thawtapan Ward, Sagaing Division. She made a living by selling guava and mango salad at Soon Oo Pone Nya Shin Pagoda. Her husband had passed away couples of years ago. Currently, she runs a small shop and lives alone.

 “Since May 2024, my legs have been swollen and painful. I couldn’t open my shop for nearly three weeks. Living alone, I was able to bathe or cook for myself. I asked my son to take me to the clinic, but I couldn’t go because I didn’t have any extra money.”

During this difficult time, I heard from the neighbors that Myanmar Red Cross Society would open a free mobile clinic. I didn’t expect much, but I decided to visit. When I arrived at a clinic, the Red Cross medic took care of me. My legs were so painful that I couldn’t even walk and bathe, but he examined my dirty legs without hesitation. I am deeply grateful to the doctor for treating me so warmly, like his own child,” said Daw Khin Pyone Oo, expressing her heartfelt gratitude.

“I lost my appetite and couldn’t eat for a long time. After visiting the clinic, I followed the instructions, took the medicine, and applied the topical cream. I regained my ability to walk and finally was able to eat again.  After four weeks, I reopened my fruit salad shop and could manage my daily activities by myself. I am very happy about that.

The Myanmar Red Cross Society opened a mobile clinic to offer primary health care to families displaced for various reasons in the townships of Sagaing Region. They provided health care services to over 1,500 patients for 16 days from May 29, 2024, to June 15, 2024, at a monastery with ample space and free access.

According to UN-OCHA, more than 3 million people are internally displaced for various reasons. With the support of the Danish Red Cross and Norwegian Red Cross, the MRCS opened a mobile clinic that provided primary health care to 1,511 displaced people in Sagaing Region alone. However, more humanitarian support is still needed.

“I am thankful to the doctors, nurses, and health officers who came to help. I also thank the Myanmar Red Cross Society for supporting the mobile clinic. I am praying for those who are helping the people struggling for survival.”

A Journey from Volunteer to Community Leader: How Life Skills and SPRiNT Training Transformed [Name]

Background: [Name], a 20-year-old youth from [Location], had always been passionate about helping others but felt limited in leadership abilities and confidence. Growing up in a challenging environment, [he/she/they] knew that volunteering was a way to make a difference but struggled with personal development and communication skills.

Joining the Volunteer Program: In [year], [Name] joined the [Organization Name] as a Youth Volunteer. It was a turning point when [he/she/they] was introduced to the Life Skills and SPRiNT training program. The program offered a series of workshops focusing on critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, emotional intelligence, and relationship-building.

The Life Skills Training Impact: Through Life Skills training, [Name] learned how to manage stress, set goals, and build resilience in the face of challenges. These tools were instrumental in shaping [his/her/their] confidence, allowing [him/her/them] to take on leadership roles in community initiatives.

The SPRiNT Program: The SPRiNT training focused on cultivating positive relationships and inspiring new ways of thinking about community issues. During this phase, [Name] developed skills in conflict resolution, active listening, and creative problem-solving, which helped [him/her/them] become a better team player and leader in group settings.

The Transformation: Armed with new skills, [Name] began organizing community projects, from youth outreach programs to environmental cleanups. [He/She/They] also mentored younger volunteers, passing on the knowledge gained through the training. The biggest achievement came when [Name] successfully led a project that addressed [specific community issue], which earned recognition from local leaders and inspired other youth in the community.

Current Impact: Today, [Name] is a community leader, actively involved in various social initiatives and continuing to inspire others. The Life Skills and SPRiNT training not only enhanced [his/her/their] ability to contribute to the community but also paved the way for future opportunities in [career path, further education, or leadership roles].

Conclusion: [Name]’s story is a testament to the power of personal growth and leadership development through structured training programs. Thanks to Life Skills and SPRiNT, [he/she/they] transformed from a volunteer with potential into a confident and capable leader making a lasting impact on the community.

“I am happy to play with all of my friends. I want to play with my friends and teachers all day”

Many families, including children, have been displaced for various reasons across the country. Due to unstable living conditions under complex emergencies, children need a safe, predictable, and stimulating environment where they can play and participate in recreational, leisure, and learning activities designed to support their resilience and well-being.

In response, the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) has opened a child-friendly space to provide psychosocial support to these families in Sagaing Township, Sagaing Region. The space started operating on 2^nd March 2024 and runs every weekend with the cooperation of Red Cross volunteers and the local community. It is designed to be safe and accessible to children of different genders, ages, and abilities. As of 2^nd March, over 40 children are attending the space every weekend. The space provides a safe environment where children can develop cooperative and supportive mindsets through playing games.

“My name is Saw Yadanar Htet. I am five years old. I am happy to have new friends. And I love the teachers too,” said Saw Yadanar Htet, who used to be afraid of new people but now plays happily with her friends. At the child-friendly space, teachers taught the children how to wash their hands, and now she washes her hands daily and reminds her parents to do the same for personal hygiene.

“My name is Khin Yati Zaw. I am 8 years old. I enjoy playing the snake game,” said Khin Yati Zaw. Her mother is grateful to see her daughter happy and playing with friends. Her mother appreciates the Myanmar Red Cross volunteers for teaching basic manners and setting the foundation for good behaviours and social skills.

Nan Wati Aung enjoys playing the mirror game, where children are grouped in pairs and face each other, mimicking each other’s movements. This game helps children understand others’ feelings and express their inner thoughts.

“My name is Nan Wati Aung. I am 7 years old. I enjoy playing the mirror game. I am happy to play with all of my friends. I want to play with my friends and teachers all day,” she said.

Due to unstable living conditions, she also needs emotional support. Since opening the child-friendly space, she has made new friends and enjoys spending time with them.

Shan State (East), Kengtung City, the group above Min Pa, Daw Da Hla, who lives in Manort village, works as a religious leader. She also volunteers as the chairwoman of the Mothers’ Club. In the villages of Eastern Shan State, various ethnic groups such as the Akha, Lahu, Kachin, and Shan live there. Many community members still hold onto traditional beliefs and have limited access to general and health knowledge, making it challenging for them to accept new behaviors and practices.

Before Myanmar Red Cross Society’s project to build healthy and resilient communities began, pregnant mothers in these villages rarely visited to hospitals or clinics for childbirth. Instead, it was common for women to give birth at home, assisted by their husband, traditional birth attendance woman and mother (grandmother).

“Women are given birth on the way to farm. They are using bamboo strips to cut the umbilical cord. If they don’t have a diaper to wrap, they take off their clothes and then wrap it to their baby. They don’t have any knowledge about the contraceptive methods, so one woman can gave birth to 12 children. There are many food restrictions following childbirth according to the customs of the Akha people. After giving birth, the mother and baby are forced to sleep in the kitchen. This is because the kitchen is warm, and they fear the mother and baby might catch cold. Four months after giving birth, they have many restrictions about food. They were told to eat only rice with salt mostly.”  Daw Da Hla said.

Myanmar Red Cross Society’s “Build Healthy and Resilient Community” project is about creating a group of community-based volunteering workers named as Mothers’ Club in the certain villages. Mother’s Club welcomes not only mothers, but also anyone who are interested to do its activities. The project staffs will train the members so that they get health care knowledge and are able to share health awareness to people who live in their village.

Before, if a pregnant woman has a pain of their womb, they would massage from old woman. And they don’t usually vaccinate newborn babies either.

After mothers’ club were formed in the villages, they held health awareness events in the village, so there has been improvement in health awareness. The Mothers’ Club also shared information about contraception. Additionally, the leader of the Mothers’ Club visited the health clinic to offer health care and contraception support to people with disabilities.

Eastern Shan State, Kengtung City, Akha people “Bu Sae” and her husband “Yar Pa” who live in the small village of Manot are hearing impaired. As Bu Sae is hearing impaired, she has fewer chances to receive information like others. One of her neighbors is a member of Mothers’ Club. After knowing that Bu Sae was pregnant, Daw Da Hla, the leader of Mothers’ Club, went to the Bu Sae’s house. She told Bu Sae that the Myanmar Red Cross Society has set up an emergency fund for Manot Village Mothers’ Club. This fund helps cover travel costs for pregnant women to receive healthcare, including four prenatal checkups and two post-delivery visits. Natural childbirth for 100,000 kyat and if a cesarean section is needed, 200,000 kyats will be provided.

Daw Da Hla also shared knowledge about the pregnancy health to Bu Sae’s parents.

With help from the project, Bu Sae successfully gave birth to a healthy daughter. She has been able to overcome many challenges and difficult situations with Mothers’ Club support.

Myanmar Red Cross Society and Danish Red Cross Society are working together to create a ‘Building Healthy and Resilient Community’ project. The project aims to encourage to people who live in village to get used to healthcare and understand its benefits. A key achievement of the project was being able to reach people with disabilities, who often have fewer opportunities to access information.

“Thank you to the Myanmar Red Cross. We also hope that this kind of support and care can continue for people like us,” Bu Sae’s family said.

“I am so glad to get a chance to help my community”

Ko Nyeing Chan Oo, who engaged in social and humanitarian work driven by compassion and empathy rather than self-interest, is a Red Cross volunteer from Sagaing Township, Sagaing Region. In 2002, he received the Outstanding Red Cross Award and has been involved in the Red Cross’s humanitarian work for 32 years.

 “Since becoming a member, I save my pocket money to buy bandages, gauze, ointments, and other medical supplies to care for anyone injured. And I enjoy doing those things.

Ko Nyein Chan Oo is proud to be a Red Cross Volunteer. As a volunteer of Sagaing Mobile-clinic, he collects patient records and measures blood pressure, blood glucose level, body temperature and SPO2.

Due to the current situation in Myanmar, there are many internally displaced persons and residents within the communities. They cannot afford medical expenses and have various reasons for difficulty going to the hospital. For such people, opening a free mobile clinic within the monastery’s has made it convenient and accessible for them to receive medical treatment.

 “During these difficult times, It is so convenient that MRCS opened such a free mobile clinic. I am so glad to get a chance to help my community.”

With the support of Danish Red Cross and Norwegian Red Cross, MRCS opened a mobile clinic that provided primary health care to 1,511 displaced people in Sagaing Region alone.

“I’m incredibly grateful that my niece survived.”

Eastern Shan State, Keng Tung Township, U Yita, as committee member of Wein Kyauk’s Village Development Committee, and also a volunteer of mothers’ club. He is deeply committed to social charity work in his village.

“Before we met with the Myanmar Red Cross, if someone in the village fell ill, they stay at home. And also the pregnant women gave birth at home. I didn’t have any knowledge about health care before, and even when I wanted to help, I wasn’t permitted to. People wouldn’t even rent out a motorbike when I needed to take someone to the hospital.”

The Myanmar Red Cross Society was the first organization to reach Wein Kyauk village, which had never been assisted by any humanitarian organization. The Myanmar Red Cross Society aimed to reform a village development committee to address community issues, prepare for and respond to natural and man-made disasters, improve health conditions, build stronger connections within and outside the community, ensure access to information, and take responsibility in relevant areas. Wein Kyauk is one of the villages organized by the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS). The village development committee consists of 6 to 15 members. A budget of nineteen million kyats has been allocated, and any profits can be used to assistance the village.

U Yita attended an Epidemic Control for Volunteer (ECV) course through the Building Healthy and Resilient Communities Project (BHRC)and returned home after completing it…

“I noticed that my niece has dengue, and her breathing seems abnormal. During my training, I realized it matched the example shown by the facilitator. I took her to the hospital, and the doctor said that if we had arrived just a little later, she might not have survived”.

“I’m incredibly grateful that my niece survived.”

After the villagers found out about U Yita’s niece, their perception changed on U Yita, and they also gained trust in the Myanmar Red Cross Society. Participation in MRCS meetings grew, and more villagers began attending health education sessions. Now, when U Yita needs to transport patients, the villagers readily offer motorcycles and cars for rent.

“After completing the training from MRCS’s BHRC project and gaining knowledge, if there someone is sick in the village, I visit that person’s house together with the members of the village development committee and the mothers’ club. If they felt fundamental health issues, I took them to the clinic. In an emergency, I would call the Keng Tung Township Red Cross branch for assistance and arrange an ambulance to referral them to the hospital.”

U Yita, who values the humanitarian work focused on health in the village, stated that the village development committee’s funds will continue to be used as planned in the village beyond the project duration.

Myanmar Red Cross Society and Danish Red Cross Society are working together to create a ‘Building Healthy and Resilient Community’ project. The project aims to encourage to people who live in village to get used to healthcare and understand its benefits. This project invests in building the capacities of RCVs and community members to continue activities beyond the project duration.

Nang Thin Mya Mya Hlaing Htoo, 29 years old, lives in Mukahti Village in Hpa-an Township, Kayin State. She is the youngest of five siblings. Since 2008, she has been a Red Cross volunteer, having completed basic first aid training at her university. Currently, she is actively involved in Myanmar Red Cross Youth activities.

“I usually forget what I learned after the training. Now, I need to use what I learned, so I keep studying it,” said Nang Thi Mya Mya Hlaing Htoo, a Kayin Red Cross Youth Volunteer who attended the training.

Ye Htet San is 24 years old and lives in the Magway Region. He works as a teacher at a private high school. Since 2016, he has volunteered with the youth Red Cross. He is interested in first aid and enjoys doing humanitarian work. In his free time, he helps with Red Cross humanitarian activities.

“Young people should have the right to be heard and to contribute. Through the life skills and SPRiNT, I learned how important youth are in creating positive change and how to manage conflicts effectively. I also gained valuable experience in being a good listener.” said Ye Htet San, a volunteer with the Magway Red Cross Youth.

The training, facilitated by Ms. Maria and Ms. Sherlock from the Danish Red Cross Youth, focuses on developing personal thinking skills to manage stress, set goals, and tackle challenges effectively.

That training taught how to communicate positively and find effective ways to solve community problems. Youth Volunteers learned by practicing these skills themselves.

Mi Htun Lawun New, 22, lives in Hpa-an Township, Kayin State, and has been a Red Cross volunteer since 2019.

“Before joining the life skills and SPRiNT, I knew little about life skills. I didn’t know how to handle conflicts, and young people were often hesitant to communicate with each other. Now, after completing the training, I have learned how to connect with others and better understand their challenges and feelings. We need to share what we have learned with other youth in the community. I also believe that young people will have enhanced role,” said Lawun, a volunteer with the Kayin Red Cross Youth.

The Myanmar Red Cross Society’s Organizational Development Department, in partnership with the Danish Red Cross and Danish Red Cross Youth, conducted a life skills and SPRiNT for 20 young Red Cross volunteers from Karen State and Magway Division. Held from September 23 to September 27, the training aimed to prepare these volunteers to become life skills facilitators and lead life-skills sessions within their communities. By the end of the course, volunteers are expected to share what they learned during the five days with youth in their community.

Through the “Life Skills Training for Youth,” transformed from young Red Cross volunteers into strong leaders who can support community.