My name is Aye Myint Myat. I’m 25 years old and I’m from Myanmar. I’m a final-year student at West Yangon University in Yangon, but I recently stopped my university studies due to Myanmar's difficult situation.
In 2021, there was a military coup in Myanmar, and now there is a lot of fighting. Many people have been hurt or killed, and many others have lost their homes. The economy is also struggling. Some places are still fighting, so it's not that stable. I am currently attending as a trainee at Life Project 4 Youth (LP4Y).
Challenges I Faced: Economic Hardship, Societal Expectations, and Barriers to Education
As a young woman, I have faced many challenges, including economic hardship, societal expectations, and barriers to education. In Myanmar, the economic situation has become increasingly difficult, with the rising cost of everyday essentials making it even harder for struggling families to afford basic needs. In society, traditional gender roles and expectations often limit girls' access to education and opportunities, with early marriage and childbearing still prevalent in some communities. Education itself remains a challenge, as many families cannot afford school fees, uniforms, and books making it especially difficult for me to pursue my studies.
Before joining LP4Y, I honestly had no hope. I spent most of my time in my room. In 2020, when COVID-19 began, we had to stay home. Then, on February 1st, 2021, the military (Tatmadaw) seized power in Myanmar, and life became even more restricted. For 3 to 4 years, I barely went outside, couldn’t meet my friends, and spent most of my time on my phone. Sometimes, I helped my mom, but mostly, I felt stuck and unsure about my future. Starting from the COVID-19 year, I was living my life with no passion.
Struggling Between Education and Career
As a young woman, I struggled between pursuing my education and building a career. In my community, people often say that girls shouldn’t work, and they question how I can succeed without experience. At the same time, my relatives constantly ask me, "When will you finish university? When will you get married?” These questions made me feel lost. I kept wondering should I continue my studies or start working? I didn’t know what path to take, and it left me feeling uncertain about my future. In Myanmar, with the country being unstable due to political issues, youths and all the people in Myanmar struggle a lot.
Discovering LP4Y: A Light in the Darkness
I heard about LP4Y from my brother, and I decided to join this program because I saw a light in this program that could get me out of my comfort zone and help me change my life. I want to be an independent woman. I want to be social and help other people in the community. I want to be a new version of myself.
When I stepped into the program, at first, I was really nervous and excited. And I was also afraid that I couldn’t do this. I wasn’t sure if I could really get out of my comfort zone and communicate with new people, seeing new things. Or if I could fit into the program. And also, speaking English was a challenge for me. But I was really thrilled to step into the program.
First Impressions: Welcoming Environment and Valuable Training
My first impression of the program was that I was really happy to join it and get an offer like this. My first impression of this program is that I am really impressed with the Youths and Coaches' training. They’re really welcoming and nice. The training is super. I gained soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills that made me feel more empowered as a young woman. Yes, LP4Y helped me a lot, like communicating with new people, doing new things. Also, our Coaches said,
Do what you love, do what you like
And then I gained confidence, even when I met challenges. I dared to challenge myself.
Proud Moments: Taking On Leadership Roles and Gaining Confidence
There was a moment when I felt proud of myself as a woman. In January, I did community training as a trainer at Dala Community Center. The topic was “Job Search”. I also was the Master of Ceremony for the graduation ceremony and the Project Leader for the Event Team** and other small tasks. That’s when I felt confident and strong.
Introducing LP4Y to the Community
When we introduced LP4Y to the community, they thought it was really good. They wanted their sons or daughters to join the program. Some youths also wanted to join the program, and some were interested in visiting our center to learn more. Overall, they were really interested.
Inspiring Role Models: Coach Bawk Pan NPyen
There’s one Coach Bawk Pan NPyen, who inspired me a lot as a woman. She is a motivational and active person who worked in the women's empowerment sector. During her training, she shared her experiences with us, "How to overcome gender discrimination from conservative families to achieve our dream jobs." She also provided valuable information about women's rights and gave me advice that kept me motivated.
Advice to Young Women: Never Give Up
I would like to give advice to other young women who face obstacles or lack opportunities.
Never give up! Don’t lose hope. We’re here with you!
Yes, I have talked about LP4Y to other women, my friends, and my community.
Understanding Women’s Empowerment
From my perspective, women's empowerment is making women powerful and capable of making decisions for themselves. Women have suffered a lot through the years at the hands of men. In earlier centuries, they were treated as almost non-existent. Rights belonged to men, even something as basic as voting.
After I joined LP4Y, women’s empowerment became real for me. It's not just abstract equality; it's about helping women discover their strengths, build confidence, and support each other to achieve our dreams, big or small.
My Future Goals
My goals for the future are to share my knowledge, get a decent job in business and education, and I would like to travel around the world. For me, I hope to contribute to women's rights and equality by providing information and resources about the issues that women face and by raising awareness about the importance of gender equality. I also want to connect women with organizations and resources that can help them to achieve their goals.
Final Words: Empowerment, Support, and Unity
Don’t feel like you are alone. We women are here for each other. Don’t think low about us. If we want to, we can be a mother, a wife, a worker, a businesswoman all at the same time. We can be whatever we want to be. So don’t hesitate to start new things as a woman.
If I could describe my journey with LP4Y in one word related to empowerment, it would be "Transformative."
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