November 11, 2024 – Dr. Nway Eint Chei is a 2019 ASEAN Women’s Leadership Summit alumna representing Myanmar. She serves as a Health and Nutrition Officer (UN Volunteer Specialist) with UNICEF and a Visiting Lecturer at the Myanmar Creative University and holds a Doctorate in Public Health from Mahidol University.

Although I was born in Yangon City, I was raised in a small town called Zigon, surrounded by nature. I spent countless hours with my siblings and friends playing our traditional games, riding bikes and exploring. While this instilled in me a profound love for the outdoors and a strong sense of belonging, growing up in a rural town made accessing education, modern technology and even electricity a challenge - I have unforgettable memories of reading books by candlelight every night.

It wasn’t until my final year of undergraduate study that I found my passion. I had the opportunity to travel to Thaton, a rural township in Mon State, for a residential field training. During the trip, I visited hospitals and rural health centers and then had the chance to lead community health education sessions on malaria. Although I faced a language barrier, some villagers kindly helped translate my sessions and afterwards, the listeners shared that they finally understood malaria was caused by mosquito bites and now knew how to prevent it. It was then that I realized many people still lack access to credible health information at the community level and decided to focus my work and passion on public health initiatives.

Myanmar is an incredibly ethnically diverse country and it has been challenging to navigate different cultural and religious contexts while promoting public health. The Harpswell ASEAN Summit helped me learn that I cannot address these complex cultural differences alone. One of my favorite parts of the Summit was the sense of connection and collaboration amongst the sisters from so many different countries. During a particularly inspiring workshop, we each shared our personal stories and challenges. It was powerful to see how our diverse backgrounds brought unique perspectives to the table, fostering a deep sense of one community despite our differences. Through my medical work, volunteering, and relationships, I aspire to foster this greater sense of community and connection, bridging our diverse cultures.

Women in Myanmar face a number of distinct challenges. In areas affected by Myanmar’s active conflict and civil war, the majority of children and women are suffering from various forms of violence, whether domestic, sexual or political. In addition to facing violence, women often lack decision-making power, despite being the primary caregivers for their families. Therefore, I work to empower fellow Burmese women by creating opportunities like mother-to-mother support groups, establishing grandmothers groups and training them as community health volunteers.

I envision a future where all women have equal access to quality education, allowing them to pursue their dreams. I hope for supportive communities that celebrate women’s achievements and foster leadership skills, enabling them to take on roles in decision-making and advocacy. Additionally, I aspire for a culture that promotes gender equality, where young women can pursue careers in any field without facing discrimination or barriers. I hope they can participate actively in shaping their communities and have access to resources that support their health and well-being. Ultimately, I dream of a generation of young women in Myanmar and Southeast Asia who are confident, resilient, and equipped to lead positive change in their lives and the world around them.