She writes and acts

When I was given the assignment to interview a woman activist in my community, a special writer-activist appeared in my mind immediately Several of her writings make me cry for the various struggling people she describes. One of her novels was translated and published in Japan. I would like to share with World Pulse many of the interesting things I heard from this very special Burmese woman. She is Ms.Than Myint Aung..She is in her fifties and has two married daughters . She raised her daughters on her own after she lost her husband in 1986. Now her daughters have been helping in her community development projects. One is helping in environmental training and another one is helping with technological support. So I would like to share about her empowerment I have found out from the interview I set up.
She entered in to the world of journalism in 1987 with the name of Than Myint Aung .She wrote her first short story “Television Suffering” in Tine Yin May magazine, (a woman's magazine) and she mostly write real life based stories and she also writes articles about vulnerable people in societies in magazines and journals which makes public awareness to participate. She has written three novels, eleven short stories books and a book titled ‘Fields of social and charity’ together with other writers and another ten longer stories so far.

She is very well-known for her commitments in the communities .She supports the needs of the students at some monastic schools and nan's schools and is also providing students moral and ethic courses. And she established and has been running a fees free school for ten years. Another her big imitation was setting up a HIV/ AIDS positive orphanage with her friends and donors’ colorization and supports. ’ The isolated community of leprosy people and their families was made public known by her writing and now they have lots of mental supports , medical support and livelihood support from local and oversea .Very famous monk Ashin Zawana and other writers’ involvement has been very efficient to do the projects effectively.

In 2000 she studied environmental protection food and general consumer production protection and their rights, natural fertilizer and organic plantation, micro finance and other community development studies in Cambodia, Thai and Malaysia. When she arrived in Myanmar she established Green Love Team with other two trainees from the courses and other enthusiasts. . The goals of the project are to be safer , healthier and cheaper with the products made from fruits plants and vegetables than using chemical products and making income and raising fund with these products. One of our achievements from this project is at the monastic charity center with over six hundred children of different ethnic groups. Their products are become widely used in the community and they are going to extend their markets. Another goal is that to avoid from being dependent from donations and to be independent with their income. This can also lead to reduce the unemployment They are also teaching how to produce chemical free products like shampoo, facial cleansing and laundry soaps which are made from fruits. We are providing the courses, especially to charity centers and organizations, unemployed people from Nargis cyclone affected regions and other NGOs .

Another important thing she did was doing the research of modern therapy for the mental health care at the Hospital of Mental Health Care with other activists And they also set up an elderly center for the elderly with no support and suffering from illness which need special care which other centers difficult to provide. So her friends and she set up a center called Sizar Yeik (Shelter of the Dawn)to support care and medical assistance . She also assists Chairman U Kyaw Thu from Free Funeral Service Society as a Secretary.”
She said “collaborating” plays the crucial role in doing charity works for the society. The first example is the teachers in my free school, Aung Myay ( Victory Land ), are vital elements for the future of the students. More than three hundred students who cannot afford for their education expense have been high school graduates from that school.
And the collaboration among professional and other activists increased the care of two HIV/AIDS orphans to sixty orphans at the orphanage where created parental love and care as same as real family life. They are also having complete child right Another point is international and local collaborating at Free Funeral Service Society and Thu Kha Charity Clinic. Local and oversea donors , medical professionals ,and volunteers play main role for health care and free funeral service for the community

In conclusion she is one of my role models who is always plays in leading role and participatory role with her power of writing , power of care and supports. She was able to overcome many challenges to solve the most vulnerable issues in the communities. So I am so delightful to write this article as an honoring .