Daw Moe Khaing, a member of her Village Health Committee (VHC) at Inn Chaung works with Save the Children in Myanmar on a CS WASH Fund supported project. She said, “I am happy to lead the water fee collection team in my village. I have never been the leader of any work before, aside from just cooking in the kitchen. I thought the social activities of our village did not concern me and that only men lead activities because we (women) did not want to lead."

“But it is changed now after we received the gender training and encouragement to participate actively in WASH activities in our village. The women are taking a front role in the VHC and other social activities. I, myself, became a member of the village health committee. We, the women, are involved in designing and laying out of the piped water system. We carry and connect the pipeline trench as much as the men for our village’s water supply. Now, we are participating in sanitation activities, especially in the construction of fly-proof latrines to stop open defecation and to improve the cleanliness of our village’s environment. That is why I am very glad that we can speak our opinion and work together with the men, now we know that we have the right to do so.”

Recorded by: Thaik Main Htun, Save the Children Myanmar