May Thu Ne Win was once a medical doctor in Myanmar. She left this work to become a peace builder in local communities. In September 2024, IofC International recognised her work through the presentation of its annual Trustbuilding Award. May spoke with Delia Paul about her work and life.
Working for peace with Myanmar’s minority communities
Born and raised in Myanmar, May’s family responsibilities began early in life. She began working and earning to support her parents and sister, nine years younger, even before graduating from medical school. “I struggled and faced a lot of challenges,” she said. It was May’s mother who kept on encouraging her to move towards her personal and professional goals.
After graduating, she served as a clinic team leader with an international aid organisation, offering healthcare to Arakan and Rohingya minority groups in conflict-affected areas. Through this work, she became increasingly involved in women’s rights, peace and security issues, reporting on the status of women and the challenges faced in Myanmar.
“I led and facilitated a working group on international legal frameworks, and I also served on different task forces relating to gender equality. My work addressed not only women and girls—I also served the LGBTIQ+ community,” she explained. .
In 2016, she was voted by her peers as the most active member of Myanmar’s Gender Equality Network, a coalition group of more than 100 organizations and technical experts.
After almost a decade of improvements in peace and security, however, May’s work was curtailed when the Myanmar armed forces overthrew the democratically-elected government in 2021. It was a time of increased violence against civil society. Despite many difficulties, she was able to apply for an Australia Awards scholarship, which brought her to Sydney in 2023 to study a Master’s degree in Social Justice.
Meeting Initiatives of Change
In February 2024, Creators of Peace, an Initiatives of Change program, visited the University of Sydney campus. “I met Shoshana Faire as she facilitated a peace circle with students,” said May. “I saw that Initiatives of Change is involved in peacebuilding and trust building between countries, and I really wanted to learn more about how to build inner peace and outer peace. Since February this year I have participated in many Creators of Peace events, including volunteering at public events where Creators of Peace is present, such as Refugee Week and Harmony Week.”
Her work with Creators of Peace led to recommendations by colleagues that she should apply for the annual Trustbuilding Awards given out by Initiatives of Change. To earn the Trustbuilding Award, candidates must demonstrate exceptional leadership in building trust, and show evidence that the work is sustained.
Announcing the 2024 award, the selection panel commented on May’s work: “Against a backdrop of decades of ethnic conflict, exacerbated by brutalities committed by the military in Myanmar… her work facilitates initiatives that raise the voices of women in the community, and that empower them to step into roles of leadership and advocacy to bridge ethnic and gender divides and advocate for peace and trustbuilding.” The award provided travel and accommodation costs for May to visit the US for the ceremony.
May’s plans include further activities among ethnic minority communities in Myanmar, including online or in-person Creators of Peace Circles and story sharing. When her MA studies conclude, she hopes to take forward collaboration with Initiatives of Change, perhaps through organising exchanges, especially in the area of trauma recovery through Creators of Peace and the Life Matters program.
“Myanmar is one of the world’s most conflicted-affected countries,” May commented “We have lots of trauma—physical, mental and emotional. I believe that, through strong commitment and dedication, we can build a peaceful society for all people, including women and girls.”
You can read May’s personal story here.
