LocationsMa Win Shwe’s Journey to Success as a Woman Entrepreneur
January 5, 2025
Ma Win Shwe tending to her pig.
In the village of Ywar Thar, Nyaung Shwe Township, Shan State 43-year-old Ma Win Shwe defied the odds and became a beacon of hope and inspiration for women in her community. As a mother of two sons aged 15 and 11, she never imagined that she could become a role model.
In 2022, Ma Win Shwe became part of a group of the women from poor and vulnerable households that decided to work together to chart their own development. Assisted by UNDP ENCORE Community Facilitators, the group gathered information about their income and livelihood condition, undertook participatory livelihood assessment (PLA) to identify problems and opportunities for earning income within their village, and decide on livelihood activities they can work on together. Selected to implement a livelihood project that they chose and designed themselves, Ma Win Shwe and her group secured a modest grant from the UNDP ENCORE’s Start-Up Livelihood Assistance for Women (SLAW) activity and bought pigs to help begin their entrepreneurial journey.
The road to change and empowerment was not easy, but Ma Win Swe and her group used past failures as lessons to forge ahead. “I used to struggle with raising pigs. I lost 16 pigs in the past because I didn’t know how to care for them properly,” she shared honestly. Alongside the grant support, she and her group actively participated in vital training on modern livestock management, including proper feeding techniques, building hygienic shelters, and ensuring access to clean water for animals, all with UNDP ENCORE support. “With the training and support from this project, I and others felt more confident that we will succeed.”
Ma Win Shwe proudly standing with her two cows.
With patience and hard work, Ma Win Shwe and others in her village have slowly turned their hope into reality. In a bold move, she bought a cow with the pigs she received, fattened, and sold after one cycle of pig raising. Within three months, her livestock had grown to two cows and two pigs, thanks to her dedication and newly acquired skills. “In my village, most people can only afford to raise pigs. Owning cows is rare, and I’m proud to be the second person here to do so. It’s given me so much confidence,” she said with pride. Ma Win Shwe and her group’s determination also enabled them to improve the conditions for her animals by building sturdy brick shelters, ensuring a safe and healthy environment for them.
Ma Win Shwe’s success was remarkable not just for the economic improvement it brought her and her household, but also for what it symbolized for women in her village. “This is my biggest achievement as a woman. I never thought I could become a successful businesswoman, but now my dreams have come true. I’m proud to be seen as a model for women entrepreneurs in my village,” she said, her face glowing with joy.
Ma Win Shwe’s journey is a powerful reminder that by supporting women to define their condition and needs, decide together on a collective course of action, and gain access to resources, training, and opportunities, women in the poorest communities will overcome barriers, demonstrate empowerment for resilience, and achieve sustainable success. “This journey has changed my life. It’s not just about raising animals—it’s about proving to myself and others that women can achieve their dreams,” she concluded.
Ma Win Shwe’s story, and others like hers, also showcases the transformative impact of community-led initiatives like UNDP ENCORE even under the context of on-going crisis. With the determination of women in communities and programs like the UNDP ENCORE that provide carefully calibrated support sustained throughout the response - recovery - resilience building continuum, Ma Win Shwe and others like her will pave the way for women in poor and vulnerable communities to dream big and achieve even bigger.