Meet Our Women Leaders
We work with many incredible women leaders. Here we feature three of them.
Check back as we introduce you to more of our Groundbreakers.
Khin Nwe
“I am deaf and know how hard it is to find opportunities. That’s why I was so proud to lead this training for 25 women, with funding from Groundswell. It was motivating to see participants learn the skill and start selling their soap after the session. In these difficult times, their determination inspires me and I’m happy I could encourage them to move forward with confidence”
Khin lost her hearing when she was 8 years old. She is now a leading deaf activist in Myanmar advocating for disability rights and providing training and gender-based violence (GBV) counselling for people with disabilities. Khin wants to ensure that people with disabilities receive the support they deserve. “I recently met a disabled child in a remote community who everyone thought was deaf. I soon realised she wasn’t. This shows the lack of basic health and disability awareness, particularly in remote communities.” Khin is driven to change this and used a small grant from Groundswell to raise awareness about disability rights and the need for accurate health information. Khin also wants to enhance her expertise in GBV, reproductive health and human rights to maximise the impact she has advocating for people with disabilities in Myanmar.
Nang
Nang is a highly experienced and respected leader. She works in a conflict-affected area, where many people are displaced and suffer chronic stress due to the ongoing conflict. Drawing on what she learnt in the Groundswell training, Nang used her small grant to support 35 women, providing them with techniques to improve their mental well-being. Her sessions had a major impact on the women. As one participant said: “Please don’t stop here. More women need this kind of support. We carry so much silent grief, fear, exhaustion but rarely have a space to release it. This session reminded me that I’m not alone, and it gave me the strength to face tomorrow with a lighter heart. So many other women in our community are still waiting for this kind of healing.”
“Facilitating the stress management sessions was deeply moving for me. Bringing the women out of their displacement camp into nature gave them a chance to reconnect with the world beyond their daily struggles. They were able to open their hearts and minds. It reminded me of the strength we can find when we create safe spaces not just within ourselves, but around us as well”
Shwe
“So many young people in my community face difficulties. I want to give then hope and a feeling that they can move forward with their lives in a positive way”
Shwe is an inspirational young leader, with a passion for supporting young people in her community, many of whom have been displaced by the ongoing conflict in Myanmar. Such is her commitment, she uses her own money to organise various activities for young people, including providing them with personal development skills training and running a reading club. Shwe also leads initiatives to address other issues in her community including the organisation of a community clean-up event and the preparation of emergency shelters for people fleeing the conflict.
Shwe is happy to be participating in Groundswell’s 2026 leadership programme. As she explains: “In the past I took part in many training programmes. Now, because of the conflict, Groundswell is the only organisation supporting me. I can learn from women who have more experience than me in other areas. One participant is a paralegal and handles gender-based violence cases – I can learn from her and apply the knowledge to support women in my community.”
Please note that due to the security situation, names and identifying details of program participants have been anonymized to protect their privacy.