World Vision helps Zin and her family get back on their feet with livelihood recovery support

Zin, a 30-year-old widow and mother of a 2-year-old daughter, is the sole provider for her family of four. She supports herself, her daughter, her grandmother, and her aunt.

Before the earthquake, Zin worked as a daily laborer in a weaving business. She earned only 7,000–8,000 MMK (about $2) per day. Because of frequent power cuts in town, her work was often interrupted, and this unsteady income made it a constant struggle for the family to survive.

In the middle of this struggle, an earthquake severely damaged Zin’s home. Since the house was no longer safe, the family moved into a temporary shelter for eight months. While they received support from charity organizations, Zin never stopped working to cover her family’s other needs. Eventually, they repaired their home and were able to move back.

When World Vision launched its recovery program to help families restart their livelihoods, Zin saw a way forward. Using her existing skills, she proposed starting her own thread-winding business—this time using a machine instead of doing it manually.

"I received 900,000 MMK (about $230) as livelihood support," Zin shares. "I bought a thread-winding machine and started my own business. I don't need to go out to work; I can stay at home and work."

"I now earn 15,000–20,000 MMK (about $4–$5) a day, and even more when demand is high," Zin says with a smile. The change has been a huge impact for her family. Having her own business has allowed her to better support her loved ones and spend more time caring for her daughter.

In the Mandalay Region, where a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck on 28 March 2025, affected families are rebuilding their lives one year after the disaster with support from World Vision.

This two-year recovery project supports earthquake‑affected families and children by restoring livelihoods, improving water and sanitation, and implementing child protection and safeguarding interventions. As of 18 March 2026, World Vision has provided livelihood assistance to 1,645 families affected by the earthquake, helping them rebuild their businesses and restore long‑term stability. This followed a two‑day technical training session designed to help vulnerable families develop business plans and increase their income for long-term recovery.

World Vision continues to provide life-saving relief and recovery support to children and families. Through our humanitarian efforts—both immediate relief and long-term recovery—we aim to support 560,353 people, including 172,000 children. As of 18 March 2026, we have reached 581,269 people, including 194,784 children (107,016 girls and 87,732 boys).