(Photo 1) Myanmar residents selling goods in temporary vacancy after market closes due to COVID-19

(Photo 2) A water tank that supplies safe drinking water to residents. The installed UV device ensures clean water and hygiene.

(Photo 3) The site of community center construction participated by villagers  

" Ecovillage, a Sustainable Ecofriendly Village established in Shan State, Myanmar "

Myanmar Ecovillage is a sustainable, eco-friendly village built in an ethnic minority village in Nyaungshwe Township, Shan State. Following the first Ecovillage project in Bangladesh, the Korea Green Foundation has been carrying out the Myanmar Ecovillage project with KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) and KMF (Kalyana Mitta Development Foundation) since 2019 to present.

In 2020, COVID-19 has brought many changes to the lives of Myanmar residents and the Ecovillage project plan. COVID-19 has halted economic activities and led to food shortages, but there were insufficient supplies and sanitation information provided to residents for quarantine and the disease prevention.

Accordingly, the Korea Green Foundation identified the needs of the village community and distributed cloth mask kits, emergency food, organic fertilizers and seeds, and prevention policy promotional materials to 50 villages through the KOICA COVID-19 Emergency Support Project. The foundation also installed a total of 33 tons of water tanks and wash basins in three schools in three Ecovillages, to promote the hand washing hygiene education on students. Also, the foundation donated medical supplies to the Nyaungshwe Township Hospital to support its quarantine and disease treatment activities.

In the second half of 2020, the rainwater collection facility project that had been suspended due to COVID-19 was resumed and completed. This project will guarantee the 'securing of sustainable village resources', one of the main goals of Ecovillage, and the rainwater stored during the rainy season will be used in the dry season to solve the water shortages among residents. A community center is also being built for residents to gather, interact, and make democratic decisions. Everyone looks forward to using the community center as a space for various education, cultural events, and children as soon as the Coronavirus ends.

In 2021, the Korea Green Foundation will continue to support the self-reliance and lives of environmentally vulnerable groups in Asian countries and create a sustainable village that can respond to the climate crisis.

* Instagram(kor): https://www.instagram.com/kor_ecovillage/