(Doo Doh Hta Village, Karen/Kayin State)

Periodic rice shortages were for long a problem for families at Doo Doh Hta village in Karen State.

And when the rice ran out, accessing supplies from outside was difficult.

“People are very poor. They have no extra money to buy rice … and it is very far and time-consuming to travel to buy it,’’ said Naw Lay Wah, a village resident and leader.

Support from the Karen Environment and Social Action Network (KESAN), a TBC partner, helped the village make positive changes.

“We established a rice bank with KESAN’s support. Now it benefits more than 20 households. Villagers facing a rice shortage can borrow some from the bank and return it at harvest time. This is very useful for our community. We plan to continue and improve the bank,’’ said Naw Lay Wah.

“Nearby villages have heard about our project and have started to operate their own banks,” she added.

TBC’s Burma/Myanmar Programme supports KESAN and other civil society organisations to conduct recovery and community-driven development projects in conflict-affected parts of southeast Burma/Myanmar.