Following Myanmar’s economic changes of 2011, the government established the Myanmar De-velopment Resource Institute (MDRI) and its three separate centers: the Center for Economic and Social Development, the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Center for Legal Affairs. The MDRI was created for the purpose of serving as an independent source of policy anal-ysis for the government. According to the Brookings Institute, the MDEI was also expected to play an important role in informing the public about policy issues and in training policymakers and policy analysts.

Launched with the support of several sponsors in 2014, including Internews, Phandeeyar previously operated as Code for Change Myanmar. Phandeeyar is an initiative aimed at fostering tech start-ups and projects initiated by the country’s comparatively adept community of technology professionals. The group sponsors a number of activities that are purposefully geared toward innovation and sparking innovative ideas incorporating technology in the economy. For example, with support of USAID, the group sponsored a “Business Solutions Hackathon,” twice implemented in 2014 and again in 2015. More than 100 developers, designers and entrepreneurs work over the course of the events to create technology applications that responded to challenges presented by the sponsors. For the second Hackathon in 2014, challenges ranged from creating a simple app for accounting to a means of managing table reservations for restaurants. Although the majority of participants were men, a notable aspect of the 2014 Hackathon was the high representation of women among the winning teams: Among the teams placing first and third, all but two members were women, according to Internews. Code for Change continues to welcome women tech entrepreneurs to participate in its activities, including “Phandeeyar: Myanmar Innovation Lab,” a project that encourages Myanmar’s tech community to network with NGOs, businesses, and the media to “build the tools and platforms to accelerate change and development in Myanmar.” In particular, Phandeeyar offers a co-working space in Yangon where training activities, competitions, and other networking events will take place.

The Yangon Bakehouse is a social enterprise dedicated “to working with disadvantaged women in need of a second chance, providing them with skills to earn a livelihood and them placing them in a restaurant/café or domestic culinary employment.” The Bakehouse employs around 65 people, including a set of apprentices who are engaged in a 10-month training program. Other employees work at the restaurant/coffee shop in Yangon; the baking and cooking facility, which also provides catering services; spaces used for classroom training; and certain on-site locations, such as the Coca Cola company’s lunch canteen. The Bakehouse identifies potential participants for its programs through its relationships with other organizations that serve vulnerable women, including PACT, the YWCA, Akhaya, and others. Participants in the program generally must be 18-45 and may not be HIV-positive.

Established and registered in 1858, the YKNWA has long been dedicated to the welfare and development of women in Myanmar. All women are invited to participate in the group’s programs and services, regardless of ethnicity or religion. The association sponsors a vocational and training center oriented toward young women (14-25). The center trains women on life skills, small business skills, and micro-finance, and other skills. It also offers vocational training in such areas as sewing, cooking, embroidery, fruit preservation, child care, weaving, and agriculture and livestock. The goods produced by women who participate in the programs are often sold through a small store operated by the center. The center was also established as a temporary shelter to care for women who have escaped or been rescued from human trafficking.

Launched in 2004 pursuant to Myanmar’s Law on Cooperatives, Golden Plain provides a range of services to rural communities throughout the economy, with an emphasis on training and agricultural productivity. Although its services are available to all producers, women often represent the majority of participants in their programs and a number of training activities are oriented toward women’s livelihoods, including development of enterprises, in general. Among other areas of capacity-building, Golden Plain has implemented programs for Agriculture Extension Workers, including through a Farmers’ Field School, as well as training activities Training of Trainers (FFS-TOT); crop husbandry; home gardening; livestock management; creation of “banks” for rice and seeds; small business development; food processing and preservation; and democracy and governance. Much of Golden Plain’s work is supported by Myanmar’s donor community and international NGOs, including SWISS Aid, JICA, and Save the Children.

Named for a Burmese word meaning “Main,” Akhaya provides support, policy advocacy, capacity-building and legal representation on behalf of women victims of domestic and sexual violence in Myanmar. Established in 2008, the organization’s activities significantly elevated after 2011. The mission of the group is to serve victims of domestic violence across all regions. In addition to providing immediate support for victims of sexual violence as well as legal representation, the group provides livelihood training for victims, including through training in handicrafts or job counseling. Akhaya also engages in outreach to businesses that can assist with garnering public support and raising funds, including through handicraft sales). Akhaya employs around six people, including counselors, trainers, and administrative help. For the purposes of sharing information and referring women to services, Akhaya has relationships with other organizations with similar interests in supporting poor women or victims of sexual abuse. These include the Islamic Women’s Foundation; the Chin Indigenous group; Women Living with AIDs; and others. Akhaya offers its training resources to other groups, such as to apprentices employed by the Yangon Bakehouse, which itself has a life-skills training program for apprentices. Akhaya promotes its activities through word of mouth and communications over the internet.