iWomen
Photo from: iWomen Website
How an app is helping
empower rural women
in Myanmar
By: Bolun Li, Yiheng Wu
MYANMAR
18 months ago, May Doe Ka-
bar (National Network of Rural
Women) and UNDP Myanmar
started iWomen – a mobile ap-
plication that aims to connect
women from rural Myanmar
to inspire them, foster their
self-belief, and channel men-
torship and peer support in
their lives.
The app was developed by
Myanmar’s tech women for
its rural women. So far, it has
successfully connected over
2000 self-reliant groups with a
membership of 22,000 women.
Background of the
project
In recent years, there has
been an increase in internet
accessibility and the decrease
For a long time, life for rural of SIM card costs in Myan-
women in Myanmar meant a mar. With the rapidly growing
huge deal of sacrifices, depriva- mobile industry boosting the
tion of their rights, and a lack potential of applying technol-
ogy in solving social problems,
of opportunities.
iWomen was conceived at the
Daw Cho Aye, a village wom- right time.
an and the founder of May Doe
Kabar, was driven to make a
change. She wanted to establish
a platform that can connect
women and motivate them to
support each other.
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