From Business Success to Grassroots Resistance

Before the 2021 coup in Myanmar, Ma Khaing Yin Mon was a thriving businesswoman in Yangon’s growing SME sector. Today, she is living in a conflict zone, promoting indigenous language education and advocating for women’s health—all while adjusting to the uncertainties of life in a revolutionary movement.

Her story is not one of sudden transformation, but of choice and resilience, made under immense pressure.

“I never imagined the resistance would last this long,” she says. “At the beginning, many of us thought it would be over in weeks. How naive we were.”

A Businesswoman Turned Dissident

Born and raised in Yangon, Ma Khaing Yin Mon earned a degree in Industrial Chemistry from Dagon University in 2008. Though her academic background was in science, her natural interest in communication and branding led her to a marketing role at The Myanmar Times, eventually co-founding an aesthetic clinic in 2017 at the height of Myanmar’s economic expansion.

But in February 2021, that trajectory came to a halt. Outraged by the military coup, she joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), using her voice and networks to support the uprising. Soon after, her name appeared on state-run media with a warrant issued under Penal Code Section 505(A), a charge used to silence dissent.

“It felt like my life was suddenly erased…my business, my apartment, everything. I had to choose safety or silence,” she recalls.

Forced to flee Yangon, she relocated to Lay Kay Kaw, where she helped fund a mobile hospital to treat those injured in the conflict. “There was a clear need—people were risking their lives to travel just to get basic care. I thought, if we can bring care to them, it’s one less risk they have to take.”

She later moved into a Karen National Union (KNU)-controlled area and worked with the local news and information department, reading updates for a resistance radio program.

Promoting Indigenous Language Education

Living among the Karen community stirred something deeper in her.

"I didn’t know much about the Karen language or culture, as I was born Burmese. Being here revealed the fragility of that identity and the urgency to protect it,” she reflects.

In 2023, combining her communications experience with cultural advocacy, she co-founded Karen Vibes, a social media platform offering lessons in Sgaw Karen and Pwo Karen, along with news and cultural content. It now has over 140,000 followers and serves as both an educational tool and a community anchor.

“Our goal isn’t just to teach language. It’s to create pride and connection—especially for younger Karen who grew up disconnected from their roots.”

Women’s Health as Resistance

In parallel, Ma Khaing Yin Mon began addressing another often-overlooked issue in conflict zones: women’s health. Through her YouTube channel Ivy’s Woman Lifestyle and several Facebook groups, she shares knowledge on gynecology, wellness, and body literacy.

“These topics are rarely discussed openly, especially in displaced communities. But health is power. If women don’t understand their own bodies, how can they protect themselves?”

She joined the Feminism Residency Program in Mae Sot, where she engaged in storytelling workshops with other feminist activists. 

“Talking with other women who were also navigating war, displacement, and activism helped me realize we all carry similar burdens. But sharing those stories makes them lighter.”

A Story Still Unfolding

Despite losing her old life, Ma Khaing Yin Mon remains grounded in purpose.

“I’ve let go of what harms me, physically and mentally,” she says. “Survival is hard, but I believe this life is real, what comes next is uncertain. I hold on to the hope that I’ll travel the world one day. That dream keeps me moving.”

Her journey continues, shaped not just by resistance, but by a determination to reclaim language, community, and dignity. Exile Hub is proud to stand beside her and others who are building from loss, not to save, but to sustain.