Covid-19 Update from Indawgyi

The Indawgyi region, like many parts of rural Myanmar, has its own set of challenges and success stories coming from the Covid-19 pandemic. Local authorities shut down travel and heightened health security at checkpoints at the end of April and will continue until May 15th. While far away from the larger caseloads of Yangon, village leaders around the lake have gotten creative with the necessary safety precautions for their residents.

Localizing Prevention

One of the most active and visible community organizations is the Shanni Youth Network, located in far northern Panla Village. They quickly started hosting trainings with doctors on the best hygienic practices and erected many educational signs around the village. They, of course, made this unique to Indawgyi and their skills sets.

The Shanni Youth Network printed bilingual Shanni-Burmese educational signs for washing hands and wearing masks. In Panla, where most residents are Shanni and a strong Shanni language program resides, this is a creative way to combine Covid prevention with local culture. They didn’t stop there—as one of the first places to start making and selling all-natural fruit infused soap at Indawgyi, they provided their soap for free at local washing stations. The village monastery, which is the primary Shanni Youth Network meeting spot, also donated some iconic saffron-colored monk robes to make homemade masks so that everyone can protect themselves.

Adapting to New Distances

Social distancing, another key safety measure, can be challenging for the close-knit communities at Indawgyi. From the morning market to evening neighborhood walks, local residents are constantly in close proximity to one another. Different from city living, neighboring families are visiting from one house to the next throughout the day, and the general attitude is that your door is always open. This makes social distancing an especially foreign concept. Nevertheless, village leadership is implementing whatever it can to better safeguard residents in large public venues, starting with morning markets.

Lwemun Village is one village that has changed its usual routine. Located halfway up the western shore of Indawgyi, their Covid story involves masks and painted boxes. The daily morning market moved from the normal street-side stalls to the big football field so that both vendors and customers have more room to safely social distance. Painted about every three meters in neat rows, white boxes indicate where each vendor can set up their station for the morning. Not all villages have not relocated their markets, but masks have become a requirement for anyone planning to shop in the market areas.

Early Days

Luckily, there have been very few reported cases throughout Myanmar so far and none in our home of Kachin State. Regardless, each of the villages around Indawgyi Lake is adapting to this new reality with the necessary face masks, hand sanitizers, and educational tools for residents. Even a place this remote feels the same pressures from a global pandemic, and it’s important to see what local communities are working on. We will keep you updated on the latest changes and news from Indawgyi during these Covid times. Wherever you are, stay safe and social distance!