Migrant Workers Strive to Get Back on Their Feet: Ma Myo’s Story

I migrated to Thailand in 2018, hoping for better work and living conditions. Back in Myanmar, it was difficult for me to find a job that could support our living expenses. 

When I first came to Thailand, I worked as a domestic worker for two years. Then, I moved to work as a server in a seafood restaurant. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 outbreak happened right after I moved. The restaurant shut down. Just like that, I lost my job. 

I went to find another job – this time, as a vegetable picker in Mae Sot, Tak province, along the border with Myanmar. I was glad to have found a new job amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but it did not pay enough. I was struggling to make ends meet. I had children, and I was afraid I would not be able to care for them without enough money. What if they get sick? 

One day, volunteers approached me. After hearing my story, they told me I would receive THB 7,000 (approximately USD 193). I could not believe it, but at the time, I felt relieved. Every day, I used to worry if I could afford food for my family. Thanks to this support, I could buy food and medicine and even pay for my children’s education. 

I am back on my feet after receiving this assistance. I am motivated again to continue working for my children. The support helped me to move on and thrive for a better life. One day, I hope I can save enough to open a small convenience store in my neighbourhood. 

Ma Myo is one of 153* migrant workers who benefitted from the project ‘Direct Cash Assistance and Support to Migrant Workers Impacted by COVID-19 in Thailand’, jointly implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the World Vision Foundation of Thailand, under the programme Corporate Responsibility to Eliminate Slavery and Trafficking (CREST). CREST is an initiative that supports businesses in upholding the human and labour rights of migrant workers in key sectors and migration corridors. 

*As of 25 July 2022