When the earthquake struck Myanmar in March 2025, it compounded existing humanitarian and labour market crises, leaving communities facing displacement, job losses, and prolonged uncertainty. Recovery required more than immediate relief—it demanded decent work opportunities, skills development, and lasting capacities to rebuild livelihoods.
In the year following the disaster, the ILO’s Employment Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP) and vocational initiatives supported 22 villages in Mandalay Region and Shan State. These efforts generated over 27,000 workdays for more than 3,000 workers, restored local infrastructure, and provided vocational training, with significant participation from women. Projects included building roads, footpaths, water systems, and sanitation facilities, alongside the construction of education and training centres.
Community members expressed gratitude for the skills centres and training opportunities, which offered both practical abilities and renewed confidence. Sewing and weaving programmes, for example, enabled participants to regain income while fostering hope for the future. The ILO’s approach emphasized community involvement through village development committees, ensuring that recovery was participatory, inclusive, and locally owned.
Beyond infrastructure, the ILO worked with civil society organizations to strengthen governance and accountability in recovery efforts. This included introducing practices such as public auditing, occupational safety and health measures, and social insurance awareness. These elements shifted the focus from simply rebuilding to embedding safer, more transparent, and socially grounded processes.
Skills training in masonry, textiles, computer literacy, and entrepreneurship became central to the recovery, linking immediate reconstruction with long-term livelihood opportunities. Some participants even secured contracts to sell products made with their new skills, demonstrating the value of connecting training to real income generation.
In February 2026, the ILO convened a knowledge-sharing event with UN agencies and development partners to highlight achievements and lessons learned. The emphasis was on employment-centred recovery, underscoring that rebuilding after disaster is not only about infrastructure but also about strengthening communities, governance, and local capacities.
The Myanmar experience showed that recovery in fragile settings can be more sustainable when it integrates decent work, community participation, and institutional improvements. By embedding these principles, the ILO helped communities rebuild with resilience, inclusivity, and hope for the future.
