Development Work
Current work
Pursuing a PhD in Development Economics
I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in development economics at the University of Groningen, where I am working on a women's empowerment project in collaboration with TYM Microfinance Organization in Vietnam. I use qualitative and quantitative research to design and evaluate an intervention aimed at improving economic, psychological, and social outcomes among women in Northern Vietnam. Additionally, I investigate how cultural framing influences these outcomes, as well as behavioral aspects such as preference for competition.
Prior work
Experiences as a Public Health Research Officer in Myanmar
From 2019 to the end of 2021, I worked as a Public Health Research Officer in Myanmar. I worked on multiple projects, one of which was a EU-funded implementation-research consortium project entitled “Scaling Up on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Southeast Asia" (SUNI-SEA).
Contributions to the Scaling-Up on Non-Communicable Diseases (SUNI-SEA) project
Project background
The SUNI-SEA project aimed at implementing, evaluating and validating effective and cost-effective scaling-up strategies of evidence-based diabetes and hypertension prevention and management programs in three countries of Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Vietnam, and Indonesia).
Contribution to the project
I oversaw implementation and research plans in Myanmar, and developed a community-level data collection system using DHIS2 for Vietnam and Myanmar, and led coordination efforts among local, national, and international stakeholders and donors.
A few highlights
In the midst of the pandemic, in 2021, I contributed an online sharing experience and building skills at the European Public Health Conference, where together with another researcher, we presented a tool for measuring effectiveness of community health interventions.
On top of the pandemic, Myanmar was faced with a political and economic crisis following the February 2021 coup. Together with another colleague, I wrote about how we adapted the project by developing a self-care screening app to overcome barriers in reaching communities and responding to rising mental health needs.
I have also contributed to other initiatives as a Public Health Research Officer in Myanmar. Here are some highlights.
Contributions to other projects in Myanmar
Facilitated the development and revision of project monitoring plans of the "Better Health Project", a FCDO-funded project in collaboration with PwC. The work involved crafting reports at monthly, quarterly, and annual intervals for project donors and spearheading the technical writing of a scoping review to inform project adaptation amidst political upheaval.
Functioned as a representative for nutrition and food security initiatives, providing technical input to UN and WHO-led task forces on nutrition-sensitive education and Food-Based Dietary Guideline development for Myanmar, respectively.
Contributed to an EU-funded research project focusing on COVID-19 and political instability by coordinating capacity-building initiatives on evaluation and research methods. This involved developing questionnaires for in-depth interviews, particularly focusing on nutrition-related inquiries, and assisting in the collection, analysis, and reporting of qualitative data.
Consulting experiences
I have provided short-term consulting services for organizations such as Population Services International (PSI) and Bixal.
Some of my key contributions are highlighted below.
Key contributions
Provided technical expertise for a comprehensive Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) analysis, gathering and analyzing data on gender dynamics, challenges, and opportunities within Myanmar's economic sectors, including private enterprises, small and medium-sized businesses, finance, agriculture, and human rights.
Developed a learning brief on Respectful Maternal and Newborn Care (RMNC) for slum dwellers in Kampala, Uganda.
Conducted a condom market health study in three regions of Mozambique (reporting on stock, price, sales, market value).
Conducted an evidence base review of the Greater Mekong Subregion Elimination of Malaria through Surveillance (GEMS/GEMS+) project and delivered an evidence synthesis framework that identified key insights from the results of research and program initiative.
Experiences in the agricultural sector and women's inclusion
In 2017, I worked for AgriCord, a global alliance of agri-agencies, aimed at fostering economic viability of farming activities and improving the livelihood conditions of farmers, their families and the rural communities they work and live in.
Here are some of my contributions:
Provided input for the multi-donor trust fund Farmers Fighting Poverty program report, by gathering results and impacts from farmer organizations' activities.
Supported the evaluation of a Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization (SACCO) in Uganda in the context of the Farmers Fighting Poverty program. The evaluation aimed at exploring to what extent the program enhanced the capacity of the farmers’ organization, namely in terms of improving service delivery to small-scale farmers and inclusion of women and youth. The evaluation was informed by qualitative interviews with a wide range of project stakeholders and secondary data.