Ma Chaw Su Hlaing is 38-year-old who lives in Hlaing Thar Yar Township, A Hlel Ywar Village, Yangon Division in Myanmar. When she was one year and eight months old she began to show symptoms of polio and then lost the ability to walk soon after. She is a costume designer and also teaches costume design. She is a volunteer with the Myanmar Independent Living Initiative (MILI).
“I work as a volunteer in MILI because the improvement of life for people with disability in Myanmar is needed. Especially education, health, finances and transportation- all still have barriers for people with disability. Our country got democracy a few years ago but nothing has changed. The improvement of quality of life for people with disability is very needed. And that’s why we try to suggest, demand, and discuss the right of disability person to policy makers in parliament. For example, disability person with wheelchair have difficulty to get in the bus. If bus driver sees a person in wheelchair, they do not want to pick them up. Our members feel discrimination from others. I think that every person in Myanmar should get the same rights. The government should organize transportation for people with disability. I join every disability activity and I fight to get equal rights,” said Chaw Su Hlaing.
Before she received the Mobility Cart she used a two-wheel wheelchair, which could only be used inside the house. She could not travel too far, and if she did she would feel pain in her arms. Now with the Mobility Cart she can go outside by herself without help from others. She will now be able to go to the market and put her groceries in the compartment in the Mobility Cart and bring them back home all by herself. She will also be able to go to the MILI meetings by herself. In the future she hopes to do more charity work and she will continue helping people with disabilities like herself.
She is very thankful to the donor for the Mobility Cart and said it is like new legs. “Thank you to the donor for these new legs, I would have never thought that I would get this [Mobility Cart]. This is the first time I receive donation in my life.”
